1And the LORD said to Job:
1And YHWH answered Job and said,
2“Will the faultfinder contend with the Almighty?
Let him who argues with God give an answer.”
2“Is a reprover to contend with Shaddai? One rebuking God, let him answer it.”
3Then Job answered the LORD:
3And Job answered YHWH and said,
4“Behold, I am insignificant. How can I reply to You?
I place my hand over my mouth.
4“Behold, I am slight. How can I reply to You? My hand I place over my mouth.
5I have spoken once, but I have no answer—
twice, but I have nothing to add.”
5Once I have spoken, and I will not answer—and twice, and I will not add.”
6Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind and said:
6And YHWH answered Job from the whirlwind, and He said,
7“Now brace yourselfa like a man;
I will question you, and you shall inform Me.b
7“Gird up now your loins like a man; I will question you, and you shall let Me know.
8Would you really annul My justice?
Would you condemn Me to justify yourself?
8Would you even break My judgment? Would you consider Me wicked so that you may be proved right?
9Do you have an arm like God’s?
Can you thunder with a voice like His?
9Is there an arm like God’s unto you? Or with a voice like His can you thunder?
10Then adorn yourself with majesty and splendor,
and clothe yourself with honor and glory.
10Adorn yourself, please, with majesty and loftiness, and with honor and glory clothe yourself.
11Unleash the fury of your wrath;
look on every proud man and bring him low.
11Scatter the fury of your nose, and look on every proud one, and bring him low.
12Look on every proud man and humble him;
trample the wicked where they stand.
12Look on every proud one, and humble him; and tread down the wicked in their place.
13Bury them together in the dust;
imprison them in the grave.a
13Hide them in the dust together; bind their faces in the hidden place.
14Then I will confess to you
that your own right hand can save you.
14And then I will confess to you that your right hand can bring salvation to you.
15Look at Behemoth, which I made along with you.
He feeds on grass like an ox.
15Behold, please, Behemoth, which I made with you; he eats grass like the ox.
16See the strength of his loins
and the power in the muscles of his belly.
16Behold, please, his strength is in his loins, and his power is in the muscles of his belly.
17His tail sways like a cedar;
the sinews of his thighs are tightly knit.
17He bends his tail like a cedar; the sinews of his thighs are tightly knit.
18His bones are tubes of bronze;
his limbs are rods of iron.
18His bones are tubes of bronze; his limbs are like bars of iron.
19He is the foremost of God’s works;a
only his Maker can draw the sword against him.
19He is the first of the ways of God; his Maker can bring near His sword.
20The hills yield him their produce,
while all the beasts of the field play nearby.
20For the mountains carry produce to him, and all the creatures of the field play there.
21He lies under the lotus plants,a
hidden among the reeds of the marsh.
21Beneath the lotus trees he lies down, in the covering of reed and marsh.
22The lotus plants conceal him in their shade;
the willowsa of the brook surround him.
22The lotus trees cover him with their shade; the willows of the brook surround him.
23Though the river rages, Behemoth is unafraid;
he remains secure, though the Jordan surges to his mouth.
23Though the river may press, he does not hurry off; he is secure, though the Jordan should burst forth toward his mouth.
24Can anyone capture him as he looks on,
or pierce his nose with a snare?
24Can one take him by his eyes, or pierce his nose with snares?