1 Againe the Lord answered Iob out of the whirle winde, and said, 2 Girde vp now thy loynes like a man: I will demaunde of thee, and declare thou vnto me. 3 Wilt thou disanul my iudgement? or wilt thou condemne me, that thou mayst be iustified? 4 Or hast thou an arme like God? or doest thou thunder with a voyce like him? 5 Decke thy selfe now with maiestie and excellencie, and aray thy selfe with beautie and glory. 6 Cast abroad the indignation of thy wrath, and beholde euery one that is proude, and abase him. 7 Looke on euery one that is arrogant, and bring him lowe: and destroy the wicked in their place. 8 Hide them in the dust together, and binde their faces in a secret place. 9 Then will I confesse vnto thee also, that thy right hand can saue thee. 10 Behold now Behemoth (whom I made with thee) which eateth grasse as an oxe. 11 Behold now, his strength is in his loynes, and his force is in the nauil of his belly. 12 When hee taketh pleasure, his taile is like a cedar: the sinews of his stones are wrapt together. 13 His bones are like staues of brasse, and his small bones like staues of yron. 14 He is the chiefe of the wayes of God: he that made him, will make his sworde to approch vnto him. 15 Surely the mountaines bring him foorth grasse, where all the beastes of the fielde play. 16 Lyeth hee vnder the trees in the couert of the reede and fennes? 17 Can the trees couer him with their shadow? or can the willowes of the riuer compasse him about? 18 Behold, he spoyleth the riuer, and hasteth not: he trusteth that he can draw vp Iorden into his mouth. 19 Hee taketh it with his eyes, and thrusteth his nose through whatsoeuer meeteth him. 20 Canst thou drawe out Liuiathan with an hooke, and with a line which thou shalt cast downe vnto his tongue? 21 Canst thou cast an hooke into his nose? canst thou perce his iawes with an angle? 22 Will he make many prayers vnto thee, or speake thee faire? 23 Will hee make a couenant with thee? and wilt thou take him as a seruant for euer? 24 Wilt thou play with him as with a bird? or wilt thou bynd him for thy maydes? 25 Shall the companions baket with him? shall they deuide him among the marchants? 26 Canst thou fill the basket with his skinne? or the fishpanier with his head? 27 Lay thine hand vpon him: remember the battel, and do no more so. 28 Behold, his hope is in vaine: for shall not one perish euen at the sight of him?
The Lord Continues
I Am the Lord All-Powerful
* 1 I am the Lord All-Powerful,
2 but you have argued
that I am wrong.
Now you must answer me.
3 Job said to the Lord:
4 Who am I to answer you?
5 I did speak once or twice,
but never again.
6 Then out of the storm
the Lord said to Job:
7 Face me and answer
the questions I ask!
8 Are you trying to prove
that you are innocent
by accusing me of injustice?
9 Do you have a powerful arm
and a thundering voice
that compare with mine?
10 If so, then surround yourself
with glory and majesty.
* 11 Show your furious anger!
Throw down and crush
12 all who are proud and evil.
13 Wrap them in grave clothes
and bury them together
in the dusty soil.
14 Do this, and I will agree
that you have won
this argument.
I Created You
15 I created both you
and the hippopotamus.
It eats only grass like an ox,
16 but look at the mighty muscles
in its body 17 and legs.
Its tail is like a cedar tree,
and its thighs are thick.
18 The bones in its legs
are like bronze or iron.
19 I made it more powerful
than any other creature,
yet I am stronger still.
20 Undisturbed, it eats grass
while the other animals
play nearby.
* 21 It rests in the shade of trees
along the riverbank
22 or hides among reeds
in the swamp.
23 It remains calm and unafraid
with the Jordan River rushing
and splashing in its face.
24 There is no way to capture
a hippopotamus—
not even by hooking its nose
or blinding its eyes.