Job 40
1 And the Lord God answered Job, and said,
God continued speaking to Job.
2 Will [any one] pervert judgement with the Mighty One? and he that reproves God, let him return it for answer.
“Are you still going to fight with the Almighty and try to set him straight? Anyone who argues with God must give some answers.”
3 And Job answered and said to the Lord,
Job answered the Lord,
4 Why do I yet plead? being rebuked even while reproving the Lord: hearing such things, whereas I am nothing: and what shall I answer to these [arguments]? I will lay my hand upon my mouth.
“Me—I am nothing at all. I have no answers. I put my hand in front of my mouth.
5 I have spoken once; but I will not do so a second time.
I have already said far too much and I won't say anything more.”
6 And the Lord yet again answered and spoke to Job out of the cloud, [saying],
Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind,
7 Nay, gird up now your loins like a man; and I will ask you, and do you answer me.
“Prepare yourself, be strong, for I am going to question you, and you must answer me.
8 Do not set aside my judgement: and do you think that I have dealt with you in any other way, than that you might appear to be righteous?
Are you really going to say my decisions are wrong? Are you going to condemn me so you can be right?
9 Hast you an arm like the Lord's? or do you thunder with a voice like his?
Are you as powerful as I am? Does your voice thunder like mine?
10 Assume now a lofty bearing and power; and clothe yourself with glory and honour.
Why don't you dress yourself with majesty and dignity, and clothe yourself with glory and splendor!
11 And send forth messengers with wrath; and lay low every haughty one.
Let loose your fierce anger. Humble the proud with a glance.
12 Bring down also the proud man; and consume at once the ungodly.
Bring down the proud with your gaze; tread the wicked underfoot right where they are.
13 And hide them together in the earth; and fill their faces with shame.
Bury them in the dust; lock them away in the grave.
14 [Then] will I confess that your right hand can save [you].
Then I will also agree that your own strength can save you.
15 But now look at the wild beasts with you; they eat grass like oxen.
Consider Behemoth, a creature I made just like I made you. It eats grass like cattle.
16 Behold now, his strength is in his loins, and his force is in the navel of his belly.
Look at its powerful loins, the muscles of its belly.
17 He sets up his tail like a cypress; and his nerves are wrapped together.
It bends its tail like a cedar; its thigh sinews are strong.
18 His sides are sides of brass; and his backbone is [as] cast iron.
Its bones are like bronze tubes; its limbs like iron rods.
19 This is the chief of the creation of the Lord; made to be played with by his angels.
It is the most important example of what God can do; only the one who made it can approach it with a sword.
20 And when he has gone up to a steep mountain, he causes joy to the quadrupeds in the deep.
The hills produce food for it, and all the wild animals play there.
21 He lies under trees of every kind, by the papyrus, and reed, and bulrush.
It lies under the lotus; it hides in the reeds of the marsh.
22 And the great trees make a shadow over him with their branches, and [so do] the bushes of the field.
The lotus covers it with shade; the willow trees of the valley surround it.
23 If there should be a flood, he will not perceive it; he trust that Jordan will rush up into his mouth.
Even if the river is in flood, it is not concerned; it remains calm when the Jordan river surges against it.
24 [Yet one] shall take him in his sight; [one] shall catch [him] with a cord, and pierce his nose.
No one can catch it while it is watching, or pierce its nose with a noose.
