Job 40

1 Moreover the LORD answered Job,

And the Lord continued, and he said to Job:

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

Will he who contends with God be so easily silenced? Certainly, he who argues with God must also respond to him.

3 Then Job answered the LORD,

Then Job answered the Lord, saying:

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

What could I possibly answer, since I have been speaking thoughtlessly? I will place my hand over my mouth.

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

One thing I have spoken, which I wish I had not said; and another, to which I will add no more.

6 Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind:

But the Lord, answering Job out of the whirlwind, said:

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

Gird your waist like a man. I will question you, and you must answer me.

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

Will you make my judgment null and void; and will you condemn me so that you may be justified?

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

And do you have an arm like God, or a voice like thunder?

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

Envelop yourself with splendor, and raise yourself up on high, and be glorious, and put on splendid garments.

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

Scatter the arrogant with your wrath, and, when you see all the arrogant, humble them.

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

Look down upon each of the arrogant and confound them, and crush the impious in their place.

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

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

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

Then I will confess that your right hand is able to save you.

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

Behold, the behemoth, whom I created along with you, eats hay like an ox.

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

His strength is in his lower back, and his power is in the center of his abdomen.

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

He draws up his tail like a cedar; the sinews of his thighs have been drawn together.

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

His bones are like pipes of brass; his cartilage is like plates of iron.

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

He is the beginning of the ways of God, who made him; he will use him as his sword.

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

The mountains bring forth grass for him; all the beasts of the field will play there.

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

He sleeps in the shadows, under the cover of branches, and in moist places.

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

The shadows cover his shadow; the willows of the brook will encircle him.

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

Behold, he will drink a river and not be amazed, and he has confidence that the Jordan could flow into his mouth.

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

He will seize him through his eyes, as if with a hook, and he will bore through his nostrils, as if with stakes.