1The Lord said to Job:
2"Will the person who argues with the Almighty correct him? Let the person who accuses God answer him."
3Then Job answered the Lord:
4"I am not worthy; I cannot answer you anything, so I will put my hand over my mouth.
5I spoke one time, but I will not answer again; I even spoke two times, but I will say nothing more."
6Then the Lord spoke to Job from the storm:
7"Be strong, like a man! I will ask you questions, and you must answer me.
8Would you say that I am unfair? Would you blame me to make yourself look right?
9Are you as strong as God? Can your voice thunder like his?
10If so, then decorate yourself with glory and beauty; dress in honor and greatness as if they were clothing.
11Let your great anger punish; look at the proud and bring them down.
12Look at the proud and make them humble. Crush the wicked wherever they are.
13Bury them all in the dirt together; cover their faces in the grave.
14If you can do that, then I myself will praise you, because you are strong enough to save yourself.
15"Look at the behemoth, which I made just as I made you. It eats grass like an ox.
16Look at the strength it has in its body; the muscles of its stomach are powerful.
17Its tail is like a cedar tree; the muscles of its thighs are woven together.
18Its bones are like tubes of bronze; its legs are like bars of iron.
19It is one of the first of God's works, but its Maker can destroy it.
20The hills, where the wild animals play, provide food for it.
21It lies under the lotus plants, hidden by the tall grass in the swamp.
22The lotus plants hide it in their shadow; the poplar trees by the streams surround it.
23If the river floods, it will not be afraid; it is safe even if the Jordan River rushes to its mouth.
24Can anyone blind its eyes and capture it? Can anyone put hooks in its nose?