Job 40
1 And the Lord addressed Job, and said,
Yahweh continued to speak to Job; he said,
2 Will he that contendeth with the Almighty yet find fault? him that reproveth God answer this.
“Should anyone who wishes to criticize try to correct the Almighty? He who argues with God, let him answer.”
3 Then answered Job the Lord, and said,
Then Job answered Yahweh and said,
4 Behold, I am too vile: what shall I answer thee? my hand do I place on my mouth.
“See, I am insignificant; how can I answer you? I put 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 spoke once, and I will not answer; indeed, twice, but I will proceed no further.”
6 Then answered the Lord unto Job out of the storm-wind, and said,
Then Yahweh answered Job out of a fierce storm and said,
7 Do but gird up like a mighty man thy loins: I will ask thee, and do thou inform me.
“Now gird up your loins like a man, for I will ask you questions, and you must answer me.
8 Wilt thou indeed annul my decree? wilt thou condemn me, in order that thou mayest appear righteous?
Will you actually say that I am unjust? Will you condemn me so you may claim you are right?
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 him?
10 Then do deck thyself with excellence and greatness, and clothe thyself in majesty and glory.
Now clothe yourself in glory and dignity; array yourself in honor and majesty.
11 Scatter abroad the ragings of thy wrath, and look on every proud one, and humble him.
Scatter around the excess of your anger; look at everyone who is proud and bring him down.
12 Look on every proud one, and bend him low; and tread down the wicked in their place.
Look at everyone who is proud and bring him low; trample down wicked people where they stand.
13 Hide them in the dust altogether: bind up their faces in concealment.
Bury them in the earth together; imprison their faces in the hidden place.
14 Then will I also myself praise thee, when thy own right hand hath helped thee.
Then will I also acknowledge about 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 now at the behemoth, which I made when I made you; he eats 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 now, his strength is in his loins; his power is in his belly's muscles.
17 He stretcheth out his tail like a cedar: the sinews of his loins are closely wrapped together.
He makes his tail like a cedar; the sinews of his thighs are joined together.
18 His bones are like pipes of brass: his frame is like bars of iron.
His bones are like tubes of bronze; his legs are like bars 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 chief of the creatures of God. Only God, who made him, can defeat him.
20 But truly the mountains bear for him his food, and all the beasts of the field play there.
For the hills provide him with food; 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 in the shelter of the reeds, in the marshes.
22 Shady trees cover him as his shadow: willows of the brook encompass him about.
The lotus plants cover him with their shade; the willows of the brook are all around him.
23 Behold, a river sweepeth violently along, but he hasteneth not away: he remaineth quiet, though a Jordan rusheth up to his mouth.
See, if a river floods its banks, he does not tremble; he is confident, though the Jordan should surge up to his mouth.
24 Can one catch him before his eyes? pierce his nose by means of snares?—
Can anyone capture him with a hook, or pierce his nose through with a snare?
