Job 40

1 And the Lord continued, and he said to Job:

And Yahweh responded to Job, and said: —

2 Will he who contends with God be so easily silenced? Certainly, he who argues with God must also respond to him.

Shall a reprover contend, with the Almighty? He that disputeth with GOD, let him answer it!

3 Then Job answered the Lord, saying:

Then Job responded to Yahweh, and said: —

4 What could I possibly answer, since I have been speaking thoughtlessly? I will place my hand over my mouth.

Lo! I am of no account, what shall I reply to thee? My hand, have I laid on my mouth:

5 One thing I have spoken, which I wish I had not said; and another, to which I will add no more.

Once, have I spoken, but I will not proceed, yea twice, but I will not add.

6 But the Lord, answering Job out of the whirlwind, said:

So then Yahweh responded to Job, out of a storm, and said: —

7 Gird your waist like a man. I will question you, and you must answer me.

Gird, I pray thee—as a strong man—thy loins, I will ask thee, and inform thou me.

8 Will you make my judgment null and void; and will you condemn me so that you may be justified?

Wilt thou even frustrate my justice? Wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayest appear right?

9 And do you have an arm like God, or a voice like thunder?

But if, an arm like GOD, thou hast, and, with a voice like his, thou canst thunder,

10 Envelop yourself with splendor, and raise yourself up on high, and be glorious, and put on splendid garments.

Deck thyself, I pray thee, with majesty and grandeur, Yea, with dignity and splendour, thou shalt clothe thyself;

11 Scatter the arrogant with your wrath, and, when you see all the arrogant, humble them.

Pour out thy transports of anger, and look on every one who is high, and lay him low;

12 Look down upon each of the arrogant and confound them, and crush the impious in their place.

Look on every one who is high, and humble him, yea tread down the lawless, on the spot:

13 Hide them in the dust together and plunge their faces into the pit.

Hide them in the dust all together, Their faces, bind thou in darkness;

14 Then I will confess that your right hand is able to save you.

And, even I myself, will praise thee, in that thine own right hand can bring thee salvation.

15 Behold, the behemoth, whom I created along with you, eats hay like an ox.

Behold, I pray thee, the Hippopotamus, which I made with thee, Grass—like the ox, he eateth;

16 His strength is in his lower back, and his power is in the center of his abdomen.

Behold, I pray thee, his strength in his loins, and his force, in the muscles of his belly;

17 He draws up his tail like a cedar; the sinews of his thighs have been drawn together.

He bendeth down his tail like a cedar, the sinews of his thighs, are twisted together;

18 His bones are like pipes of brass; his cartilage is like plates of iron.

His bones, are barrels of bronze, his frame, is like hammered bars of iron:

19 He is the beginning of the ways of God, who made him; he will use him as his sword.

He, is the beginning of the ways of GOD, Let his maker, present him his sword:

20 The mountains bring forth grass for him; all the beasts of the field will play there.

Surely the mountains bring, produce, to him, where, all the wild beasts of the field, do play;

21 He sleeps in the shadows, under the cover of branches, and in moist places.

Under the lotus-trees, he lieth down, in a covert of reed and swamp;

22 The shadows cover his shadow; the willows of the brook will encircle him.

The lotus-trees cover him with their shade, the willows of the torrent-bed compass him about;

23 Behold, he will drink a river and not be amazed, and he has confidence that the Jordan could flow into his mouth.

Lo! the river becometh insolent—he is not alarmed! He is confident, though a Jordan burst forth to his mouth:

24 He will seize him through his eyes, as if with a hook, and he will bore through his nostrils, as if with stakes.

Before his eyes, shall he be caught? With a hook, can one pierce his nose?