Job 15:3

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

Should he reason with unprofitable talk, Or with speeches wherewith he can do no good?

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

הוֹכֵחַ בְּדָבָר לֹא יִסְכּוֹן וּמִלִּים לֹא־יוֹעִיל בָּם

Transliteration

hôḵēaḥ bə-dāḇār lōʾ yiskôn û-millîm lōʾ-yôʿîl bām

Grammar Details

• *hôḵēaḥ*: infinitive absolute, hiphil - to rebuke/arguing
• *bə-dāḇār*: preposition + noun, masculine singular - with a word
• *lōʾ*: negative particle - not
• *yiskôn*: qal imperfect, 3rd masculine singular - he profits/is useful
• *û-millîm*: conjunction + noun, feminine plural - and words
• *lōʾ-yôʿîl*: negative particle + hiphil imperfect, 3rd masculine singular - he does not profit
• *bām*: preposition + 3rd masculine plural suffix - with them

Word Meanings

• *hôḵēaḥ*: to rebuke, reprove, reason, argue
• *dāḇār*: word, speech, thing, matter
• *sāḵan*: to be of use, benefit, profit
• *millîm*: words, speech, utterances
• *yāʿal*: to profit, benefit, avail

Referenced Verses

• Job 13:4-5 : 4 But ye are forgers of lies; Ye are all physicians of no value. 5 Oh that ye would altogether hold your peace! And it would be your wisdom.
• Job 16:2-3 : 2 I have heard many such things: Miserable comforters are ye all. 3 Shall vain words have an end? Or what provoketh thee that thou answerest?
• Job 26:1-3 : 1 Then Job answered and said, 2 How hast thou helped him that is without power! How hast thou saved the arm that hath no strength! 3 How hast thou counselled him that hath no wisdom, And plentifully declared sound knowledge!
• Mal 3:13-15 : 13 Your words have been stout against me, saith Jehovah. Yet ye say, What have we spoken against thee? 14 Ye have said, It is vain to serve God; and what profit is it that we have kept his charge, and that we have walked mournfully before Jehovah of hosts? 15 And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are built up; yea, they tempt God, and escape.
• Matt 12:36-37 : 36 And I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. 37 For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.
• Col 4:6 : 6 Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer each one.
• 1 Tim 6:4-5 : 4 he is puffed up, knowing nothing, but doting about questionings and disputes of words, whereof {G1537} cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, 5 wranglings of men corrupted in mind and bereft of the truth, supposing that godliness is a way of gain.