Job 11:12

“For vain man would be wise, etc.] Or “hollow” f494, empty man; empty of all that is good, though full of all unrighteousness; without God, the knowledge, love, and fear of him; without Christ, the knowledge of him, faith in him, and love to him; destitute of the Spirit, and of his grace, having no good thing in him: yet such a man “would be wise”; not desirous of true wisdom, but would be thought to be wise; he in conceit thinks himself that he is very wise, and he would fain have others think so of him; or is, or “may”, or “will be wise” f495; may be made wise by the chastisements of God through afflictions, being sanctified to him by the grace of God; though he is a vain man, and also is…”

“vain--hollow. would be--"wants to consider himself wise"; opposed to God's "wisdom" (see on Job 11:11); refuses to see sin, where God sees it (Rom 1:22). wild ass's colt--a proverb for untamed wildness (Job 39:5, Job 39:8; Jer 2:24; Gen 16:12; Hebrew, "a wild-ass man"). Man wishes to appear wisely obedient to his Lord, whereas he is, from his birth, unsubdued in spirit.”

“For vain man - Margin, “empty.” נבוב nâbûb, according to Gesenius, from the root נבב nâbab, to bore through, and then to be hollow; metaphorical, “empty,” “foolish.” The Septuagint, strangely enough, renders this,” but man floats about with words.” The Hebrew here means, manifestly, hollow, empty; then insincere and hypocritical. Zophar refers to a hollow-hearted man, who, though he was in fact like a wild ass’s colt, attempted to appear mild and gentle, and to have a heart. The meaning is, that man by nature has a spirit untamed and unsubdued, and that with this, he assumes the appearance of gentleness and tenderness, and attempts to appear as if he was worthy of love and affection. God,…”

“Man - That since the fall is void of all true wisdom, pretends to be wise, and able to pass a censure upon all God's ways and works. Colt - Ignorant, and dull, and stupid, as to divine things, and yet heady and untractable. Job 11:13”

“For vain: Heb. For empty, Psa 62:9, Psa 62:10, Psa 73:22, Psa 92:6; Ecc 3:18; Rom 1:22; Jam 2:20 would: Job 5:13, Job 12:2, Job 12:3, Job 28:28; Pro 30:2-4; Rom 12:16; Co1 3:18-20; Jam 3:13-17 man be: Job 15:14; Psa 51:5; Eph 2:3 a wild: Job 6:5, Job 39:5-8; Jer 2:24 Job 11:13”