Job 40
1 Moreover the LORD answered Job,
And the Lord God answered Job, and said,
2 “Shall he who argues contend with the Almighty? He who argues with God, let him answer it.”
Will [any one] pervert judgement with the Mighty One? and he that reproves God, let him return it for answer.
3 Then Job answered the LORD,
And Job answered and said to the Lord,
4 “Behold, I am of small account. What will I answer you? I lay my hand on my mouth.
Why do I yet plead? being rebuked even while reproving the Lord: hearing such things, whereas I am nothing: and what shall I answer to these [arguments]? 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.”
I have spoken once; but I will not do so a second time.
6 Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind:
And the Lord yet again answered and spoke to Job out of the cloud, [saying],
7 “Now brace yourself like a man. I will question you, and you will answer me.
Nay, gird up now your loins like a man; and I will ask you, and do you answer me.
8 Will you even annul my judgement? Will you condemn me, that you may be justified?
Do not set aside my judgement: and do you think that I have dealt with you in any other way, than that you might appear to be righteous?
9 Or do you have an arm like God? Can you thunder with a voice like him?
Hast you an arm like the Lord's? or do you thunder with a voice like his?
10 “Now deck yourself with excellency and dignity. Array yourself with honour and majesty.
Assume now a lofty bearing and power; and clothe yourself with glory and honour.
11 Pour out the fury of your anger. Look at everyone who is proud, and bring him low.
And send forth messengers with wrath; and lay low every haughty one.
12 Look at everyone who is proud, and humble him. Crush the wicked in their place.
Bring down also the proud man; and consume at once the ungodly.
13 Hide them in the dust together. Bind their faces in the hidden place.
And hide them together in the earth; and fill their faces with shame.
14 Then I will also admit to you that your own right hand can save you.
[Then] will I confess that your right hand can save [you].
15 “See now behemoth, which I made as well as you. He eats grass as an ox.
But now look at the wild beasts with you; they eat grass like oxen.
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 navel of his belly.
17 He moves his tail like a cedar. The sinews of his thighs are knit together.
He sets up his tail like a cypress; and his nerves are wrapped together.
18 His bones are like tubes of bronze. His limbs are like bars of iron.
His sides are sides of brass; and his backbone is [as] cast iron.
19 He is the chief of the ways of God. He who made him gives him his sword.
This is the chief of the creation of the Lord; made to be played with by his angels.
20 Surely the mountains produce food for him, where all the animals of the field play.
And when he has gone up to a steep mountain, he causes joy to the quadrupeds in the deep.
21 He lies under the lotus trees, in the covert of the reed, and the marsh.
He lies under trees of every kind, by the papyrus, and reed, and bulrush.
22 The lotuses cover him with their shade. The willows of the brook surround him.
And the great trees make a shadow over him with their branches, and [so do] the bushes of the field.
23 Behold, if a river overflows, he doesn’t tremble. He is confident, though the Jordan swells even to his mouth.
If there should be a flood, he will not perceive it; he trust that Jordan will rush up into his mouth.
24 Shall any take him when he is on the watch, or pierce through his nose with a snare?
[Yet one] shall take him in his sight; [one] shall catch [him] with a cord, and pierce his nose.
