Job 40

1 And Yahweh responded to Job, and said: —

Yahweh continued to speak to Job; he said,

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

“Should anyone who wishes to criticize try to correct the Almighty? He who argues with God, let him answer.”

3 Then Job responded to Yahweh, and said: —

Then Job answered Yahweh and said,

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

“See, I am insignificant; how can I answer you? I put my hand over my mouth.

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

I spoke once, and I will not answer; indeed, twice, but I will proceed no further.”

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

Then Yahweh answered Job out of a fierce storm and said,

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

“Now gird up your loins like a man, for I will ask you questions, and you must answer me.

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

Will you actually say that I am unjust? Will you condemn me so you may claim you are right?

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

Do you have an arm like God's? Can you thunder with a voice like him?

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

Now clothe yourself in glory and dignity; array yourself in honor and majesty.

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

Scatter around the excess of your anger; look at everyone who is proud and bring him down.

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

Look at everyone who is proud and bring him low; trample down wicked people where they stand.

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

Bury them in the earth together; imprison their faces in the hidden place.

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

Then will I also acknowledge about you that your own right hand can save you.

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

Look now at the behemoth, which I made when I made you; he eats grass like an ox.

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

See now, his strength is in his loins; his power is in his belly's muscles.

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

He makes his tail like a cedar; the sinews of his thighs are joined together.

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

His bones are like tubes of bronze; his legs are like bars 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 creatures of God. Only God, who made him, can defeat him.

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

For the hills provide him with food; the beasts of the field play nearby.

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

He lies under the lotus plants in the shelter of the reeds, in the marshes.

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

The lotus plants cover him with their shade; the willows of the brook are all around him.

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

See, if a river floods its banks, he does not tremble; he is confident, though the Jordan should surge up to his mouth.

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

Can anyone capture him with a hook, or pierce his nose through with a snare?