Job 40

1 Moreover Jehovah answered Job, and said,

God continued speaking to Job.

2 Shall he that cavilleth contend with the Almighty? He that argueth with God, let him answer it.

“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 Then Job answered Jehovah, and said,

Job answered the Lord,

4 Behold, I am of small account; what shall I answer thee? I lay my hand upon my mouth.

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

5 Once have I spoken, and I will not answer; Yea, twice, but I will proceed no further.

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

6 Then Jehovah answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said,

Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind,

7 Gird up thy loins now like a man: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.

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

8 Wilt thou even annul my judgment? Wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayest be justified?

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

9 Or hast thou an arm like God? And canst thou thunder with a voice like him?

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

10 Deck thyself now with excellency and dignity; And array thyself with honor and majesty.

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

11 Pour forth the overflowings of thine anger; And look upon every one that is proud, and abase him.

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

12 Look on every one that is proud, [and] bring him low; And tread down the wicked where they stand.

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

13 Hide them in the dust together; Bind their faces in the hidden [place].

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

14 Then will I also confess of thee That thine own right hand can save thee.

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

15 Behold now, behemoth, which I made as well as thee; He eateth grass as an ox.

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

16 Lo now, his strength is in his loins, And his force is in the muscles of his belly.

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

17 He moveth his tail like a cedar: The sinews of his thighs are knit together.

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

18 His bones are [as] tubes of brass; His limbs are like bars of iron.

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

19 He is the chief of the ways of God: He [only] that made him giveth him his sword.

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

20 Surely the mountains bring him forth food, Where all the beasts of the field do play.

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

21 He lieth under the lotus-trees, In the covert of the reed, and the fen.

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

22 The lotus-trees cover him with their shade; The willows of the brook compass him about.

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

23 Behold, if a river overflow, he trembleth not; He is confident, though a Jordan swell even to his mouth.

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

24 Shall any take him when he is on the watch, Or pierce through his nose with a snare?

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