Job, 40

¹ And Jehovah proceeded to answer Job and say:

² “Should there be any contending^*1 of a faultfinder with the Almighty? Let the reprover of God^*2 himself answer it.”

³ And Job went on to answer Jehovah and say:

⁴ “Look! I have become of little account. What shall I reply to you? My hand I have put over my mouth.

⁵ Once have I spoken, and I will not answer; And twice, and I will add nothing.”

⁶ And Jehovah went on to answer Job out of the windstorm and say:

⁷ “Gird up your loins, please, like an able-bodied man; I shall question you, and you inform me.

⁸ Really, will you invalidate my justice? Will you pronounce me wicked in order that you may be in the right?^*1

⁹ Or do you have an arm like that of the [true] God,^*1 And with a voice like his can you make it thunder?

¹⁰ Deck yourself, please, with superiority and highness; And with dignity and splendor may you clothe yourself.

¹¹ Let flow the furious outbursts of your anger, And see every one haughty and bring him low.

¹² See every one haughty, humble him, And tread down the wicked right where they are.

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

¹⁴ And I, even I, shall commend you, Because your right hand can save you.

¹⁵ Here, now, is Be·heʹmoth^*1 that I have made as well as you. Green grass it eats just as a bull does.

¹⁶ Here, now, its power is in its hips, And its dynamic energy in the tendons of its belly.

¹⁷ It bends down its tail like a cedar; The sinews of its thighs are interwoven.

¹⁸ Its bones are tubes of copper; Its strong bones are like wrought-iron rods.

¹⁹ It is the beginning of the ways of God;^*1 Its Maker can bring near his sword.

²⁰ For the mountains themselves bear their produce for it, And all the wild beasts of the field themselves play there.^*1

²¹ Under the thorny lotus trees it lies down, In the concealed place of reeds and the swampy place.

²² The thorny lotus trees keep it blocked off with their shadow; The poplars of the torrent valley surround it.

²³ If the river acts violently, it does not run in panic. It is confident, although the Jordan should burst forth against its mouth.

²⁴ Before its eyes can anyone take it? With snares can anyone bore [its] nose?^*1