אִיּוֹב 40

1 וַיַּ֖עַן יְהוָ֥ה אֶת־אִיֹּ֗וב וַיֹּאמַֽר׃

God continued speaking to Job.

2 הֲ֭רֹב עִם־שַׁדַּ֣י יִסֹּ֑ור מֹוכִ֖יחַ אֱלֹ֣והַּ יַעֲנֶֽנָּה׃ פ

“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 וַיַּ֖עַן אִיֹּ֥וב אֶת־יְהוָ֗ה וַיֹּאמַֽר׃

Job answered the Lord,

4 הֵ֣ן קַ֭לֹּתִי מָ֣ה אֲשִׁיבֶ֑ךָּ יָ֝דִ֗י שַׂ֣מְתִּי לְמֹו־פִֽי׃

“Me—I am nothing at all. I have no answers. I put my hand in front of my mouth.

5 אַחַ֣ת דִּ֭בַּרְתִּי וְלֹ֣א אֶֽעֱנֶ֑ה וּ֝שְׁתַּ֗יִם וְלֹ֣א אֹוסִֽיף׃ פ

I have already said far too much and I won't say anything more.”

6 וַיַּֽעַן־יְהוָ֣ה אֶת־אִ֭יֹּוב מִנ סְעָרָה (מִ֥ן ׀ סְעָרָ֗ה) וַיֹּאמַֽר׃

Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind,

7 אֱזָר־נָ֣א כְגֶ֣בֶר חֲלָצֶ֑יךָ אֶ֝שְׁאָלְךָ֗ וְהֹודִיעֵֽנִי׃

“Prepare yourself, be strong, for I am going to question you, and you must answer me.

8 הַ֭אַף תָּפֵ֣ר מִשְׁפָּטִ֑י תַּ֝רְשִׁיעֵ֗נִי לְמַ֣עַן תִּצְדָּֽק׃

Are you really going to say my decisions are wrong? Are you going to condemn me so you can be right?

9 וְאִם־זְרֹ֖ועַ כָּאֵ֥ל ׀ לָ֑ךְ וּ֝בְקֹ֗ול כָּמֹ֥הוּ תַרְעֵֽם׃

Are you as powerful as I am? Does your voice thunder like mine?

10 עֲדֵ֥ה נָ֣א גָֽאֹ֣ון וָגֹ֑בַהּ וְהֹ֖וד וְהָדָ֣ר תִּלְבָּֽשׁ׃

Why don't you dress yourself with majesty and dignity, and clothe yourself with glory and splendor!

11 הָ֭פֵץ עֶבְרֹ֣ות אַפֶּ֑ךָ וּרְאֵ֥ה כָל־גֵּ֝אֶ֗ה וְהַשְׁפִּילֵֽהוּ׃

Let loose your fierce anger. Humble the proud with a glance.

12 רְאֵ֣ה כָל־גֵּ֭אֶה הַכְנִיעֵ֑הוּ וַהֲדֹ֖ךְ רְשָׁעִ֣ים תַּחְתָּֽם׃

Bring down the proud with your gaze; tread the wicked underfoot right where they are.

13 טָמְנֵ֣ם בֶּעָפָ֣ר יָ֑חַד פְּ֝נֵיהֶ֗ם חֲבֹ֣שׁ בַּטָּמֽוּן׃

Bury them in the dust; lock them away in the grave.

14 וְגַם־אֲנִ֥י אֹודֶ֑ךָּ כִּֽי־תֹושִׁ֖עַ לְךָ֣ יְמִינֶֽךָ׃

Then I will also agree that your own strength can save you.

15 הִנֵּה־נָ֣א בְ֭הֵמֹות אֲשֶׁר־עָשִׂ֣יתִי עִמָּ֑ךְ חָ֝צִ֗יר כַּבָּקָ֥ר יֹאכֵֽל׃

Consider Behemoth, a creature I made just like I made you. It eats grass like cattle.

16 הִנֵּה־נָ֣א כֹחֹ֣ו בְמָתְנָ֑יו וְ֝אֹנֹ֗ו בִּשְׁרִירֵ֥י בִטְנֹֽו׃

Look at its powerful loins, the muscles of its belly.

17 יַחְפֹּ֣ץ זְנָבֹ֣ו כְמֹו־אָ֑רֶז גִּידֵ֖י פַחֲדֹו (פַחֲדָ֣יו) יְשֹׂרָֽגוּ׃

It bends its tail like a cedar; its thigh sinews are strong.

18 עֲ֭צָמָיו אֲפִיקֵ֣י נְחוּשָׁ֑ה גְּ֝רָמָ֗יו כִּמְטִ֥יל בַּרְזֶֽל׃

Its bones are like bronze tubes; its limbs like iron rods.

19 ה֖וּא רֵאשִׁ֣ית דַּרְכֵי־אֵ֑ל הָ֝עֹשֹׂו יַגֵּ֥שׁ חַרְבֹּֽו׃

It is the most important example of what God can do; only the one who made it can approach it with a sword.

20 כִּֽי־ב֭וּל הָרִ֣ים יִשְׂאוּ־לֹ֑ו וְֽכָל־חַיַּ֥ת הַ֝שָּׂדֶ֗ה יְשַֽׂחֲקוּ־שָֽׁם׃

The hills produce food for it, and all the wild animals play there.

21 תַּֽחַת־צֶאֱלִ֥ים יִשְׁכָּ֑ב בְּסֵ֖תֶר קָנֶ֣ה וּבִצָּֽה׃

It lies under the lotus; it hides in the reeds of the marsh.

22 יְסֻכֻּ֣הוּ צֶאֱלִ֣ים צִֽלֲלֹ֑ו יְ֝סֻבּ֗וּהוּ עַרְבֵי־נָֽחַל׃

The lotus covers it with shade; the willow trees of the valley surround it.

23 הֵ֤ן יַעֲשֹׁ֣ק נָ֭הָר לֹ֣א יַחְפֹּ֑וז יִבְטַ֓ח ׀ כִּֽי־יָגִ֖יחַ יַרְדֵּ֣ן אֶל־פִּֽיהוּ׃

Even if the river is in flood, it is not concerned; it remains calm when the Jordan river surges against it.

24 בְּעֵינָ֥יו יִקָּחֶ֑נּוּ בְּ֝מֹֽוקְשִׁ֗ים יִנְקָב־אָֽף׃

No one can catch it while it is watching, or pierce its nose with a noose.