Job 40

1 Yahweh continued to speak to Job; he said,

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

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 answered Yahweh and said,

And Job said in answer to the Lord,

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

Truly, I am of no value; what answer may I give to you? I will put my hand on my mouth.

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

I have said once, and even twice, what was in my mind, but I will not do so again.

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

Then the Lord made answer to Job out of the storm-wind, and said,

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

Get your strength together like a man of war: I will put questions to you, and you will give me the answers.

8 Will you actually say that I am unjust? Will you condemn me so you may claim you are 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 Do you have an arm like God's? Can you thunder with a voice like him?

Have you an arm like God? have you a voice of thunder like his?

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

Put on the ornaments of your pride; be clothed with glory and power:

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

Let your wrath be overflowing; let your eyes see all the sons of pride, and make them low.

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

Send destruction on all who are lifted up, pulling down the sinners from their places.

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

Let them be covered together in the dust; let their faces be dark in the secret place of the underworld.

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

Then I will give praise to you, saying that your right hand is able to give you salvation.

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

See now the Great Beast, whom I made, even as I made you; he takes grass for food, like the ox.

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

His strength is in his body, and his force in the muscles of his stomach.

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

His tail is curving like a cedar; the muscles of his legs are joined together.

18 His bones are like tubes of bronze; his legs are like bars of iron.

His bones are pipes of brass, his legs are like rods of iron.

19 He is the chief of the creatures of God. Only God, who made him, can defeat him.

He is the chief of the ways of God, made by him for his pleasure.

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

He takes the produce of the mountains, where all the beasts of the field are at play.

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

He takes his rest under the trees of the river, and in the pool, under the shade of the water-plants.

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

He is covered by the branches of the trees; the grasses of the stream are round him.

23 See, if a river floods its banks, he does not tremble; he is confident, though the Jordan should surge up 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 Can anyone capture him with a hook, or pierce his nose through with a snare?

Will anyone take him when he is on the watch, or put metal teeth through his nose?