Job 7:11
New International Version
“Therefore I will not keep silent; I will speak out in the anguish of my spirit, I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.

New Living Translation
“I cannot keep from speaking. I must express my anguish. My bitter soul must complain.

English Standard Version
“Therefore I will not restrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.

Berean Standard Bible
Therefore I will not restrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.

King James Bible
Therefore I will not refrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.

New King James Version
“Therefore I will not restrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.

New American Standard Bible
“Therefore I will not restrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit, I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.

NASB 1995
“Therefore I will not restrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit, I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.

NASB 1977
“Therefore, I will not restrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit, I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.

Legacy Standard Bible
“Indeed I will not hold back my mouth; I will speak in the distress of my spirit; I will muse on the bitterness of my soul.

Amplified Bible
“Therefore I will not restrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit, I will complain in the bitterness of my soul [O Lord].

Christian Standard Bible
Therefore I will not restrain my mouth. I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Therefore I will not restrain my mouth. I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.

American Standard Version
Therefore I will not refrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.

Contemporary English Version
And so, I cry out to you in agony and distress.

English Revised Version
Therefore I will not refrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
So I won't keep my mouth shut, but I will speak from the distress that is in my spirit and complain about the bitterness in my soul.

Good News Translation
No! I can't be quiet! I am angry and bitter. I have to speak.

International Standard Version
"In addition, I won't keep my opinion to myself; I'll speak from my distressed spirit; I'll complain with my bitter soul.

Majority Standard Bible
Therefore I will not restrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.

NET Bible
"Therefore, I will not refrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.

New Heart English Bible
"Therefore I will not keep silent. I will speak in the anguish of my spirit. I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.

Webster's Bible Translation
Therefore I will not restrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.

World English Bible
“Therefore I will not keep silent. I will speak in the anguish of my spirit. I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Also I do not withhold my mouth—I speak in the distress of my spirit, I talk in the bitterness of my soul.

Young's Literal Translation
Also I -- I withhold not my mouth -- I speak in the distress of my spirit, I talk in the bitterness of my soul.

Smith's Literal Translation
Also I will not restrain my mouth; I will speak in the straitness of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Wherefore I will not spare my month, I will speak in the affliction of my spirit: I will talk with the bitterness of my soul.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And because of this, I will not restrain my mouth. I will speak in the affliction of my spirit. I will converse from the bitterness of my soul.

New American Bible
My own utterance I will not restrain; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.

New Revised Standard Version
“Therefore I will not restrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Therefore I will not restrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Also I shall not restrain my mouth, I shall speak in the grief of my spirit and I shall narrate in the bitterness of my soul
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Therefore I will not refrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Then neither will I refrain my mouth: I will speak being in distress; being in anguish I will disclose the bitterness of my soul.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Job Continues: Life Seems Futile
10He never returns to his house; his place remembers him no more. 11Therefore I will not restrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul. 12Am I the sea, or the monster of the deep, that You must keep me under guard?…

Cross References
Psalm 39:1-3
For the choirmaster. For Jeduthun. A Psalm of David. I said, “I will watch my ways so that I will not sin with my tongue; I will guard my mouth with a muzzle as long as the wicked are present.” / I was speechless and still; I remained silent, even from speaking good, and my sorrow was stirred. / My heart grew hot within me; as I mused, the fire burned. Then I spoke with my tongue:

Psalm 142:1-2
A Maskil of David, when he was in the cave. A prayer. I cry aloud to the LORD; I lift my voice to the LORD for mercy. / I pour out my complaint before Him; I reveal my trouble to Him.

Lamentations 3:17-20
My soul has been deprived of peace; I have forgotten what prosperity is. / So I say, “My strength has perished, along with my hope from the LORD.” / Remember my affliction and wandering, the wormwood and the gall. ...

Psalm 77:1-4
For the choirmaster. According to Jeduthun. A Psalm of Asaph. I cried out to God; I cried aloud to God to hear me. / In the day of trouble I sought the Lord; through the night my outstretched hands did not grow weary; my soul refused to be comforted. / I remembered You, O God, and I groaned; I mused and my spirit grew faint. Selah ...

Jeremiah 20:7-9
You have deceived me, O LORD, and I was deceived. You have overcome me and prevailed. I am a laughingstock all day long; everyone mocks me. / For whenever I speak, I cry out; I proclaim violence and destruction. For the word of the LORD has become to me a reproach and derision all day long. / If I say, “I will not mention Him or speak any more in His name,” His message becomes a fire burning in my heart, shut up in my bones, and I become weary of holding it in, and I cannot prevail.

Psalm 6:6-7
I am weary from groaning; all night I flood my bed with weeping and drench my couch with tears. / My eyes fail from grief; they grow dim because of all my foes.

Psalm 32:3-4
When I kept silent, my bones became brittle from my groaning all day long. / For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was drained as in the summer heat. Selah

Psalm 38:8-10
I am numb and badly crushed; I groan in anguish of heart. / O Lord, my every desire is before You; my groaning is not hidden from You. / My heart pounds, my strength fails, and even the light of my eyes has faded.

Psalm 102:1-2
A prayer of one who is afflicted, when he grows faint and pours out his lament before the LORD. Hear my prayer, O LORD; let my cry for help come before You. / Do not hide Your face from me in my day of distress. Incline Your ear to me; answer me quickly when I call.

Psalm 42:3-4
My tears have been my food both day and night, while men ask me all day long, “Where is your God?” / These things come to mind as I pour out my soul: how I walked with the multitude, leading the festive procession to the house of God with shouts of joy and praise.

