² “Shall a faultfinder ^(B)contend with the Almighty?
    He who argues with God, let him answer it.”

⁴ “Behold, I am ^(C)of small account; what shall I answer you?
    ^(D)I lay my hand on my mouth.
⁵ I have spoken ^(E)once, and I will not answer;
    ^(F)twice, but I will proceed no further.”

^7 (H)“Dress for action^[a] like a man;
    ^(I)I will question you, and you make it known to me.
⁸ Will you even put me in the wrong?
    Will you condemn me that ^(J)you may be in the right?
⁹ Have you ^(K)an arm like God,
    and can you thunder with ^(L)a voice like his?

¹⁰ “Adorn yourself with majesty and dignity;
    ^(M)clothe yourself with glory and splendor.
¹¹ Pour out the overflowings of your anger,
    and look on everyone who is ^(N)proud and abase him.
¹² Look on everyone who is proud and bring him low
    and ^(O)tread down the wicked ^(P)where they stand.
^13 (Q)Hide them all in ^(R)the dust together;
    bind their faces in the world below.^[b]
14 Then will I also acknowledge to you
    that your own ^(S)right hand can save you.

¹⁵ “Behold, Behemoth,^[c]
    which I made as I made you;
    he eats ^(T)grass like an ox.
¹⁶ Behold, his strength in his loins,
    and his power in the muscles of his belly.
¹⁷ He makes his tail stiff like a cedar;
    the sinews of his thighs are knit together.
¹⁸ His bones are tubes of bronze,
    his limbs like bars of iron.

¹⁹ “He is ^(U)the first of ^(V)the works^[d] of God;
    let him who made him bring near his sword!
²⁰ For the mountains yield food for him
    where all the wild beasts play.
²¹ Under the lotus plants he lies,
    in the shelter of ^(W)the reeds and in the marsh.
²² For his shade the lotus trees cover him;
    the willows of the brook surround him.
²³ Behold, if the river is turbulent he is not frightened;
    he is confident though Jordan rushes against his mouth.
²⁴ Can one take him by his eyes,^[e]
    or pierce his nose with a snare?

² “I know that you can ^(A)do all things,
    and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.
^3 (B)‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’
Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand,
    things ^(C)too wonderful for me, which I did not know.
⁴ ‘Hear, and I will speak;
    ^(D)I will question you, and you make it known to me.’
⁵ I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear,
    but now my eye sees you;
⁶ therefore I despise myself,
    and repent^[a] in ^(E)dust and ashes.”