1 En die HERE het Job uit 'n storm geantwoord en gesê:
2 Gord tog jou heupe soos 'n man; Ek sal jou ondervra en onderrig jy My.
3 Wil jy werklik my reg verbreek, My veroordeel, dat jy gelyk kan hê?
4 Het jy dan 'n arm soos God? En kan jy donder met die stem soos Hy?
5 Versier jou tog met heerlikheid en hoogheid, en beklee jou met majesteit en glorie!
6 Giet jou toorn in strome uit; en kyk na alles wat hoog is, en verneder dit.
7 Kyk na alles wat hoog is, onderwerp dit; en werp die goddelose neer daar waar hulle staan.
8 Begrawe hulle almal saam in die stof; sluit hulle aangesigte in 'n verborge plek weg.
9 Dan sal ook Ek jou loof, omdat jou regterhand jou die oorwinning gee.
10 Kyk, daar is die seekoei wat Ek gemaak het saam met jou. Gras eet hy soos 'n bees.
11 Kyk tog, sy krag is in sy kruis, en sy sterkte in die spiere van sy buik.
12 Hy hou sy stert reguit soos 'n seder; die senings van sy dye is inmekaar gevleg.
13 Sy gebeente is pype van koper, sy bene soos stawe van yster.
14 Hy is die eersteling van die weë van God; Hy wat hom gemaak het, het hom sy swaard verskaf.
15 Want die berge lewer vir hom voer, en al die wilde diere van die veld speel daar.
16 Onder lotusbome lê hy, in 'n skuilplek van riete en moeras.
17 Lotusbome oordek hom as sy skaduwee, die rivierwilgers omring hom.
18 As die rivier swel -- hy word nie verskrik nie; hy voel gerus, ook al bruis 'n Jordaan teen sy mond.
19 Sal 'n mens hom gryp terwyl hy jou aankyk, met vangtoue sy neus deurboor?
20 Kan jy die krokodil met 'n hoek uittrek? En met 'n tou sy tong afdruk?
21 Kan jy 'n tou van biesies in sy neus sit? En sy kakebeen met 'n haak deurboor?
22 Sal hy jou baie smeek? Of met jou spreek in sagte woorde?
23 Sal hy 'n verbond met jou sluit, dat jy hom vir altyd as slaaf aanneem?
24 Sal jy met hom soos met 'n voëltjie speel? En hom vasbind vir jou meisiekinders? [ (Job 40:25) Sal die viskopers met hom handel drywe, hom verdeel onder die koopmans? ] [ (Job 40:26) Kan jy sy vel vol skerp ysters steek, en met 'n vissersharpoen sy kop? ] [ (Job 40:27) Sit jou hand op hom; dink aan die geveg; jy sal dit nie weer doen nie. ] [ (Job 40:28) Kyk, elke hoop kom bedroë uit: sal 'n mens nie reeds by die sien van hom neerslaan nie? ]
1 Moreover Yahweh answered Job,
2 "Shall he who argues contend with the Almighty?
He who argues with God, let him answer it."
3 Then Job answered Yahweh,
4 "Behold, I am of small account. What will I answer you?
I lay my hand on my mouth.
5 I have spoken once, and I will not answer;
Yes, twice, but I will proceed no further."
6 Then Yahweh answered Job out of the whirlwind:
7 "Now brace yourself like a man.
I will question you, and you will answer me.
8 Will you even annul my judgment?
Will you condemn me, that you may be justified?
9 Or do you have an arm like God?
Can you thunder with a voice like him?
10 "Now deck yourself with excellency and dignity.
Array yourself with honor and majesty.
11 Pour out the fury of your anger.
Look at everyone who is proud, and bring him low.
12 Look at everyone who is proud, and humble him.
Crush the wicked in their place.
13 Hide them in the dust together.
Bind their faces in the hidden place.
14 Then I will also admit to you
that your own right hand can save you.
15 "See now behemoth, which I made as well as you.
He eats grass as an ox.
16 Look now, his strength is in his thighs.
His force is in the muscles of his belly.
17 He moves his tail like a cedar.
The sinews of his thighs are knit together.
18 His bones are like tubes of bronze.
His limbs are like bars of iron.
19 He is the chief of the ways of God.
He who made him gives him his sword.
20 Surely the mountains produce food for him,
where all the animals of the field play.
21 He lies under the lotus trees,
in the covert of the reed, and the marsh.
22 The lotuses cover him with their shade.
The willows of the brook surround him.
23 Behold, if a river overflows, he doesn’t tremble.
He is confident, though the Jordan swells even to his mouth.
24 Shall any take him when he is on the watch,
or pierce through his nose with a snare?