< Job 40 >
1 Moreover the LORD answered Job,
And the Lord went on, and said to Job:
2 “Shall he who argues contend with the Almighty? He who argues with God, let him answer it.”
Shall he that contendeth with God be so easily silenced? surely he that reproveth God, ought to answer him.
3 Then Job answered the LORD,
Then Job answered the Lord, and said:
4 “Behold, I am of small account. What will I answer you? I lay my hand on my mouth.
What can I answer, who hath spoken inconsiderately? I will lay my hand upon my mouth.
5 I have spoken once, and I will not answer; Yes, twice, but I will proceed no further.”
One thing I have spoken, which I wish I had not said: and another, to which I will add no more.
6 Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind:
And the Lord answering Job out of the whirlwind, said:
7 “Now brace yourself like a man. I will question you, and you will answer me.
Gird up thy loins like a man: I will ask thee, and do thou tell me.
8 Will you even annul my judgment? Will you condemn me, that you may be justified?
Wilt thou make void my judgment: and condemn me, that thou mayst be justified?
9 Or do you have an arm like God? Can you thunder with a voice like him?
And hast thou an arm like God, and canst thou thunder with a voice like him?
10 “Now deck yourself with excellency and dignity. Array yourself with honor and majesty.
Clothe thyself with beauty, and set thyself up on high and be glorious, and put on goodly garments.
11 Pour out the fury of your anger. Look at everyone who is proud, and bring him low.
Scatter the proud in thy indignation, and behold every arrogant man, and humble him.
12 Look at everyone who is proud, and humble him. Crush the wicked in their place.
Look on all that are proud, and confound them, and crush the wicked in their place.
13 Hide them in the dust together. Bind their faces in the hidden place.
Hide them in the dust together, and plunge their faces into the pit.
14 Then I will also admit to you that your own right hand can save you.
Then I will confess that thy right hand is able to save thee.
15 “See now behemoth, which I made as well as you. He eats grass as an ox.
Behold behemoth whom I made with thee, he eateth grass like an ox.
16 Look now, his strength is in his thighs. His force is in the muscles of his belly.
His strength is in his loins, and his force in the navel of his belly.
17 He moves his tail like a cedar. The sinews of his thighs are knit together.
He setteth up his tail like a cedar, the sinews of his testicles are wrapped together.
18 His bones are like tubes of bronze. His limbs are like bars of iron.
His bones are like pipes of brass, his gristle like plates of iron.
19 He is the chief of the ways of God. He who made him gives him his sword.
He is the beginning of the ways of God, who made him, he will apply his sword.
20 Surely the mountains produce food for him, where all the animals of the field play.
To him the mountains bring forth grass: there all the beasts of the field shall play.
21 He lies under the lotus trees, in the covert of the reed, and the marsh.
He sleepeth under the shadow, in the covert of the reed, and in moist places.
22 The lotuses cover him with their shade. The willows of the brook surround him.
The shades cover his shadow, the willows of the brook shall compass him about.
23 Behold, if a river overflows, he does not tremble. He is confident, though the Jordan swells even to his mouth.
Behold, he will drink up a river, and not wonder: and he trusteth that the Jordan may run into his mouth.
24 Shall any take him when he is on the watch, or pierce through his nose with a snare?
In his eyes as with a hook he shall take him, and bore through his nostrils with stakes.