Job 40

1 The LORD spoke to Job. And this is what he said.

2 ‘I am God. Do you still want to argue with me?

You say that I have done wrong things. Now you must explain what you mean.’

3 Then Job answered the LORD. And this is what he said.

4 ‘I am a silly man and I cannot reply to you properly.

I put my hand over my mouth and I will not say anything.

5 I have said too much already.

There is nothing more that I want to say.’

6 Then the LORD spoke to Job out of the storm. And this is what he said.

7 ‘Stand up and be brave.

I will speak to you, and you must answer me.

8 You think that I am not fair to you.

And you think that you are always right.

9 But you are not as strong as I am.

And your voice is not as loud as mine is.

10 If you were like me, you could put on lovely clothes.

And you could show everyone how beautiful you are.

11 You could show everyone how angry you can be.

People think that they are very clever. You could show them that they are not so clever.

12 You could do that, Job, if you were like me.

And, when you find them, you could kill bad people, too.

13 You could bury them all in the ground.

You could send them to the place where dead people go.

14 If you can do these things, then even I would praise you.

Then I would agree that you could save yourself.

15 Look at the Great Animal.

I made it and I made you. It eats only grass, like a cow.

16 But how strong its legs are!

And how powerful its stomach is!

17 Its tail is as straight as a tall tree.

Its legs are thick and they are strong.

18 Its bones are as strong as bronze.

Its back legs and its front legs are as strong as iron.

19 I have not made anything bigger or better than the Great Animal.

And only I am stronger than the Great Animal.

20 The wild animals may play in the grass on the side of the hill.

But the Great Animal comes and eats the grass next to them.

21 It lies under the bushes.

It hides among the plants that grow at the edge of the lake.

22 It rests under the trees that grow near the river.

Then it can stay cool because the sun does not shine on it.

23 Even when the river is deep and strong, it is not afraid.

The River Jordan may be all round it, but it still feels safe.

24 No one can catch the Great Animal.

No one can put a ring in its nose and lead it away.’