Job 40
1 And the Lord went on, and said to Job:
God continued speaking to Job.
2 Shall he that contendeth with God be so easily silenced? surely he that reproveth God, ought to answer him.
“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 Then Job answered the Lord, and said:
Job answered the Lord,
4 What can I answer, who hath spoken inconsiderately? 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 One thing I have spoken, which I wish I had not said: and another, to which I will add no more.
I have already said far too much and I won't say anything more.”
6 And the Lord answering Job out of the whirlwind, said:
Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind,
7 Gird up thy loins like a man: I will ask thee, and do thou tell me.
“Prepare yourself, be strong, for I am going to question you, and you must answer me.
8 Wilt thou make void my judgment: and condemn me, that thou mayst be justified?
Are you really going to say my decisions are wrong? Are you going to condemn me so you can be right?
9 And hast thou an arm like God, and canst thou thunder with a voice like him?
Are you as powerful as I am? Does your voice thunder like mine?
10 Clothe thyself with beauty, and set thyself up on high and be glorious, and put on goodly garments.
Why don't you dress yourself with majesty and dignity, and clothe yourself with glory and splendor!
11 Scatter the proud in thy indignation, and behold every arrogant man, and humble him.
Let loose your fierce anger. Humble the proud with a glance.
12 Look on all that are proud, and confound them, and crush the wicked in their place.
Bring down the proud with your gaze; tread the wicked underfoot right where they are.
13 Hide them in the dust together, and plunge their faces into the pit.
Bury them in the dust; lock them away in the grave.
14 Then I will confess that thy right hand is able to save thee.
Then I will also agree that your own strength can save you.
15 Behold behemoth whom I made with thee, he eateth grass like an ox.
Consider Behemoth, a creature I made just like I made you. It eats grass like cattle.
16 His strength is in his loins, and his force in the navel of his belly.
Look at its powerful loins, the muscles of its belly.
17 He setteth up his tail like a cedar, the sinews of his testicles are wrapped together.
It bends its tail like a cedar; its thigh sinews are strong.
18 His bones are like pipes of brass, his gristle like plates of iron.
Its bones are like bronze tubes; its limbs like iron rods.
19 He is the beginning of the ways of God, who made him, he will apply his sword.
It is the most important example of what God can do; only the one who made it can approach it with a sword.
20 To him the mountains bring forth grass: there all the beasts of the field shall play.
The hills produce food for it, and all the wild animals play there.
21 He sleepeth under the shadow, in the covert of the reed, and in moist places.
It lies under the lotus; it hides in the reeds of the marsh.
22 The shades cover his shadow, the willows of the brook shall compass him about.
The lotus covers it with shade; the willow trees of the valley surround it.
23 Behold, he will drink up a river, and not wonder: and he trusteth that the Jordan may run 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 In his eyes as with a hook he shall take him, and bore through his nostrils with stakes.
No one can catch it while it is watching, or pierce its nose with a noose.
