Job 40
English Standard Version
40 And the Lord (A)said to Job:
2 “Shall a faultfinder (B)contend with the Almighty?
He who argues with God, let him answer it.”
Job Promises Silence
3 Then Job answered the Lord and said:
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.”
The Lord Challenges Job
6 Then the Lord (G)answered Job out of the whirlwind and said:
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?
Job 40
New King James Version
God’s Power and Wisdom
40 Moreover the Lord (A)answered Job, and said:
2 “Shall (B)the one who contends with the Almighty correct Him?
He who (C)rebukes God, let him answer it.”
Job’s Response to God
3 Then Job answered the Lord and said:
4 “Behold,(D) I am vile;
What shall I answer You?
(E)I lay my hand over my mouth.
5 Once I have spoken, but I will not answer;
Yes, twice, but I will proceed no further.”
God’s Challenge to Job
6 (F)Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said:
8 “Would(I) you indeed [b]annul My judgment?
Would you condemn Me that you may be justified?
9 Have you an arm like God?
Or can you thunder with (J)a voice like His?
10 (K)Then adorn yourself with majesty and splendor,
And array yourself with glory and beauty.
11 Disperse the rage of your wrath;
Look on everyone who is proud, and humble him.
12 Look on everyone who is (L)proud, and bring him low;
Tread down the wicked in their place.
13 Hide them in the dust together,
Bind their faces in hidden darkness.
14 Then I will also confess to you
That your own right hand can save you.
15 “Look now at the [c]behemoth, which I made along with you;
He eats grass like an ox.
16 See now, his strength is in his hips,
And his power is in his stomach muscles.
17 He moves his tail like a cedar;
The sinews of his thighs are tightly knit.
18 His bones are like beams of bronze,
His ribs like bars of iron.
19 He is the first of the (M)ways of God;
Only He who made him can bring near His sword.
20 Surely the mountains (N)yield food for him,
And all the beasts of the field play there.
21 He lies under the lotus trees,
In a covert of reeds and marsh.
22 The lotus trees cover him with their shade;
The willows by the brook surround him.
23 Indeed the river may rage,
Yet he is not disturbed;
He is confident, though the Jordan gushes into his mouth,
24 Though he takes it in his eyes,
Or one pierces his nose with a snare.
Giobbe 40
Conferenza Episcopale Italiana
40 Il Signore riprese e disse a Giobbe:
2 Il censore vorrà ancora contendere con l'Onnipotente?
L'accusatore di Dio risponda!
3 Giobbe rivolto al Signore disse:
4 Ecco, sono ben meschino: che ti posso rispondere?
Mi metto la mano sulla bocca.
5 Ho parlato una volta, ma non replicherò.
ho parlato due volte, ma non continuerò.
SECONDO DISCORSO
Dio controlla le forze del male
6 Allora il Signore rispose a Giobbe di mezzo al turbine e disse:
7 Cingiti i fianchi come un prode:
io t'interrogherò e tu mi istruirai.
8 Oseresti proprio cancellare il mio guidizio
e farmi torto per avere tu ragione?
9 Hai tu un braccio come quello di Dio
e puoi tuonare con voce pari alla sua?
10 Ornati pure di maestà e di sublimità,
rivestiti di splendore e di gloria;
11 diffondi i furori della tua collera,
mira ogni superbo e abbattilo,
12 mira ogni superbo e umilialo,
schiaccia i malvagi ovunque si trovino;
13 nascondili nella polvere tutti insieme,
rinchiudili nella polvere tutti insieme,
14 anch'io ti loderò,
perché hai trionfato con la destra.
Le bestie
15 Ecco, l'ippopotamo, che io ho creato al pari di te,
mangia l'erba come il bue.
16 Guarda, la sua forza è nei fianchi
e il suo vigore nel ventre.
17 Rizza la coda come un cedro,
i nervi delle sue cosce s'intrecciano saldi,
18 le sue vertebre, tubi di bronzo,
le sue ossa come spranghe di ferro.
19 Esso è la prima delle opere di Dio;
il suo creatore lo ha fornito di difesa.
20 I monti gli offrono i loro prodotti
e là tutte le bestie della campagna si trastullano.
21 Sotto le piante di loto si sdraia,
nel folto del canneto della palude.
22 Lo ricoprono d'ombra i loti selvatici,
lo circondano i salici del torrente.
23 Ecco, si gonfi pure il fiume: egli non trema,
è calmo, anche se il Giordano gli salisse fino alla bocca.
24 Chi potrà afferarlo per gli occhi,
prenderlo con lacci e forargli le narici?
Leviatan
25 Puoi tu pescare il Leviatan con l'amo
e tener ferma la sua lingua con una corda,
26 ficcargli un giunco nelle narici
e forargli la mascella con un uncino?
27 Ti farà forse molte suppliche
e ti rivolgerà dolci parole?
28 Stipulerà forse con te un'alleanza,
perché tu lo prenda come servo per sempre?
29 Scherzerai con lui come un passero,
legandolo per le tue fanciulle?
30 Lo metteranno in vendita le compagnie di pesca,
se lo divideranno i commercianti?
31 Crivellerai di dardi la sua pelle
e con la fiocina la sua testa?
32 Metti su di lui la mano:
al ricordo della lotta, non rimproverai!
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
