Job 11:12

Having finished his brilliant picture of God's omniscient wisdom, Zophar adds further brilliancy to it by contrasting it with the brutishness of man. The verse perhaps should read,

But an empty man will become wise

When a wild ass colt is born a man,

the one thing will happen when the other happens. The verse seems to be in the shape of a proverb, and is full of alliterations which cannot be reproduced in translation. The word "empty" is properly "hollow;" and "to become wise" is literally "to get heart," i. e. understanding or mind (ch. Job 9:4; Job 12:3). The last phrase was understood by Gesenius to mean "to be without heart" or understanding. Following this view, many translate: But empty man is void of understanding, yea, man is born (like) a wild ass colt. Gesenius objects to the other that it offends against dignity. The verse has been interpreted in a great variety of ways.