Job 13:5
New International Version
If only you would be altogether silent! For you, that would be wisdom.

New Living Translation
If only you could be silent! That’s the wisest thing you could do.

English Standard Version
Oh that you would keep silent, and it would be your wisdom!

Berean Standard Bible
If only you would remain silent; for that would be your wisdom!

King James Bible
O that ye would altogether hold your peace! and it should be your wisdom.

New King James Version
Oh, that you would be silent, And it would be your wisdom!

New American Standard Bible
“Oh that you would be completely silent, And that it would become your wisdom!

NASB 1995
“O that you would be completely silent, And that it would become your wisdom!

NASB 1977
“O that you would be completely silent, And that it would become your wisdom!

Legacy Standard Bible
O that you would be completely silent, And that it would become your wisdom!

Amplified Bible
“Oh, that you would be completely silent, And that silence would be your wisdom!

Christian Standard Bible
If only you would shut up and let that be your wisdom!

Holman Christian Standard Bible
If only you would shut up and let that be your wisdom!

American Standard Version
Oh that ye would altogether hold your peace! And it would be your wisdom.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
He, The Maker, is silent; you should be silent, and let this be for your wisdom

Brenton Septuagint Translation
But would that ye were silent, and it would be wisdom to you in the end.

Contemporary English Version
The wisest thing you can do is to keep quiet

Douay-Rheims Bible
And I wish you would hold your peace, that you might be thought to be wise men..

English Revised Version
Oh that ye would altogether hold your peace! and it should be your wisdom.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
I wish you would keep silent. For you, that would be wisdom.

Good News Translation
Say nothing, and someone may think you are wise!

International Standard Version
I wish you'd all just shut up. Then at least you would appear to be wise.

JPS Tanakh 1917
Oh that ye would altogether hold your peace! And it would be your wisdom.

Literal Standard Version
O that you would keep perfectly silent, | And it would be to you for wisdom.

Majority Standard Bible
If only you would remain silent; for that would be your wisdom!

New American Bible
Oh, that you would be altogether silent; that for you would be wisdom!

NET Bible
If only you would keep completely silent! For you, that would be wisdom.

New Revised Standard Version
If you would only keep silent, that would be your wisdom!

New Heart English Bible
Oh that you would be completely silent. Then you would be wise.

Webster's Bible Translation
O that ye would altogether hold your peace and it would be your wisdom.

World English Bible
Oh that you would be completely silent! Then you would be wise.

Young's Literal Translation
O that ye would keep perfectly silent, And it would be to you for wisdom.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Job Reproves His Friends
4You, however, smear with lies; you are all worthless physicians. 5If only you would remain silent; for that would be your wisdom! 6Hear now my argument, and listen to the plea of my lips.…

Cross References
Job 13:6
Hear now my argument, and listen to the plea of my lips.

Job 13:13
Be silent, and I will speak. Then let come to me what may.

Job 21:5
Look at me and be appalled; put your hand over your mouth.

Proverbs 17:28
Even a fool is considered wise if he keeps silent, and discerning when he holds his tongue.


Treasury of Scripture

O that you would altogether hold your peace! and it should be your wisdom.

Oh that ye

Job 13:13
Hold your peace, let me alone, that I may speak, and let come on me what will.

Job 11:3
Should thy lies make men hold their peace? and when thou mockest, shall no man make thee ashamed?

Job 16:3
Shall vain words have an end? or what emboldeneth thee that thou answerest?

and it

Proverbs 17:28
Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.

Ecclesiastes 5:3
For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool's voice is known by multitude of words.

Amos 5:13
Therefore the prudent shall keep silence in that time; for it is an evil time.

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Job 13
1. Job reproves his friends for partiality
14. He professes his confidence in God;
19. and entreats to know his own sins, and God's purpose in afflicting him














(5) O that ye would altogether hold your peace! is singularly like the sentiment of Proverbs 17:28. Their wisdom will consist in listening to his wisdom rather than displaying their own folly.

Verse 5. - Oh that ye would altogether hold your peace! The friends had "held their peace" for seven days after their arrival (Job 2:13). Oh that they would have held it altogether! Their words had done nothing but exasperate and goad almost to madness. There is a mournful pathos in Job's entreates to them to be silent (comp ver. 13). And it should be your wisdom. "Speech," it has been said, "is silvern, silence is golden." No doubt" there is a time for everything... a time to keep silence, and a time to speak" (Ecclesiastes 3:1, 7); nor is the rule of La Trappe altogether a wise one. But probably ten times as much harm is done in the world by speaking as by keeping silence. "Words for God" need especial care and caution. If they do not do good, the harm that they may do is incalculable.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
If only
מִֽי־ (mî-)
Interjection
Strong's 4310: Who?, whoever, in oblique construction with prefix, suffix

you would be silent;
הַחֲרֵ֣שׁ (ha·ḥă·rêš)
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine plural | Paragogic nun
Strong's 2790: To cut in, engrave, plow, devise

for that would be
וּתְהִ֖י (ū·ṯə·hî)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Jussive - third person feminine singular
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

your
לָכֶ֣ם (lā·ḵem)
Preposition | second person masculine plural
Strong's Hebrew

wisdom!
לְחָכְמָֽה׃ (lə·ḥā·ḵə·māh)
Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 2451: Wisdom


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OT Poetry: Job 13:5 Oh that you would be completely silent! (Jb)
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