Job 40

1And the Lord God answered Job, and said,

2Will [any one] pervert judgment with the Mighty One? and he that reproves God, let him return it for answer.

3And Job answered and said to the Lord,

4Why do I yet plead? being rebuked even while reproving the Lord: hearing such things, whereas I am nothing: and what shall I answer to these [arguments]? I will lay my hand upon my mouth.

5I have spoken once; but I will not do so a second time.

6And the Lord yet again answered and spoke to Job out of the cloud, [saying],

7Nay, gird up now thy loins like a man; and I will ask thee, and do thou answer me.

8Do not set aside my judgment: and dost thou think that I have dealt with thee in any other way, than that thou mightest appear to be righteous?

9Hast thou an arm like the Lord's? or dost thou thunder with a voice like his?

10Assume now a lofty bearing and power; and clothe thyself with glory and honour.

11And send forth messengers with wrath; and lay low every haughty one.

12Bring down also the proud man; and consume at once the ungodly.

13And hide them together in the earth; and fill their faces with shame.

14[Then] will I confess that thy right hand can save [thee].

15But now look at the wild beasts with thee; they eat grass like oxen.

16Behold now, his strength is in his loins, and his force is in the navel of his belly.

17He sets up his tail like a cypress; and his nerves are wrapped together.

18His sides are sides of brass; and his backbone is [as] cast iron.

19This is the chief of the creation of the Lord; made to be played with by his angels.

20And when he has gone up to a steep mountain, he causes joy to the quadrupeds in the deep.

21He lies under trees of every kind, by the papyrus, and reed, and bulrush.

22And the great trees make a shadow over him with their branches, and [so do] the bushes of the field.

23If there should be a flood, he will not perceive it; he trusts that Jordan will rush up into his mouth.

24[Yet one] shall take him in his sight; [one] shall catch [him] with a cord, and pierce his nose.