Job 40

1 And the Lord went on, and said to Job:

And the Lord God answered Job, and said,

2 Shall he that contendeth with God be so easily silenced? surely he that reproveth God, ought to answer him.

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 What can I answer, who hath spoken inconsiderately? I will lay my 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 One thing I have spoken, which I wish I had not said: and another, to which I will add no more.

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

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

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

7 Gird up thy loins like a man: I will ask thee, and do thou tell me.

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

8 Wilt thou make void my judgment: and condemn me, that thou mayst 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 And 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 Clothe thyself with beauty, and set thyself up on high and be glorious, and put on goodly garments.

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

11 Scatter the proud in thy indignation, and behold every arrogant man, and humble him.

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

12 Look on all that are proud, and confound them, and crush the wicked in their place.

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

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

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

14 Then I will confess that thy right hand is able to save thee.

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

15 Behold behemoth whom I made with thee, he eateth grass like an ox.

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

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

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

17 He setteth up his tail like a cedar, the sinews of his testicles are wrapped together.

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

18 His bones are like pipes of brass, his gristle like plates of iron.

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

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

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

20 To him the mountains bring forth grass: there all the beasts of the field shall play.

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

21 He sleepeth under the shadow, in the covert of the reed, and in moist places.

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

22 The shades cover his shadow, the willows of the brook shall 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, he will drink up a river, and not wonder: and he trusteth that the Jordan may run into his mouth.

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

24 In his eyes as with a hook he shall take him, and bore through his nostrils with stakes.

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