< Job 40 >

1 Then Yahweh said to Job,
2 “Do you still want to argue with me, the Almighty One? Since you criticize me, (you should be able to answer my questions!/why are you not able to answer my questions?) [RHQ]”
Will he who is protesting give teaching to the Ruler of all? Let him who has arguments to put forward against God give an answer.
3 Then Job replied to Yahweh,
And Job said in answer to the Lord,
4 “[Now I realize that] I am completely worthless. So (how could I answer [those questions]?/I could not possibly answer [those questions]!) [RHQ] I will put my hand over my mouth [and not say anything].
Truly, I am of no value; what answer may I give to you? I will put my hand on my mouth.
5 I have already said more than I should have said, so now I will say nothing more.”
I have said once, and even twice, what was in my mind, but I will not do so again.
6 Then Yahweh [again] spoke to Job from inside the great windstorm. He said,
Then the Lord made answer to Job out of the storm-wind, and said,
7 “I want to ask you some [more] questions. So as men prepare themselves for a difficult task [MET], prepare yourself again to answer some [more] questions.
Get your strength together like a man of war: I will put questions to you, and you will give me the answers.
8 “Are you going to accuse me and say that I am unjust? Are you going to say that what I have done is wrong, in order that you can say that what you have done is right?
Will you even make my right of no value? will you say that I am wrong in order to make clear that you are right?
9 Are you as powerful [MTY] as I am? Can your voice sound [as loud] as thunder, as mine can?
Have you an arm like God? have you a voice of thunder like his?
10 [If you can do that], put on the robes that show that you are glorious and are greatly honored!
Put on the ornaments of your pride; be clothed with glory and power:
11 Show that you are very angry; show that you have the right/authority to humble people who are [very] proud!
Let your wrath be overflowing; let your eyes see all the sons of pride, and make them low.
12 Humble those proud people [just] by looking at them [angrily] Crush wicked people quickly!
Send destruction on all who are lifted up, pulling down the sinners from their places.
13 Bury them in the ground! Send them to the place where dead people are, where they will not be able to get out!
Let them be covered together in the dust; let their faces be dark in the secret place of the underworld.
14 After you do that, I will congratulate/praise you and say that [truly] you can save yourself by your own ability/power.
Then I will give praise to you, saying that your right hand is able to give you salvation.
15 “Think [also] about the huge animals that live near the water. I made you, and I made them also. They eat grass, like oxen do.
See now the Great Beast, whom I made, even as I made you; he takes grass for food, like the ox.
16 Their legs/thighs are [very] strong, and the muscles of their bellies are [very] powerful.
His strength is in his body, and his force in the muscles of his stomach.
17 Their tails are stiff (OR, bend down) like the branches of a cedar tree. The sinews/muscles of their thighs are close together.
His tail is curving like a cedar; the muscles of his legs are joined together.
18 Their [thigh] bones are [like] tubes [made] of bronze, and the bones of their legs are like bars [made] of iron.
His bones are pipes of brass, his legs are like rods of iron.
19 They are among the strongest of the animals that I made, and I, who created them, am the only one who can kill them.
He is the chief of the ways of God, made by him for his pleasure.
20 On the hills grows food [PRS] for them to eat while many [HYP] other wild animals play nearby.
He takes the produce of the mountains, where all the beasts of the field are at play.
21 They lie down [in the water] under the lotus plants; they hide in [tall] reeds in the swamps.
He takes his rest under the trees of the river, and in the pool, under the shade of the water-plants.
22 Those huge animals find shade under the lotus plants, and they are surrounded by poplar trees.
He is covered by the branches of the trees; the grasses of the stream are round him.
23 They are not disturbed by raging/swiftly-flowing rivers; they are not even disturbed/frightened when [rivers like the] Jordan [River] rush over them.
Truly, if the river is overflowing, it gives him no cause for fear; he has no sense of danger, even if Jordan is rushing against his mouth.
24 No one can [RHQ] catch them by blinding their eyes or by piercing their noses with [the teeth of] a trap!”
Will anyone take him when he is on the watch, or put metal teeth through his nose?

< Job 40 >