Gradus 153

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Job 39:13-30

13 "The wings of the ostrich wave proudly; but are they the feathers and plumage of love?

14 For she leaves her eggs on the earth, warms them in the dust,

15 and forgets that the foot may crush them, or that the wild animal may trample them.

16 She deals harshly with her young ones, as if they were not hers. Though her labor is in vain, she is without fear,

17 because God has deprived her of wisdom, neither has he imparted to her understanding.

18 When she lifts up herself on high, she scorns the horse and his rider.

19 "Have you given the horse might? Have you clothed his neck with a quivering mane?

20 Have you made him to leap as a locust? The glory of his snorting is awesome.

21 He paws in the valley, and rejoices in his strength. He goes out to meet the armed men.

22 He mocks at fear, and is not dismayed, neither does he turn back from the sword.

23 The quiver rattles against him, the flashing spear and the javelin.

24 He eats up the ground with fierceness and rage, neither does he stand still at the sound of the trumpet.

25 As often as the trumpet sounds he snorts, 'Aha!' He smells the battle afar off, the thunder of the captains, and the shouting.

26 "Is it by your wisdom that the hawk soars, and stretches her wings toward the south?

27 Is it at your command that the eagle mounts up, and makes his nest on high?

28 On the cliff he dwells, and makes his home, on the point of the cliff, and the stronghold.

29 From there he spies out the prey. His eyes see it afar off.

30 His young ones also suck up blood. Where the slain are, there he is."

Job 40

1 Moreover Yahweh answered Job,

2 "Shall he who argues contend with the Almighty? He who argues with God, let him answer it."

3 Then Job answered Yahweh,

4 "Behold, I am of small account. What shall I answer you? I lay my hand on my mouth.

5 I have spoken once, and I will not answer; Yes, twice, but I will proceed no further."

6 Then Yahweh answered Job out of the whirlwind,

7 "Now brace yourself like a man. I will question you, and you will answer me.

8 Will you even annul my judgment? Will you condemn me, that you may be justified?

9 Or do you have an arm like God? Can you thunder with a voice like him?

10 "Now deck yourself with excellency and dignity. Array yourself with honor and majesty.

11 Pour out the fury of your anger. Look at everyone who is proud, and bring him low.

12 Look at everyone who is proud, and humble him. Crush the wicked in their place.

13 Hide them in the dust together. Bind their faces in the hidden place.

14 Then I will also admit to you that your own right hand can save you.

15 "See now, behemoth, which I made as well as you. He eats grass as an ox.

16 Look now, his strength is in his thighs. His force is in the muscles of his belly.

17 He moves his tail like a cedar. The sinews of his thighs are knit together.

18 His bones are like tubes of brass. His limbs are like bars of iron.

19 He is the chief of the ways of God. He who made him gives him his sword.

20 Surely the mountains produce food for him, where all the animals of the field play.

21 He lies under the lotus trees, in the covert of the reed, and the marsh.

22 The lotuses cover him with their shade. The willows of the brook surround him.

23 Behold, if a river overflows, he doesn't tremble. He is confident, though the Jordan swells even to his mouth.

24 Shall any take him when he is on the watch, or pierce through his nose with a snare?

Job 41

1 "Can you draw out Leviathan with a fishhook, or press down his tongue with a cord?

2 Can you put a rope into his nose, or pierce his jaw through with a hook?

3 Will he make many petitions to you, or will he speak soft words to you?

4 Will he make a covenant with you, that you should take him for a servant forever?

5 Will you play with him as with a bird? Or will you bind him for your girls?

6 Will traders barter for him? Will they part him among the merchants?

7 Can you fill his skin with barbed irons, or his head with fish spears?

8 Lay your hand on him. Remember the battle, and do so no more.

9 Behold, the hope of him is in vain. Won't one be cast down even at the sight of him?

10 None is so fierce that he dare stir him up. Who then is he who can stand before me?

11 Who has first given to me, that I should repay him? Everything under the heavens is mine.

12 "I will not keep silence concerning his limbs, nor his mighty strength, nor his goodly frame.

13 Who can strip off his outer garment? Who shall come within his jaws?

14 Who can open the doors of his face? Around his teeth is terror.

15 Strong scales are his pride, shut up together with a close seal.

16 One is so near to another, that no air can come between them.

17 They are joined one to another. They stick together, so that they can't be pulled apart.

18 His sneezing flashes out light. His eyes are like the eyelids of the morning.

19 Out of his mouth go burning torches. Sparks of fire leap forth.

20 Out of his nostrils a smoke goes, as of a boiling pot over a fire of reeds.

21 His breath kindles coals. A flame goes forth from his mouth.

22 There is strength in his neck. Terror dances before him.

23 The flakes of his flesh are joined together. They are firm on him. They can't be moved.

24 His heart is as firm as a stone, yes, firm as the lower millstone.

25 When he raises himself up, the mighty are afraid. They retreat before his thrashing.

26 If one attacks him with the sword, it can't prevail; nor the spear, the dart, nor the pointed shaft.

27 He counts iron as straw; and brass as rotten wood.

28 The arrow can't make him flee. Sling stones are like chaff to him.

29 Clubs are counted as stubble. He laughs at the rushing of the javelin.

30 His undersides are like sharp potsherds, leaving a trail in the mud like a threshing sledge.

31 He makes the deep to boil like a pot. He makes the sea like a pot of ointment.

32 He makes a path shine after him. One would think the deep had white hair.

33 On earth there is not his equal, that is made without fear.

34 He sees everything that is high. He is king over all the sons of pride."

Job 42

1 Then Job answered Yahweh,

2 "I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be restrained.

3 You asked, 'Who is this who hides counsel without knowledge?' therefore I have uttered that which I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I didn't know.

4 You said, 'Listen, now, and I will speak; I will question you, and you will answer me.'

5 I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you.

6 Therefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes."

7 It was so, that after Yahweh had spoken these words to Job, Yahweh said to Eliphaz the Temanite, "My wrath is kindled against you, and against your two friends; for you have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job has.

8 Now therefore, take to yourselves seven bulls and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you, for I will accept him, that I not deal with you according to your folly. For you have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job has."

9 So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went, and did what Yahweh commanded them, and Yahweh accepted Job.

10 Yahweh turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends. Yahweh gave Job twice as much as he had before.

11 Then came there to him all his brothers, and all his sisters, and all those who had been of his acquaintance before, and ate bread with him in his house. They comforted him, and consoled him concerning all the evil that Yahweh had brought on him. Everyone also gave him a piece of money, and everyone a ring of gold.

12 So Yahweh blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, one thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand female donkeys.

13 He had also seven sons and three daughters.

14 He called the name of the first, Jemimah; and the name of the second, Keziah; and the name of the third, Keren Happuch.

15 In all the land were no women found so beautiful as the daughters of Job. Their father gave them an inheritance among their brothers.

16 After this Job lived one hundred forty years, and saw his sons, and his sons' sons, to four generations.

17 So Job died, being old and full of days. BOOK I