The Meaning of Job 4:2 Explained

Job 4:2

KJV: If we assay to commune with thee, wilt thou be grieved? but who can withhold himself from speaking?

YLT: Hath one tried a word with thee? -- Thou art weary! And to keep in words who is able?

Darby: If a word were essayed to thee, wouldest thou be grieved? But who can refrain from speaking?

ASV: If one assay to commune with thee, wilt thou be grieved? But who can withhold himself from speaking?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

[If] we assay  to commune  with thee, wilt thou be grieved?  but who can  withhold  himself from speaking? 

What does Job 4:2 Mean?

Context Summary

Job 4:1-21 - "shall Mortal Man Be More Just Than God?"
The first cycle of speeches is opened by Eliphaz. It must be remembered that he and the two others believed that special suffering resulted from and was the sign of special sin. Job's calamities, in the light of that thought, seemed to prove that he who had been considered a paragon of perfection was not what they had supposed. According to their philosophy, if only he would confess his sin, all would be well and the sun would shine again upon his path.
Eliphaz recounts a visitation, in a night vision, from the unseen world, which is described with marvelous power. Emphasis is laid on the infinite distance between God and man, and on the impossibility of a mortal being accounted just in the presence of divine purity. Of course the suggestion is that Job was suffering the penalty of sin which, though it had eluded human eyes, was naked and open before God. An angel seems dark against God's pure light, and if an angel is deficient, how much more man! [source]

Chapter Summary: Job 4

1  Eliphaz reproves Job that the innocent do not suffer
7  He teaches God's judgments to be not for the righteous, but for the wicked
12  His fearful vision to humble the excellency of creatures before God

What do the individual words in Job 4:2 mean?

will [If] one attempts a word with you you become weary but withhold himself from speaking who can
הֲנִסָּ֬ה דָבָ֣ר אֵלֶ֣יךָ ؟ תִּלְאֶ֑ה וַעְצֹ֥ר ؟ בְּ֝מִלִּ֗ין מִ֣י יוּכָֽל

הֲנִסָּ֬ה  will  [If]  one  attempts 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נָסָה  
Sense: to test, try, prove, tempt, assay, put to the proof or test.
דָבָ֣ר  a  word 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
אֵלֶ֣יךָ  with  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
؟ תִּלְאֶ֑ה  you  become  weary 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: לָאָה  
Sense: to be weary, be impatient, be grieved, be offended.
וַעְצֹ֥ר  but  withhold  himself 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: עָצַר  
Sense: to restrain, retain, close up, shut, withhold, refrain, stay, detain.
؟ בְּ֝מִלִּ֗ין  from  speaking 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine plural
Root: מִלָּה  
Sense: word, speech, utterance.
יוּכָֽל  can 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָכֹל  
Sense: to prevail, overcome, endure, have power, be able.