איוב 40

1 וַיַּעַן יְהוָה אֶת־אִיּוֹב וַיֹּאמַֽר׃

And the Lord addressed Job, and said,

2 הֲרֹב עִם־שַׁדַּי יִסּוֹר מוֹכִיחַ אֱלוֹהַּ יַעֲנֶֽנָּה׃

Will he that contendeth with the Almighty yet find fault? him that reproveth God answer this.

3 וַיַּעַן אִיּוֹב אֶת־יְהוָה וַיֹּאמַֽר׃

Then answered Job the Lord, and said,

4 הֵן קַלֹּתִי מָה אֲשִׁיבֶךָּ יָדִי שַׂמְתִּי לְמוֹ־פִֽי׃

Behold, I am too vile: what shall I answer thee? my hand do I place on my mouth.

5 אַחַת דִּבַּרְתִּי וְלֹא אֶֽעֱנֶה וּשְׁתַּיִם וְלֹא אוֹסִֽיף׃

Once have I spoken; but I will not answer: yea, twice; but I will not repeat it again.

6 וַיַּֽעַן־יְהוָה אֶת־אִיּוֹב מנ סערה מִן ׀ סְעָרָה וַיֹּאמַֽר׃

Then answered the Lord unto Job out of the storm-wind, and said,

7 אֱזָר־נָא כְגֶבֶר חֲלָצֶיךָ אֶשְׁאָלְךָ וְהוֹדִיעֵֽנִי׃

Do but gird up like a mighty man thy loins: I will ask thee, and do thou inform me.

8 הַאַף תָּפֵר מִשְׁפָּטִי תַּרְשִׁיעֵנִי לְמַעַן תִּצְדָּֽק׃

Wilt thou indeed annul my decree? wilt thou condemn me, in order that thou mayest appear righteous?

9 וְאִם־זְרוֹעַ כָּאֵל ׀ לָךְ וּבְקוֹל כָּמֹהוּ תַרְעֵֽם׃

But if thou hast an arm like God, or if thou canst thunder loudly like him:

10 עֲדֵה נָא גָֽאוֹן וָגֹבַהּ וְהוֹד וְהָדָר תִּלְבָּֽשׁ׃

Then do deck thyself with excellence and greatness, and clothe thyself in majesty and glory.

11 הָפֵץ עֶבְרוֹת אַפֶּךָ וּרְאֵה כָל־גֵּאֶה וְהַשְׁפִּילֵֽהוּ׃

Scatter abroad the ragings of thy wrath, and look on every proud one, and humble him.

12 רְאֵה כָל־גֵּאֶה הַכְנִיעֵהוּ וַהֲדֹךְ רְשָׁעִים תַּחְתָּֽם׃

Look on every proud one, and bend him low; and tread down the wicked in their place.

13 טָמְנֵם בֶּעָפָר יָחַד פְּנֵיהֶם חֲבֹשׁ בַּטָּמֽוּן׃

Hide them in the dust altogether: bind up their faces in concealment.

14 וְגַם־אֲנִי אוֹדֶךָּ כִּֽי־תוֹשִׁעַ לְךָ יְמִינֶֽךָ׃

Then will I also myself praise thee, when thy own right hand hath helped thee.

15 הִנֵּה־נָא בְהֵמוֹת אֲשֶׁר־עָשִׂיתִי עִמָּךְ חָצִיר כַּבָּקָר יֹאכֵֽל׃

Only behold Behemoth, which I made near thee: grass he eateth like the ox.

16 הִנֵּה־נָא כֹחוֹ בְמָתְנָיו וְאֹנוֹ בִּשְׁרִירֵי בִטְנֽוֹ׃

Only see, [how great] is his strength in his loins, and his force, in the muscles of his belly.

17 יַחְפֹּץ זְנָבוֹ כְמוֹ־אָרֶז גִּידֵי פחדו פַחֲדָיו יְשֹׂרָֽגוּ׃

He stretcheth out his tail like a cedar: the sinews of his loins are closely wrapped together.

18 עֲצָמָיו אֲפִיקֵי נְחוּשָׁה גְּרָמָיו כִּמְטִיל בַּרְזֶֽל׃

His bones are like pipes of brass: his frame is like bars of iron.

19 הוּא רֵאשִׁית דַּרְכֵי־אֵל הָעֹשׂוֹ יַגֵּשׁ חַרְבּֽוֹ׃

He is the first in rank of the works of God: he that made him can alone bring his sword near unto him.

20 כִּֽי־בוּל הָרִים יִשְׂאוּ־לוֹ וְֽכָל־חַיַּת הַשָּׂדֶה יְשַֽׂחֲקוּ־שָֽׁם׃

But truly the mountains bear for him his food, and all the beasts of the field play there.

21 תַּֽחַת־צֶאֱלִים יִשְׁכָּב בְּסֵתֶר קָנֶה וּבִצָּֽה׃

Under shady trees he lieth down, in the covert of the reeds, and swamp.

22 יְסֻכֻּהוּ צֶאֱלִים צִֽלֲלוֹ יְסֻבּוּהוּ עַרְבֵי־נָֽחַל׃

Shady trees cover him as his shadow: willows of the brook encompass him about.

23 הֵן יַעֲשֹׁק נָהָר לֹא יַחְפּוֹז יִבְטַח ׀ כִּֽי־יָגִיחַ יַרְדֵּן אֶל־פִּֽיהוּ׃

Behold, a river sweepeth violently along, but he hasteneth not away: he remaineth quiet, though a Jordan rusheth up to his mouth.

24 בְּעֵינָיו יִקָּחֶנּוּ בְּמֽוֹקְשִׁים יִנְקָב־אָֽף׃

Can one catch him before his eyes? pierce his nose by means of snares?—