Job 40

1 Moreover the LORD answered Job, and said,

And the Lord God answered Job, and said,

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

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

3 Then Job answered the LORD, and said,

And Job answered and said to the Lord,

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

Nay, gird up now thy loins like a man; and I will ask thee, and do thou answer me.

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

Do not set aside my judgment: and dost thou think that I have dealt with thee in any other way, than that thou mightest appear to be righteous?

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

Hast thou an arm like the Lord's? or dost thou thunder with a voice like his?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

14 Then wilt I also confess of thee that thine own right hand can save thee.

[Then] will I confess that thy right hand can save [thee].

15 Behold now behemoth, which I made with thee; he eateth grass as all ox.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

19 He is the chief of the ways of God: he [only] that made him can make his sword to approach [unto him].

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

20 Surely the mountains bring him forth food; where all the beasts of the field do play.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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