< Job 40 >

1 And YHWH answers Job and says:
Moreover YHWH answered Job, and said,
2 “Is the striver with the Mighty instructed? The reprover of God, let him answer it.”
Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty instruct him? he that reproveth Eloah, let him answer it.
3 And Job answers YHWH and says:
Then Job answered YHWH, and said,
4 “Behold, I have been vile, What do I return to You? I have placed my hand on my mouth.
Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth.
5 I have spoken once, and I do not answer, And twice, and I do not add.”
Once have I spoken; but I will not answer: yea, twice; but I will proceed no further.
6 And YHWH answers Job out of the whirlwind and says:
Then answered YHWH unto Job out of the whirlwind, and said,
7 “Now gird your loins as a man, I ask you, and you cause Me to know.
Gird up thy loins now like a man: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.
8 Do you also make My judgment void? Do you condemn Me, That you may be righteous?
Wilt thou also disannul my judgment? wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayest be righteous?
9 And do you have an arm like God? And do you thunder with a voice like His?
Hast thou an arm like El? or canst thou thunder with a voice like him?
10 Now put on excellence and loftiness, Indeed, put on splendor and beauty.
Deck thyself now with majesty and excellency; and array thyself with glory and beauty.
11 Scatter abroad the wrath of your anger, And see every proud one, and make him low.
Cast abroad the rage of thy wrath: and behold every one that is proud, and abase him.
12 See every proud one—humble him, And tread down the wicked in their place.
Look on every one that is proud, and bring him low; and tread down the wicked in their place.
13 Hide them in the dust together, Bind their faces in secret.
Hide them in the dust together; and bind their faces in secret.
14 And even I praise you, For your right hand gives salvation to you.
Then will I also confess unto thee that thine own right hand can save thee.
15 Now behold, behemoth, That I made with you: He eats grass as an ox.
Behold now behemoth, which I made with thee; he eateth grass as an ox.
16 Now behold, his power [is] in his loins, And his strength in the muscles of his belly.
Lo now, his strength is in his loins, and his force is in the navel of his belly.
17 He bends his tail as a cedar, The sinews of his thighs are wrapped together,
He moveth his tail like a cedar: the sinews of his stones are wrapped together.
18 His bones [are] tubes of bronze, His bones [are] as a bar of iron.
His bones are as strong pieces of brass; his bones are like bars of iron.
19 He [is] a beginning of the ways of God, His Maker [alone] brings His sword near;
He is the chief of the ways of El: he that made him can make his sword to approach unto him.
20 For mountains bear food for him, And all the beasts of the field play there.
Surely the mountains bring him forth food, where all the beasts of the field play.
21 He lies down under shades, In a secret place of reed and marsh.
He lieth under the shady trees, in the covert of the reed, and fens.
22 Shades cover him, [with] their shadow, Willows of the brook cover him.
The shady trees cover him with their shadow; the willows of the brook compass him about.
23 Behold, a flood oppresses—he does not hurry, He is confident though Jordan Comes forth to his mouth.
Behold, he drinketh up a river, and hasteth not: he trusteth that he can draw up Jordan into his mouth.
24 Does [one] take him by his eyes? Does [one] pierce the nose with snares?”
He taketh it with his eyes: his nose pierceth through snares.

< Job 40 >