Job 40
1 And the Lord God answered Job, and said,
Moreover the LORD answered Job,
2 Will [any one] pervert judgement with the Mighty One? and he that reproves God, let him return it for answer.
“Shall he who argues contend with the Almighty? He who argues with God, let him answer it.”
3 And Job answered and said to the Lord,
Then 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.
“Behold, I am of small account. What will I answer you? I lay my hand on my mouth.
5 I have spoken once; but I will not do so a second time.
I have spoken once, and I will not answer; Yes, twice, but I will proceed no further.”
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.
“Now brace yourself like a man. I will question you, and you will 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?
Will you even annul my judgment? Will you condemn me, that you may be justified?
9 Hast you an arm like the Lord's? or do you thunder with a voice like his?
Or do you have an arm like God? Can you thunder with a voice like him?
10 Assume now a lofty bearing and power; and clothe yourself with glory and honour.
“Now deck yourself with excellency and dignity. Array yourself with honor and majesty.
11 And send forth messengers with wrath; and lay low every haughty one.
Pour out the fury of your anger. Look at everyone who is proud, and bring him low.
12 Bring down also the proud man; and consume at once the ungodly.
Look at everyone who is proud, and humble him. Crush the wicked in their place.
13 And hide them together in the earth; and fill their faces with shame.
Hide them in the dust together. Bind their faces in the hidden place.
14 [Then] will I confess that your right hand can save [you].
Then I will also admit to you that your own right hand can save you.
15 But now look at the wild beasts with you; they eat grass like oxen.
“See now behemoth, which I made as well as you. He eats grass as an ox.
16 Behold now, his strength is in his loins, and his force is in the navel of his belly.
Look now, his strength is in his thighs. His force is in the muscles of his belly.
17 He sets up his tail like a cypress; and his nerves are wrapped together.
He moves his tail like a cedar. The sinews of his thighs are knit together.
18 His sides are sides of brass; and his backbone is [as] cast iron.
His bones are like tubes of bronze. His limbs are like bars of iron.
19 This is the chief of the creation of the Lord; made to be played with by his angels.
He is the chief of the ways of God. He who made him gives him his sword.
20 And when he has gone up to a steep mountain, he causes joy to the quadrupeds in the deep.
Surely the mountains produce food for him, where all the animals of the field play.
21 He lies under trees of every kind, by the papyrus, and reed, and bulrush.
He lies under the lotus trees, in the covert of the reed, and the marsh.
22 And the great trees make a shadow over him with their branches, and [so do] the bushes of the field.
The lotuses cover him with their shade. The willows of the brook surround him.
23 If there should be a flood, he will not perceive it; he trust that Jordan will rush up into his mouth.
Behold, if a river overflows, he doesn’t tremble. He is confident, though the Jordan swells even to his mouth.
24 [Yet one] shall take him in his sight; [one] shall catch [him] with a cord, and pierce his nose.
Shall any take him when he is on the watch, or pierce through his nose with a snare?
