The Meaning of Job 11:16 Explained

Job 11:16

KJV: Because thou shalt forget thy misery, and remember it as waters that pass away:

YLT: For thou dost forget misery, As waters passed away thou rememberest.

Darby: For thou shalt forget misery; as waters that are passed away shalt thou remember it;

ASV: For thou shalt forget thy misery; Thou shalt remember it as waters that are passed away,

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Because thou shalt forget  [thy] misery,  [and] remember  [it] as waters  [that] pass away: 

What does Job 11:16 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 11:16 mean?

Because you [your] misery would forget as waters [that have] passed away and remember [it]
כִּי־ אַ֭תָּה עָמָ֣ל תִּשְׁכָּ֑ח כְּמַ֖יִם עָבְר֣וּ תִזְכֹּֽר

כִּי־  Because 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
עָמָ֣ל  [your]  misery 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: עָמָל  
Sense: .
תִּשְׁכָּ֑ח  would  forget 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: כָּשַׁח 
Sense: to forget, ignore, wither.
כְּמַ֖יִם  as  waters 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, masculine plural
Root: מַיִם  
Sense: water, waters.
עָבְר֣וּ  [that  have]  passed  away 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: עָבַר 
Sense: to pass over or by or through, alienate, bring, carry, do away, take, take away, transgress.
תִזְכֹּֽר  and  remember  [it] 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: זָכַר 
Sense: to remember, recall, call to mind.