Job 40

1 And the Lord God answered Job, and said,

Yahweh continued to speak to Job; he said,

2 Will [any one] pervert judgement with the Mighty One? and he that reproves God, let him return it for answer.

“Should anyone who wishes to criticize try to correct the Almighty? He who argues with God, let him answer.”

3 And Job answered and said to the Lord,

Then Job answered Yahweh and said,

4 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.

“See, I am insignificant; how can I answer you? I put my hand over my mouth.

5 I have spoken once; but I will not do so a second time.

I spoke once, and I will not answer; indeed, twice, but I will proceed no further.”

6 And the Lord yet again answered and spoke to Job out of the cloud, [saying],

Then Yahweh answered Job out of a fierce storm and said,

7 Nay, gird up now your loins like a man; and I will ask you, and do you answer me.

“Now gird up your loins like a man, for I will ask you questions, and you must answer me.

8 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?

Will you actually say that I am unjust? Will you condemn me so you may claim you are right?

9 Hast you an arm like the Lord's? or do you thunder with a voice like his?

Do you have an arm like God's? Can you thunder with a voice like him?

10 Assume now a lofty bearing and power; and clothe yourself with glory and honour.

Now clothe yourself in glory and dignity; array yourself in honor and majesty.

11 And send forth messengers with wrath; and lay low every haughty one.

Scatter around the excess of your anger; look at everyone who is proud and bring him down.

12 Bring down also the proud man; and consume at once the ungodly.

Look at everyone who is proud and bring him low; trample down wicked people where they stand.

13 And hide them together in the earth; and fill their faces with shame.

Bury them in the earth together; imprison their faces in the hidden place.

14 [Then] will I confess that your right hand can save [you].

Then will I also acknowledge about you that your own right hand can save you.

15 But now look at the wild beasts with you; they eat grass like oxen.

Look now at the behemoth, which I made when I made you; he eats grass like an ox.

16 Behold now, his strength is in his loins, and his force is in the navel of his belly.

See now, his strength is in his loins; his power is in his belly's muscles.

17 He sets up his tail like a cypress; and his nerves are wrapped together.

He makes his tail like a cedar; the sinews of his thighs are joined together.

18 His sides are sides of brass; and his backbone is [as] cast iron.

His bones are like tubes of bronze; his legs are like bars of iron.

19 This is the chief of the creation of the Lord; made to be played with by his angels.

He is the chief of the creatures of God. Only God, who made him, can defeat him.

20 And when he has gone up to a steep mountain, he causes joy to the quadrupeds in the deep.

For the hills provide him with food; the beasts of the field play nearby.

21 He lies under trees of every kind, by the papyrus, and reed, and bulrush.

He lies under the lotus plants in the shelter of the reeds, in the marshes.

22 And the great trees make a shadow over him with their branches, and [so do] the bushes of the field.

The lotus plants cover him with their shade; the willows of the brook are all around him.

23 If there should be a flood, he will not perceive it; he trust that Jordan will rush up into his mouth.

See, if a river floods its banks, he does not tremble; he is confident, though the Jordan should surge up to his mouth.

24 [Yet one] shall take him in his sight; [one] shall catch [him] with a cord, and pierce his nose.

Can anyone capture him with a hook, or pierce his nose through with a snare?