Job 40
1 Then Yahweh said to Job,
And the Lord addressed Job, and said,
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 that contendeth with the Almighty yet find fault? him that reproveth God answer this.
3 Then Job replied to Yahweh,
Then answered Job the Lord, and said,
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].
Behold, I am too vile: what shall I answer thee? my hand do I place on my mouth.
5 I have already said more than I should have said, so now I will say nothing more.”
Once have I spoken; but I will not answer: yea, twice; but I will not repeat it again.
6 Then Yahweh [again] spoke to Job from inside the great windstorm. He said,
Then answered the Lord unto 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.
Do but gird up like a mighty man thy loins: I will ask thee, and do thou inform me.
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?
Wilt thou indeed annul my decree? wilt thou condemn me, in order that thou mayest appear righteous?
9 Are you as powerful [MTY] as I am? Can your voice sound [as loud] as thunder, as mine can?
But if thou hast an arm like God, or if thou canst thunder loudly like him:
10 [If you can do that], put on the robes that show that you are glorious and are greatly honored!
Then do deck thyself with excellence and greatness, and clothe thyself in majesty and glory.
11 Show that you are very angry; show that you have the right/authority to humble people who are [very] proud!
Scatter abroad the ragings of thy wrath, and look on every proud one, and humble him.
12 Humble those proud people [just] by looking at them [angrily] Crush wicked people quickly!
Look on every proud one, and bend him low; and tread down the wicked in their place.
13 Bury them in the ground! Send them to the place where dead people are, where they will not be able to get out!
Hide them in the dust altogether: bind up their faces in concealment.
14 After you do that, I will congratulate/praise you and say that [truly] you can save yourself by your own ability/power.
Then will I also myself praise thee, when thy own right hand hath helped thee.
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.
Only behold Behemoth, which I made near thee: grass he eateth like the ox.
16 Their legs/thighs are [very] strong, and the muscles of their bellies are [very] powerful.
Only see, [how great] is his strength in his loins, and his force, in the muscles of his belly.
17 Their tails are stiff (OR, bend down) like the branches of a cedar tree. The sinews/muscles of their thighs are close together.
He stretcheth out his tail like a cedar: the sinews of his loins are closely wrapped 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 like pipes of brass: his frame is like bars 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 first in rank of the works of God: he that made him can alone bring his sword near unto him.
20 On the hills grows food [PRS] for them to eat while many [HYP] other wild animals play nearby.
But truly the mountains bear for him his food, and all the beasts of the field play there.
21 They lie down [in the water] under the lotus plants; they hide in [tall] reeds in the swamps.
Under shady trees he lieth down, in the covert of the reeds, and swamp.
22 Those huge animals find shade under the lotus plants, and they are surrounded by poplar trees.
Shady trees cover him as his shadow: willows of the brook encompass him about.
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.
Behold, a river sweepeth violently along, but he hasteneth not away: he remaineth quiet, though a Jordan rusheth up to his mouth.
24 No one can [RHQ] catch them by blinding their eyes or by piercing their noses with [the teeth of] a trap!”
Can one catch him before his eyes? pierce his nose by means of snares?—
