Job 40

1 Moreover Yahweh answered Job,

Moreover Jehovah spake to Job, and said:

2 “Shall he who argues contend with the Almighty? He who argues with God, let him answer it.”

Will the censurer of the Almighty contend with him? Will the reprover of God answer?

3 Then Job answered Yahweh,

Then Job answered Jehovah, and said:

4 “Behold, I am of small account. What will I answer you? I lay my hand on my mouth.

Behold, I am vile! what can I answer thee? I will lay my hand upon my mouth.

5 I have spoken once, and I will not answer; Yes, twice, but I will proceed no further.”

Once have I spoken, but I will not speak again; Yea, twice, but I will say no more.

6 Then Yahweh answered Job out of the whirlwind:

Then spake Jehovah to Job out of the whirlwind, and said:

7 “Now brace yourself like a man. I will question you, and you will answer me.

Gird up now thy loins like a man! I will ask thee, and do thou instruct me!

8 Will you even annul my judgment? Will you condemn me, that you may be justified?

Wilt thou even disannul my right? Wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayst be righteous?

9 Or do you have an arm like God? Can you thunder with a voice like him?

Hast thou an arm like God's? Or canst thou thunder with thy voice like him?

10 “Now deck yourself with excellency and dignity. Array yourself with honor and majesty.

Deck thyself with grandeur and majesty, And array thyself in splendor and glory!

11 Pour out the fury of your anger. Look at everyone who is proud, and bring him low.

Send forth the fury of thy wrath! Look upon every proud one, and abase him!

12 Look at everyone who is proud, and humble him. Crush the wicked in their place.

Look upon every proud one, and bring him low; Yea, tread down the wicked in their place!

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

Hide them in the dust together; Shut up their faces in darkness!

14 Then I will also admit to you that your own right hand can save you.

Then, indeed, will I give thee the praise, That thine own right hand can save thee.

15 “See now behemoth, which I made as well as you. He eats grass as an ox.

Behold the river-horse, which I have made as well as thyself; He feedeth on grass like the ox.

16 Look now, his strength is in his thighs. His force is in the muscles of his belly.

Behold, what strength is in his loins! And what force in the muscles of his belly!

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

He bendeth his tail, like the cedar, And the sinews of his thighs are twisted together.

18 His bones are like tubes of bronze. His limbs are like bars of iron.

His bones are pipes of brass, And his limbs are bars of iron.

19 He is the chief of the ways of God. He who made him gives him his sword.

He is chief among the works of God; He that made him gave him his sword.

20 Surely the mountains produce food for him, where all the animals of the field play.

For the mountains supply him with food, Where all the beasts of the field play.

21 He lies under the lotus trees, in the covert of the reed, and the marsh.

He lieth down under the lote-plants, In the covert of reeds, and in the fens.

22 The lotuses cover him with their shade. The willows of the brook surround him.

The lote-plants cover him with their shadow, And the willows of the brook compass him about.

23 Behold, if a river overflows, he doesn’t tremble. He is confident, though the Jordan swells even to his mouth.

Lo! the stream overfloweth, but he starteth not; He is unmoved though Jordan rush forth even to his mouth.

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

Can one take him before his eyes, Or pierce his nose with hooks?