Job 40-41

Modern English Version

² “Will he who argues with the Almighty instruct Him?
    He who rebukes God, let him answer it.”

⁴ “Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer You?
    I will lay my hand over my mouth.
⁵ Once have I spoken, but I will not answer;
    yes, twice, but I will proceed no further.”

⁷ “Prepare yourself now like a man;
    I will question you,
    and you will answer Me.

⁸ “Will you indeed annul My judgment?
    Will you condemn Me, that you may be righteous?
⁹ Have you an arm like God?
    Or can you thunder with a voice like Him?
¹⁰ Adorn yourself now with majesty and excellence,
    and array yourself with glory and beauty.
¹¹ Let loose the rage of your wrath,
    and look on every one who is proud and abase him;
¹² look on every one who is proud and bring him low,
    and tread down the wicked in their place.
¹³ Hide them in the dust together,
    and imprison them in the hidden place of the grave.
¹⁴ Then I will also confess to you
    that your own right hand can save you.

¹⁵ “Look now at the behemoth
    which I made along with you;
    he eats grass like an ox.
¹⁶ See now his strength is in his hips,
    and his power is in the muscles of his belly.
¹⁷ He moves his tail like a cedar;
    the sinews of his thighs are wrapped together.
¹⁸ His bones are like strong pieces of brass;
    his bones are like bars of iron.
¹⁹ He is the first of the works of God;
    He who made him can bring near His sword.
²⁰ Surely the mountains bring forth food for him,
    where all the beasts of the field play.
²¹ He lies under the shady trees,
    in the thicket of the reed and marsh.
²² The shady trees cover him with their shadow;
    the willows of the brook surround him.
²³ Look, the river rages, but he is not alarmed;
    he trusts that he can draw up the Jordan into his mouth.
²⁴ Can anyone catch it by its eyes,
    or pierce its nose with a snare?

41 “Can you draw out Leviathan with a hook^[a]
    or snare his tongue with a line which you let down?
² Can you put a cord into his nose,
    or pierce his jaw with a hook?
³ Will he make many supplications to you?
    Will he speak soft words to you?
⁴ Will he make a covenant with you?
    Will you take him for a servant forever?
⁵ Will you play with him as with a bird?
    Or will you put him on a leash for your maidens?
⁶ Will your companions make a banquet of him?
    Will they divide him among the merchants?
⁷ Can you fill his skin with harpoons
    or his head with fishing spears?
⁸ Lay your hand on him;
    remember the battle—you will do it no more.
⁹ Notice, any hope of overcoming him is in vain;
    shall not one be overwhelmed at the sight of him?
¹⁰ No one is so fierce that he dares to stir him up.
    Who then is able to stand before Me?
¹¹ Who has preceded Me that I should repay him?
    Everything under heaven is Mine.

¹² “I will not conceal his limbs,
    nor his power, nor his graceful proportions.
¹³ Who can remove his outer garment?
    Or who can approach him with a double bridle?
¹⁴ Who can open the jaws of his face?
    His teeth are terrible all around.
¹⁵ His scales are his pride,
    shut up tightly as with a seal.
¹⁶ One is so near to another
    that no air can come between them.
¹⁷ They are joined to each other;
    they stick together that they cannot be separated.
¹⁸ His sneezing flashes forth light,
    and his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning.
¹⁹ Out of his mouth go burning lights,
    and sparks of fire leap out.
²⁰ Out of his nostrils goes smoke
    as out of a seething pot or cauldron.
²¹ His breath kindles coals,
    and a flame goes out of his mouth.
²² In his neck remains strength,
    and sorrow is turned into joy before him.
²³ The folds of his flesh are joined together;
    they are firm on him; they cannot be moved.
²⁴ His heart is as firm as a stone,
    yes, as hard as a piece of the lower millstone.
²⁵ When he raises up himself even the gods are afraid;
    because of his crashings they are beside themselves.
²⁶ The sword that reaches him cannot avail,
    nor does the spear, the arrow, or the javelin.
²⁷ He counts iron as straw,
    and brass as rotten wood.
²⁸ The arrow cannot make him flee;
    slingstones are turned into stubble by him.
²⁹ Arrows are counted as straw;
    he laughs at the shaking of a spear.
³⁰ Sharp stones are his underside;
    he leaves a mark in the mire like a sharp threshing sledge.
³¹ He makes the deep to boil like a pot;
    he makes the sea like a pot of ointment.
³² He leaves a shining wake behind him;
    one would think the deep had white hair.
³³ On earth there is nothing like him,
    a creature made without fear.
³⁴ He beholds all high things;
    he is a king over all the children of pride.”