Psalm 88:1-3
A song. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. For the choirmaster. According to Mahalath Leannoth. A Maskil of Heman the Ezrahite. O LORD, the God of my salvation, day and night I cry out before You. / May my prayer come before You; incline Your ear to my cry. / For my soul is full of troubles, and my life draws near to Sheol.

Psalm 62:8
Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts before Him. God is our refuge. Selah

2 Corinthians 1:8-9
We do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the hardships we encountered in the province of Asia. We were under a burden far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. / Indeed, we felt we were under the sentence of death, in order that we would not trust in ourselves, but in God, who raises the dead.

2 Corinthians 4:8-10
We are hard pressed on all sides, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; / persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed. / We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.

Romans 8:26
In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know how we ought to pray, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans too deep for words.


Treasury of Scripture

Therefore I will not refrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.

I will not.

Job 6:26
Do ye imagine to reprove words, and the speeches of one that is desperate, which are as wind?

Job 10:1
My soul is weary of my life; I will leave my complaint upon myself; I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.

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

the anguish.

Genesis 42:21
And they said one to another, We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us.

2 Kings 4:27,28
And when she came to the man of God to the hill, she caught him by the feet: but Gehazi came near to thrust her away. And the man of God said, Let her alone; for her soul is vexed within her: and the LORD hath hid it from me, and hath not told me…

Matthew 26:37,38
And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy…

the bitterness.

Job 10:15
If I be wicked, woe unto me; and if I be righteous, yet will I not lift up my head. I am full of confusion; therefore see thou mine affliction;

Job 21:25
And another dieth in the bitterness of his soul, and never eateth with pleasure.

1 Samuel 1:10
And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore.

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Anguish Bitter Bitterness Complain Distress Mouth Outcry Pain Refrain Restrain Shut Silent Soul Speak Spirit Talk Withhold Words
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Anguish Bitter Bitterness Complain Distress Mouth Outcry Pain Refrain Restrain Shut Silent Soul Speak Spirit Talk Withhold Words
Job 7
1. Job excuses his desire of death.
12. He complains of his own restlessness, and reasons with God.














Therefore I will not restrain my mouth
The word "restrain" in Hebrew is "חָשַׂךְ" (chasak), which means to hold back or withhold. In the context of Job's suffering, this phrase indicates a turning point where Job decides to express his deep anguish openly. Historically, the culture of the Ancient Near East often valued restraint and composure, especially in the face of suffering. Job's decision to speak out reflects a profound moment of vulnerability and honesty before God, emphasizing the importance of bringing one's true feelings to the Lord in prayer.

I will speak in the anguish of my spirit
The term "anguish" comes from the Hebrew "צַר" (tsar), meaning distress or trouble. "Spirit" is translated from "רוּחַ" (ruach), which can mean breath, wind, or spirit, often referring to the inner self or life force. Job's declaration to speak in his anguish highlights the depth of his emotional and spiritual turmoil. This phrase underscores the biblical theme that God is not distant from human suffering but invites His people to communicate their deepest pains and struggles to Him.

I will complain in the bitterness of my soul
The word "complain" is derived from the Hebrew "שִׂיחַ" (siach), which can mean to muse, meditate, or talk. "Bitterness" comes from "מַר" (mar), indicating a state of grief or sorrow. "Soul" is translated from "נֶפֶשׁ" (nephesh), often referring to the life, self, or personhood. Job's willingness to complain in his bitterness reveals the raw honesty of his relationship with God. It reflects the biblical understanding that God desires authenticity in our relationship with Him, even when it involves expressing our deepest sorrows and grievances.

Verse 11. - Therefore I will not refrain my mouth; rather, I moreover will not refrain my lips; that is, "You may do as you like under affliction, I claim the right of complaining." Job has already pointed out that nature teaches the animals to complain when they suffer (Job 6:5). Why, then, should not he? Complaint is not necessarily murmuring; it is sometimes merely expostulation, which God allows (comp. Psalm 4:2; Psalm 77:3; Psalm 142:2, etc.). I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul. Extreme "anguish" and "bitter" suffering excuse complaints that would otherwise be, blare-able (comp. Job 6:2-4).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Therefore
גַּם־ (gam-)
Conjunction
Strong's 1571: Assemblage, also, even, yea, though, both, and

I
אֲנִי֮ (’ă·nî)
Pronoun - first person common singular
Strong's 589: I

will not
לֹ֤א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

restrain
אֶחֱשָׂ֫ךְ (’e·ḥĕ·śāḵ)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular
Strong's 2820: To restrain, refrain, to refuse, spare, preserve, to observe

my mouth;
פִּ֥י (pî)
Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 6310: The mouth, edge, portion, side, according to

I will speak
אֲ‍ֽ֭דַבְּרָה (’ăḏab·bə·rāh)
Verb - Piel - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular
Strong's 1696: To arrange, to speak, to subdue

in the anguish
בְּצַ֣ר (bə·ṣar)
Preposition-b | Adjective - masculine singular construct
Strong's 6862: Narrow, a tight place, a pebble, an opponent

of my spirit;
רוּחִ֑י (rū·ḥî)
Noun - common singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 7307: Wind, breath, exhalation, life, anger, unsubstantiality, a region of the sky, spirit

I will complain
אָ֝שִׂ֗יחָה (’ā·śî·ḥāh)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular
Strong's 7878: To muse, complain, talk (of)

in the bitterness
בְּמַ֣ר (bə·mar)
Preposition-b | Adjective - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4751: Bitter, bitterness, bitterly

of my soul.
נַפְשִֽׁי׃ (nap̄·šî)
Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 5315: A soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, passion, appetite, emotion


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OT Poetry: Job 7:11 Therefore I will not keep silent (Jb)
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