Job 40

¹Moreover the LORD answered Job, and said:
²Shall he that reproveth contend with the Almighty? He that argueth with God, let him answer it.
³Then Job answered the LORD, and said:
⁴Behold, I am of small account; what shall I answer Thee? I lay my hand upon my mouth.
⁵Once have I spoken, but I will not answer again; yea, twice, but I will proceed no further.
⁶Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said:
⁷Gird up thy loins now like a man; I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto Me.
⁸Wilt thou even make void My judgment? Wilt thou condemn Me, that thou mayest be justified?
⁹Or hast thou an arm like God? And canst thou thunder with a voice like Him?
¹⁰Deck thyself now with majesty and excellency, and array thyself with glory and beauty.
¹¹Cast abroad the rage of thy wrath; and look upon every one that is proud, and abase him.
¹²Look on every one that is proud, and bring him low; and tread down the wicked in their place.
¹³Hide them in the dust together; bind their faces in the hidden place.
¹⁴Then will I also confess unto thee that thine own right hand can save thee.
¹⁵Behold now behemoth, which I made with thee; he eateth grass as an ox.
¹⁶Lo now, his strength is in his loins, and his force is in the stays of his body.
¹⁷He straineth his tail like a cedar; the sinews of his thighs are knit together.
¹⁸His bones are as pipes of brass; his gristles are like bars of iron.
¹⁹He is the beginning of the ways of God; He only that made him can make His sword to approach unto him.
²⁰Surely the mountains bring him forth food, and all the beasts of the field play there.
²¹He lieth under the lotus-trees, in the covert of the reed, and fens.
²²The lotus-trees cover him with their shadow; the willows of the brook compass him about.
²³Behold, if a river overflow, he trembleth not; he is confident, though the Jordan rush forth to his mouth.
²⁴Shall any take him by his eyes, or pierce through his nose with a snare?
²⁵Canst thou draw out leviathan with a fish-hook? or press down his tongue with a cord?
²⁶Canst thou put a ring into his nose? or bore his jaw through with a hook?
²⁷Will he make many supplications unto thee? or will he speak soft words unto thee?
²⁸Will he make a covenant with thee, that thou shouldest take him for a servant for ever?
²⁹Wilt thou play with him as with a bird? Or wilt thou bind him for thy maidens?
³⁰Will the bands of fishermen make a banquet of him? Will they part him among the merchants?
³¹Canst thou fill his skin with barbed irons? or his head with fish-spears?
³²Lay thy hand upon him; think upon the battle, thou wilt do so no more.

Public Domain