1 L'Eternel, s'adressant à Job, dit:

2 Celui qui dispute contre le Tout-Puissant est-il convaincu? Celui qui conteste avec Dieu a-t-il une réplique à faire?

3 Job répondit à l'Eternel et dit:

4 Voici, je suis trop peu de chose; que te répliquerais-je? Je mets la main sur ma bouche.

5 J'ai parlé une fois, je ne répondrai plus; Deux fois, je n'ajouterai rien.

6 L'Eternel répondit à Job du milieu de la tempête et dit:

7 Ceins tes reins comme un vaillant homme; Je t'interrogerai, et tu m'instruiras.

8 Anéantiras-tu jusqu'à ma justice? Me condamneras-tu pour te donner droit?

9 As-tu un bras comme celui de Dieu, Une voix tonnante comme la sienne?

10 Orne-toi de magnificence et de grandeur, Revêts-toi de splendeur et de gloire!

11 Répands les flots de ta colère, Et d'un regard abaisse les hautains!

12 D'un regard humilie les hautains, Ecrase sur place les méchants,

13 Cache-les tous ensemble dans la poussière, Enferme leur front dans les ténèbres!

14 Alors je rends hommage A la puissance de ta droite.

15 Voici l'hippopotame, à qui j'ai donné la vie comme à toi! Il mange de l'herbe comme le boeuf.

16 Le voici! Sa force est dans ses reins, Et sa vigueur dans les muscles de son ventre;

17 Il plie sa queue aussi ferme qu'un cèdre; Les nerfs de ses cuisses sont entrelacés;

18 Ses os sont des tubes d'airain, Ses membres sont comme des barres de fer.

19 Il est la première des oeuvres de Dieu; Celui qui l'a fait l'a pourvu d'un glaive.

20 Il trouve sa pâture dans les montagnes, Où se jouent toutes les bêtes des champs.

21 Il se couche sous les lotus, Au milieu des roseaux et des marécages;

22 Les lotus le couvrent de leur ombre, Les saules du torrent l'environnent.

23 Que le fleuve vienne à déborder, il ne s'enfuit pas: Que le Jourdain se précipite dans sa gueule, il reste calme.

24 Est-ce à force ouverte qu'on pourra le saisir? Est-ce au moyen de filets qu'on lui percera le nez?

1 \40:6\Then the Lord made answer to Job out of the storm-wind, and said,

2 \40:7\Get your strength together like a man of war: I will put questions to you, and you will give me the answers.

3 \40:8\Will you even make my right of no value? will you say that I am wrong in order to make clear that you are right?

4 \40:9\Have you an arm like God? have you a voice of thunder like his?

5 \40:10\Put on the ornaments of your pride; be clothed with glory and power:

6 \40:11\Let your wrath be overflowing; let your eyes see all the sons of pride, and make them low.

7 \40:12\Send destruction on all who are lifted up, pulling down the sinners from their places.

8 \40:13\Let them be covered together in the dust; let their faces be dark in the secret place of the underworld.

9 \40:14\Then I will give praise to you, saying that your right hand is able to give you salvation.

10 \40:15\See now the Great Beast, whom I made, even as I made you; he takes grass for food, like the ox.

11 \40:16\His strength is in his body, and his force in the muscles of his stomach.

12 \40:17\His tail is curving like a cedar; the muscles of his legs are joined together.

13 \40:18\His bones are pipes of brass, his legs are like rods of iron.

14 \40:19\He is the chief of the ways of God, made by him for his pleasure.

15 \40:20\He takes the produce of the mountains, where all the beasts of the field are at play.

16 \40:21\He takes his rest under the trees of the river, and in the pool, under the shade of the water-plants.

17 \40:22\He is covered by the branches of the trees; the grasses of the stream are round him.

18 \40:23\Truly, if the river is overflowing, it gives him no cause for fear; he has no sense of danger, even if Jordan is rushing against his mouth.

19 \40:24\Will anyone take him when he is on the watch, or put metal teeth through his nose?

20 \41:1\Is it possible for Leviathan to be pulled out with a fish-hook, or for a hook to be put through the bone of his mouth?

21 \41:2\Will you put a cord into his nose, or take him away with a cord round his tongue?

22 \41:3\Will he make prayers to you, or say soft words to you?

23 \41:4\Will he make an agreement with you, so that you may take him as a servant for ever?

24 \41:5\Will you make sport with him, as with a bird? or put him in chains for your young women?

25 \41:6\Will the fishermen make profit out of him? will they have him cut up for the traders?

26 \41:7\Will you put sharp-pointed irons into his skin, or fish-spears into his head?

27 \41:8\Only put your hand on him, and see what a fight you will have; you will not do it again!

28 \41:9\Truly, the hope of his attacker is false; he is overcome even on seeing him!