Job 40
1 And Yahweh responded to Job, and said: —
God continued speaking to Job.
2 Shall a reprover contend, with the Almighty? He that disputeth with GOD, let him answer it!
“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 responded to Yahweh, and said: —
Job answered the Lord,
4 Lo! I am of no account, what shall I reply to thee? My hand, have I laid on my mouth:
“Me—I am nothing at all. I have no answers. I put my hand in front of my mouth.
5 Once, have I spoken, but I will not proceed, yea twice, but I will not add.
I have already said far too much and I won't say anything more.”
6 So then Yahweh responded to Job, out of a storm, and said: —
Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind,
7 Gird, I pray thee—as a strong man—thy loins, I will ask thee, and inform thou me.
“Prepare yourself, be strong, for I am going to question you, and you must answer me.
8 Wilt thou even frustrate my justice? Wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayest appear right?
Are you really going to say my decisions are wrong? Are you going to condemn me so you can be right?
9 But if, an arm like GOD, thou hast, and, with a voice like his, thou canst thunder,
Are you as powerful as I am? Does your voice thunder like mine?
10 Deck thyself, I pray thee, with majesty and grandeur, Yea, with dignity and splendour, thou shalt clothe thyself;
Why don't you dress yourself with majesty and dignity, and clothe yourself with glory and splendor!
11 Pour out thy transports of anger, and look on every one who is high, and lay him low;
Let loose your fierce anger. Humble the proud with a glance.
12 Look on every one who is high, and humble him, yea tread down the lawless, on the spot:
Bring down the proud with your gaze; tread the wicked underfoot right where they are.
13 Hide them in the dust all together, Their faces, bind thou in darkness;
Bury them in the dust; lock them away in the grave.
14 And, even I myself, will praise thee, in that thine own right hand can bring thee salvation.
Then I will also agree that your own strength can save you.
15 Behold, I pray thee, the Hippopotamus, which I made with thee, Grass—like the ox, he eateth;
Consider Behemoth, a creature I made just like I made you. It eats grass like cattle.
16 Behold, I pray thee, his strength in his loins, and his force, in the muscles of his belly;
Look at its powerful loins, the muscles of its belly.
17 He bendeth down his tail like a cedar, the sinews of his thighs, are twisted together;
It bends its tail like a cedar; its thigh sinews are strong.
18 His bones, are barrels of bronze, his frame, is like hammered bars of iron:
Its bones are like bronze tubes; its limbs like iron rods.
19 He, is the beginning of the ways of GOD, Let his maker, present him 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 Surely the mountains bring, produce, to him, where, all the wild beasts of the field, do play;
The hills produce food for it, and all the wild animals play there.
21 Under the lotus-trees, he lieth down, in a covert of reed and swamp;
It lies under the lotus; it hides in the reeds of the marsh.
22 The lotus-trees cover him with their shade, the willows of the torrent-bed compass him about;
The lotus covers it with shade; the willow trees of the valley surround it.
23 Lo! the river becometh insolent—he is not alarmed! He is confident, though a Jordan burst forth to his mouth:
Even if the river is in flood, it is not concerned; it remains calm when the Jordan river surges against it.
24 Before his eyes, shall he be caught? With a hook, can one pierce his nose?
No one can catch it while it is watching, or pierce its nose with a noose.
