< Job 40 >

1 Moreover the LORD answered Job,
And Jehovah answered Job and said,
2 “Shall he who argues contend with the Almighty? He who argues with God, let him answer it.”
Shall he that will contend with the Almighty instruct [him]? he that reproveth God, let him answer it.
3 Then Job answered the LORD,
And Job answered Jehovah and said,
4 “Behold, I am of small account. What will I answer you? I lay my hand on my mouth.
Behold, I am nought: what shall I answer thee? I will lay my hand upon my mouth.
5 I have spoken once, and I will not answer; Yes, twice, but I will proceed no further.”
Once have I spoken, and I will not answer; yea twice, but I will proceed no further.
6 Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind:
And Jehovah answered Job out of the whirlwind and said,
7 “Now brace yourself like a man. I will question you, and you will answer me.
Gird up now thy loins like a man: I will demand of thee, and inform thou me.
8 Will you even annul my judgment? Will you condemn me, that you may be justified?
Wilt thou also annul my judgment? wilt thou condemn me that thou mayest be righteous?
9 Or do you have an arm like God? Can you thunder with a voice like him?
Hast thou an arm like God? or canst thou thunder with a voice like him?
10 “Now deck yourself with excellency and dignity. Array yourself with honor and majesty.
Deck thyself now with glory and excellency, and clothe thyself with majesty and splendour.
11 Pour out the fury of your anger. Look at everyone who is proud, and bring him low.
Cast abroad the ragings of thine anger, and look on every one that is proud, and abase him:
12 Look at everyone who is proud, and humble him. Crush the wicked in their place.
Look on every one that is proud, bring him low, and tread down the wicked in their place:
13 Hide them in the dust together. Bind their faces in the hidden place.
Hide them in the dust together; bind their faces in secret.
14 Then I will also admit to you that your own right hand can save you.
Then will I also praise thee, because thy right hand saveth thee.
15 “See now behemoth, which I made as well as you. He eats grass as an ox.
See now the behemoth, which I made with thee: he eateth grass as an ox.
16 Look now, his strength is in his thighs. His force is in the muscles of his belly.
Behold now, his strength is in his loins, and his force is in the muscles of his belly.
17 He moves his tail like a cedar. The sinews of his thighs are knit together.
He bendeth his tail like a cedar; the sinews of his thighs are woven together.
18 His bones are like tubes of bronze. His limbs are like bars of iron.
His bones are tubes of bronze, his members are like bars of iron.
19 He is the chief of the ways of God. He who made him gives him his sword.
He is the chief of God's ways: he that made him gave him his sword.
20 Surely the mountains produce food for him, where all the animals of the field play.
For the mountains bring him forth food, where all the beasts of the field play.
21 He lies under the lotus trees, in the covert of the reed, and the marsh.
He lieth under lotus-bushes, in the covert of the reed and fen:
22 The lotuses cover him with their shade. The willows of the brook surround him.
Lotus-bushes cover him with their shade; the willows of the brook surround him.
23 Behold, if a river overflows, he doesn’t tremble. He is confident, though the Jordan swells even to his mouth.
Lo, the river overfloweth — he startleth not: he is confident though a Jordan break forth against his mouth.
24 Shall any take him when he is on the watch, or pierce through his nose with a snare?
Shall he be taken in front? will they pierce through [his] nose in the trap?

< Job 40 >