איוב מ

GOD said in reply to Job.

Shall one who should be disciplined complain against Shaddai?
He who arraigns God must respond.

Job said in reply to GOD:

See, I am of small worth; what can I answer You?
I clap my hand to my mouth.

I have spoken once, and will not reply;
Twice, and will do so no more.

Then GOD replied to Job out of the tempest and said:

Gird your loins like a man;
I will ask, and you will inform Me.

Would you impugn My justice?
Would you condemn Me that you may be right?

Have you an arm like God’s?
Can you thunder with a voice like this?

Deck yourself now with grandeur and eminence;
Clothe yourself in glory and majesty.

Scatter wide your raging anger;
See all who are proud, and bring them low.

See all who are proud, and humble them,
And bring the wicked down where they stand.

Bury them all in the earth;
Hide their faces in obscurity.

Then even I would praise you
For the triumph your right hand won you.

Take now behemoth, whom I made as I did you;
It eats grass, like the cattle.

Its strength is in its loins,
Its might in the muscles of its belly.

It makes its tail stand up like a cedar;
The sinews of its thighs are knit together.

Its bones are like tubes of bronze,
Its limbs like iron rods.

It is the first of God’s works;
Only its Maker can draw the sword against it.

The mountains yield it produce,
Where all the beasts of the field play.

It lies down beneath the lotuses,
In the cover of the swamp reeds.

The lotuses embower it with shade;
The willows of the brook surround it.

It can restrain the river from rushing away;
It is confident the stream will gush at its command.

Can it be taken by its eyes?
Can its nose be pierced by hooks?

Can you draw out Leviathan by a fishhook?
Can you press down its tongue by a rope?

Can you put a ring through its nose,
Or pierce its jaw with a barb?

Will it plead with you at length?
Will it speak soft words to you?

Will it make an agreement with you
To be taken as your lifelong slave?

Will you play with it like a bird,
And tie it down for your maids?

Shall traders traffic in it?
Will it be divided up among merchants?

Can you fill its skin with darts
Or its head with fish-spears?

Lay a hand on it,
And you will never think of battle again.