Job 40
1 And the Lord addressed Job, and said,
And the LORD said to Job:
2 Will he that contendeth with the Almighty yet find fault? him that reproveth God answer this.
“Will the faultfinder contend with the Almighty? Let him who argues with God give an answer.”
3 Then answered Job the Lord, and said,
Then Job answered the LORD:
4 Behold, I am too vile: what shall I answer thee? my hand do I place on my mouth.
“Behold, I am insignificant. How can I reply to You? I place my hand over my mouth.
5 Once have I spoken; but I will not answer: yea, twice; but I will not repeat it again.
I have spoken once, but I have no answer— twice, but I have nothing to add.”
6 Then answered the Lord unto Job out of the storm-wind, and said,
Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind and said:
7 Do but gird up like a mighty man thy loins: I will ask thee, and do thou inform me.
“Now brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall inform Me.
8 Wilt thou indeed annul my decree? wilt thou condemn me, in order that thou mayest appear righteous?
Would you really annul My justice? Would you condemn Me to justify yourself?
9 But if thou hast an arm like God, or if thou canst thunder loudly like him:
Do you have an arm like God’s? Can you thunder with a voice like His?
10 Then do deck thyself with excellence and greatness, and clothe thyself in majesty and glory.
Then adorn yourself with majesty and splendor, and clothe yourself with honor and glory.
11 Scatter abroad the ragings of thy wrath, and look on every proud one, and humble him.
Unleash the fury of your wrath; look on every proud man and bring him low.
12 Look on every proud one, and bend him low; and tread down the wicked in their place.
Look on every proud man and humble him; trample the wicked where they stand.
13 Hide them in the dust altogether: bind up their faces in concealment.
Bury them together in the dust; imprison them in the grave.
14 Then will I also myself praise thee, when thy own right hand hath helped thee.
Then I will confess to you that your own right hand can save you.
15 Only behold Behemoth, which I made near thee: grass he eateth like the ox.
Look at Behemoth, which I made along with you. He feeds on grass like an ox.
16 Only see, [how great] is his strength in his loins, and his force, in the muscles of his belly.
See the strength of his loins and the power in the muscles of his belly.
17 He stretcheth out his tail like a cedar: the sinews of his loins are closely wrapped together.
His tail sways like a cedar; the sinews of his thighs are tightly knit.
18 His bones are like pipes of brass: his frame is like bars of iron.
His bones are tubes of bronze; his limbs are rods of iron.
19 He is the first in rank of the works of God: he that made him can alone bring his sword near unto him.
He is the foremost of God’s works; only his Maker can draw the sword against him.
20 But truly the mountains bear for him his food, and all the beasts of the field play there.
The hills yield him their produce, while all the beasts of the field play nearby.
21 Under shady trees he lieth down, in the covert of the reeds, and swamp.
He lies under the lotus plants, hidden among the reeds of the marsh.
22 Shady trees cover him as his shadow: willows of the brook encompass him about.
The lotus plants conceal him in their shade; the willows of the brook surround him.
23 Behold, a river sweepeth violently along, but he hasteneth not away: he remaineth quiet, though a Jordan rusheth up to his mouth.
Though the river rages, Behemoth is unafraid; he remains secure, though the Jordan surges to his mouth.
24 Can one catch him before his eyes? pierce his nose by means of snares?—
Can anyone capture him as he looks on, or pierce his nose with a snare?
