² Shall he that cavilleth contend with the Almighty?
He that argueth with God, let him answer it.

⁴ Behold, I am of small account; what shall I answer thee?
I lay my hand upon my mouth.
⁵ Once have I spoken, and I will not answer;
Yea, twice, but I will proceed no further.

⁷ Gird up thy loins now like a man:
I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.
⁸ Wilt thou even annul my judgment?
Wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayest be justified?
⁹ Or hast thou an arm like God?
And canst thou thunder with a voice like him?

¹⁰ Deck thyself now with excellency and dignity;
And array thyself with honor and majesty.
¹¹ Pour forth the overflowings of thine anger;
And look upon 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 in the dust together;
Bind their faces in the hidden place.
¹⁴ Then will I also confess of thee
That thine own right hand can save thee.

¹⁵ Behold now, ^[a]behemoth, which I made ^[b]as well as thee;
He eateth grass as an ox.
¹⁶ Lo now, his strength is in his loins,
And his force is in the muscles of his belly.
¹⁷ He moveth his tail like a cedar:
The sinews of his thighs are knit together.
¹⁸ His bones are as tubes of brass;
His ^[c]limbs are like bars of iron.

¹⁹ He is the chief of the ways of God:
He only that made him giveth him his sword.
²⁰ Surely the mountains bring him forth food,
Where all the beasts of the field do play.
²¹ He lieth under the lotus-trees,
In the covert of the reed, and the fen.
²² The lotus-trees cover him with their shade;
The willows of the brook compass him about.
²³ Behold, if a river ^[d]overflow, he trembleth not;
He is confident, though a Jordan swell even to his mouth.
²⁴ Shall any take him when he is on the watch,
Or pierce through his nose with a snare?