The Meaning of Job 35:8 Explained

Job 35:8

KJV: Thy wickedness may hurt a man as thou art; and thy righteousness may profit the son of man.

YLT: For a man like thyself is thy wickedness, And for a son of man thy righteousness.

Darby: Thy wickedness may affect a man as thou art, and thy righteousness a son of man.

ASV: Thy wickedness may hurt a man as thou art; And thy righteousness may profit a son of man.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Thy wickedness  [may hurt] a man  as thou [art]; and thy righteousness  [may profit] the son  of man. 

What does Job 35:8 Mean?

Context Summary

Job 35:1-16 - Songs In The Night
God is so exalted above man in His nature that He is altogether independent of him. When men sin against Him, they hurt not Him but themselves. There is no motive, therefore, of retaliation or revenge in His chastisements. "Not for His pleasure," the Holy Ghost saith in another place, "but for our profit," Hebrews 12:10.
Instead of seeking after God our Maker, who can give songs in the darkest night that ever befell a human spirit, we are too apt to despair. Instead of crying to God, we cry against Him. We murmur and complain. We arraign God. There is our pride, Job 35:12. We regard iniquity in our heart, and God cannot answer us until we change our note for one of loving, trustful submission. God will not hear vanity, neither will the Almighty regard it.
Let us change our temper and our note. Have done with the proud self-will that chafes and argues and complains. This will not speed thy cause at God's bar. Humble thyself under His mighty hand, and He will exalt thee. "The meek He will teach His way." [source]

Chapter Summary: Job 35

1  Comparison is not to be made with God,
6  because our good or evil cannot extend unto him
9  Many cry in their afflictions, but are not heard for lack of faith

What do the individual words in Job 35:8 mean?

affects a man such as you Your wickedness and a son of man your righteousness
לְאִישׁ־ כָּמ֥וֹךָ רִשְׁעֶ֑ךָ וּלְבֶן־ אָ֝דָ֗ם צִדְקָתֶֽךָ

לְאִישׁ־  affects  a  man 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
כָּמ֥וֹךָ  such  as  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
Root: כְּמֹו  
Sense: like, as, the like of which conj.
רִשְׁעֶ֑ךָ  Your  wickedness 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: רֶשַׁע  
Sense: wrong, wickedness, guilt.
וּלְבֶן־  and  a  son 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
אָ֝דָ֗ם  of  man 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָדָם 
Sense: man, mankind.
צִדְקָתֶֽךָ  your  righteousness 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: צְדָקָה  
Sense: justice, righteousness.