Job 40
1 And Yahweh responded to Job, and said: —
2 Shall a reprover contend, with the Almighty? He that disputeth with GOD, let him answer it!
Will he who is protesting give teaching to the Ruler of all? Let him who has arguments to put forward against God give an answer.
3 Then Job responded to Yahweh, and said: —
And Job said in answer to the Lord,
4 Lo! I am of no account, what shall I reply to thee? My hand, have I laid on my mouth:
Truly, I am of no value; what answer may I give to you? I will put my hand on my mouth.
5 Once, have I spoken, but I will not proceed, yea twice, but I will not add.
I have said once, and even twice, what was in my mind, but I will not do so again.
6 So then Yahweh responded to Job, out of a storm, and said: —
Then the Lord made answer to Job out of the storm-wind, and said,
7 Gird, I pray thee—as a strong man—thy loins, I will ask thee, and inform thou me.
Get your strength together like a man of war: I will put questions to you, and you will give me the answers.
8 Wilt thou even frustrate my justice? Wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayest appear right?
Will you even make my right of no value? will you say that I am wrong in order to make clear that you are right?
9 But if, an arm like GOD, thou hast, and, with a voice like his, thou canst thunder,
Have you an arm like God? have you a voice of thunder like his?
10 Deck thyself, I pray thee, with majesty and grandeur, Yea, with dignity and splendour, thou shalt clothe thyself;
Put on the ornaments of your pride; be clothed with glory and power:
11 Pour out thy transports of anger, and look on every one who is high, and lay him low;
Let your wrath be overflowing; let your eyes see all the sons of pride, and make them low.
12 Look on every one who is high, and humble him, yea tread down the lawless, on the spot:
Send destruction on all who are lifted up, pulling down the sinners from their places.
13 Hide them in the dust all together, Their faces, bind thou in darkness;
Let them be covered together in the dust; let their faces be dark in the secret place of the underworld.
14 And, even I myself, will praise thee, in that thine own right hand can bring thee salvation.
Then I will give praise to you, saying that your right hand is able to give you salvation.
15 Behold, I pray thee, the Hippopotamus, which I made with thee, Grass—like the ox, he eateth;
See now the Great Beast, whom I made, even as I made you; he takes grass for food, like the ox.
16 Behold, I pray thee, his strength in his loins, and his force, in the muscles of his belly;
His strength is in his body, and his force in the muscles of his stomach.
17 He bendeth down his tail like a cedar, the sinews of his thighs, are twisted together;
His tail is curving like a cedar; the muscles of his legs are joined together.
18 His bones, are barrels of bronze, his frame, is like hammered bars of iron:
His bones are pipes of brass, his legs are like rods of iron.
19 He, is the beginning of the ways of GOD, Let his maker, present him his sword:
He is the chief of the ways of God, made by him for his pleasure.
20 Surely the mountains bring, produce, to him, where, all the wild beasts of the field, do play;
He takes the produce of the mountains, where all the beasts of the field are at play.
21 Under the lotus-trees, he lieth down, in a covert of reed and swamp;
He takes his rest under the trees of the river, and in the pool, under the shade of the water-plants.
22 The lotus-trees cover him with their shade, the willows of the torrent-bed compass him about;
He is covered by the branches of the trees; the grasses of the stream are round him.
23 Lo! the river becometh insolent—he is not alarmed! He is confident, though a Jordan burst forth to his mouth:
Truly, if the river is overflowing, it gives him no cause for fear; he has no sense of danger, even if Jordan is rushing against his mouth.
24 Before his eyes, shall he be caught? With a hook, can one pierce his nose?
Will anyone take him when he is on the watch, or put metal teeth through his nose?
