40 1-2 God then confronted Job directly:

“Now what do you have to say for yourself?
    Are you going to haul me, the Mighty One, into court and press charges?”

Job Answers God

I’m Ready to Shut Up and Listen

3-5 Job answered:

“I’m speechless, in awe—words fail me.
    I should never have opened my mouth!
I’ve talked too much, way too much.
    I’m ready to shut up and listen.”

God’s Second Set of Questions

I Want Straight Answers

6-7 God addressed Job next from the eye of the storm, and this is what he said:

“I have some more questions for you,
    and I want straight answers.

8-14 “Do you presume to tell me what I’m doing wrong?
    Are you calling me a sinner so you can be a saint?
Do you have an arm like my arm?
    Can you shout in thunder the way I can?
Go ahead, show your stuff.
    Let’s see what you’re made of, what you can do.
Unleash your outrage.
    Target the arrogant and lay them flat.
Target the arrogant and bring them to their knees.
    Stop the wicked in their tracks—make mincemeat of them!
Dig a mass grave and dump them in it—
    faceless corpses in an unmarked grave.
I’ll gladly step aside and hand things over to you—
    you can surely save yourself with no help from me!

15-24 “Look at the land beast, Behemoth. I created him as well as you.
    Grazing on grass, docile as a cow—
Just look at the strength of his back,
    the powerful muscles of his belly.
His tail sways like a cedar in the wind;
    his huge legs are like beech trees.
His skeleton is made of steel,
    every bone in his body hard as steel.
Most magnificent of all my creatures,
    but I still lead him around like a lamb!
The grass-covered hills serve him meals,
    while field mice frolic in his shadow.
He takes afternoon naps under shade trees,
    cools himself in the reedy swamps,
Lazily cool in the leafy shadows
    as the breeze moves through the willows.
And when the river rages he doesn’t budge,
    stolid and unperturbed even when the Jordan goes wild.
But you’d never want him for a pet—
    you’d never be able to housebreak him!”

40 耶和华又对约伯说:
“强辩者岂可与全能者争论?
与上帝辩驳的人请作出答复。”

约伯回答耶和华说:
“我这样卑微,怎能答复你?
我只有用手掩口。
我说了一次,不能答复;
说了两次,不敢再说。”

耶和华从旋风中对约伯说:
“你要像勇士一样束腰备战,
我来提问,你来回答。
你要推翻我的公义,
归罪于我而自以为义吗?
你有上帝那样的臂膀吗?
你能像祂那样发出雷鸣吗?
10 请展示你的荣耀和光辉,
披上你的尊荣和威严;
11 发泄你满腔的怒火,
鉴察骄傲者,贬抑他;
12 鉴察骄傲者,制服他,
将恶人原地践踏;
13 将他们一起埋进尘土,
藏入幽冥。
14 这样,我就承认你的右手能拯救自己。

15 “你看河马,
它和你都是我造的,
它像牛一样吃草。
16 你看它腰间的气力,
它腹部肌肉的力量。
17 它尾巴挺直如香柏树,
大腿的筋紧密相连,
18 骨头如铜管,
四肢像铁棍。
19 它是上帝创造的杰作,
创造主赐给它利刃[a]
20 群山供应它食物,
百兽在那里玩耍。
21 它躺在莲叶之下,
藏在泥沼的芦苇间,
22 莲叶为它遮荫,
溪畔的柳树环绕它。
23 河水泛滥,它不惊惧;
约旦河涨到它口边,它也无忧。
24 谁能在它警觉时捕捉它,
或用钩子穿透它的鼻子?

Footnotes

  1. 40:19 创造主赐给它利刃”或译“只有创造主能持利刃接近它”。

40 And the Lord said to Job:

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

Job’s Response to God

Then Job answered the Lord:
“Behold, I am of small account; what shall I answer thee?
    I lay my hand on my mouth.
I have spoken once, and I will not answer;
    twice, but I will proceed no further.”

God’s Challenge to Job

Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind:

“Gird up your loins like a man;
    I will question you, and you declare to me.
Will you even put me in the wrong?
    Will you condemn me that you may be justified?
Have you an arm like God,
    and can you thunder with a voice like his?

10 “Deck yourself with majesty and dignity;
    clothe yourself with glory and splendor.
11 Pour forth the overflowings of your anger,
    and look on every one that is proud, and abase him.
12 Look on every one that is proud, and bring him low;
    and tread down the wicked where they stand.
13 Hide them all in the dust together;
    bind their faces in the world below.[a]
14 Then will I also acknowledge to you,
    that your own right hand can give you victory.

15 “Behold, Be′hemoth,[b]
    which I made as I made you;
    he eats 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 the first of the works[c] 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 covert of 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 with hooks,[d]
    or pierce his nose with a snare?

Footnotes

  1. Job 40:13 Heb hidden place
  2. Job 40:15 Or the hippopotamus
  3. Job 40:19 Heb ways
  4. Job 40:24 Cn: Heb in his eyes