The Meaning of Job 11:3 Explained

Job 11:3

KJV: Should thy lies make men hold their peace? and when thou mockest, shall no man make thee ashamed?

YLT: Thy devices make men keep silent, Thou scornest, and none is causing blushing!

Darby: Should thy fictions make men hold their peace? and shouldest thou mock, and no one make thee ashamed?

ASV: Should thy boastings make men hold their peace? And when thou mockest, shall no man make thee ashamed?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Should thy lies  make  men  hold their peace?  and when thou mockest,  shall no man make thee ashamed? 

What does Job 11:3 Mean?

Context Summary

Job 11:1-20 - "canst Thou By Searching Find Out God?"
Zophar waxes vehement as he censures Job's self-justification and his refusal to acknowledge the guilt which his friends attribute to him. There is some truth in his allegations, though it was cruel to goad Job with them, notwithstanding his repeated protestations.
It is quite true that many of us are filled with self-complacency, because we judge our best by others' worst. It may be also that we have a very poor conception of what God is and asks. It is best for us to strike our breasts with the publican and to confess ourselves the chief of sinners.
What a magnificent challenge is that of Job 11:7-12! Canst thou reach God's depths, or His perfections, or His heights? But, oh my soul, remember that through all His unsearchable depths God is love. For the closing paragraph see r.v. Job had said he could not lift up his face, Job 10:15, but when sin is put away, we may exchange glances with our Father. [source]

Chapter Summary: Job 11

1  Zophar reproves Job for justifying himself
5  God's wisdom is unsearchable
13  The assured blessing of repentance

What do the individual words in Job 11:3 mean?

your empty talk men Should make hold their peace and when you mock and no one should rebuke you
בַּ֭דֶּיךָ מְתִ֣ים ؟ יַחֲרִ֑ישׁו‪‬ וַ֝תִּלְעַ֗ג וְאֵ֣ין ؟ מַכְלִֽם

בַּ֭דֶּיךָ  your  empty  talk 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: בַּד 
Sense: empty talk, idle talk, liar, lie.
מְתִ֣ים  men 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: מֹת 
Sense: male, man.
؟ יַחֲרִ֑ישׁו‪‬  Should  make  hold  their  peace 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: חָרַשׁ 
Sense: to cut in, plough, engrave, devise.
וַ֝תִּלְעַ֗ג  and  when  you  mock 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: לָעַג  
Sense: to mock, deride, ridicule.
וְאֵ֣ין  and  no  one 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
Root: אַיִן 
Sense: nothing, not, nought n.
؟ מַכְלִֽם  should  rebuke  you 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Participle, masculine singular
Root: כָּלַם  
Sense: to insult, shame, humiliate, blush, be ashamed, be put to shame, be reproached, be put to confusion, be humiliated.