New Revised Standard NRS
The Bible in Basic English BBE
1 And the Lord said to Job:
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...
2 "Shall a faultfinder contend with the Almighty? Anyone who argues with God must respond."
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Will he who is protesting give teaching to the Ruler of all? Let him who has arguments to put forward against God give an answer.
3 Then Job answered the Lord:
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And Job said in answer to the Lord,
4 "See, I am of small account; what shall I answer you? I lay my hand on my mouth.
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Truly, I am of no value; what answer may I give to you? I will put my hand on my mouth.
5 I have spoken once, and I will not answer; twice, but will proceed no further."
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I have said once, and even twice, what was in my mind, but I will not do so again.
6 Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind:
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Then the Lord made answer to Job out of the storm-wind, and said,
7 "Gird up your loins like a man; I will question you, and you declare to me.
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Get your strength together like a man of war: I will put questions to you, and you will give me the answers.
8 Will you even put me in the wrong? Will you condemn me that you may be justified?
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Will you even make my right of no value? will you say that I am wrong in order to make clear that you are right?
9 Have you an arm like God, and can you thunder with a voice like his?
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Have you an arm like God? have you a voice of thunder like his?
10 "Deck yourself with majesty and dignity; clothe yourself with glory and splendor.
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Put on the ornaments of your pride; be clothed with glory and power:
11 Pour out the overflowings of your anger, and look on all who are proud, and abase them.
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Let your wrath be overflowing; let your eyes see all the sons of pride, and make them low.
12 Look on all who are proud, and bring them low; tread down the wicked where they stand.
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Send destruction on all who are lifted up, pulling down the sinners from their places.
13 Hide them all in the dust together; bind their faces in the world below.
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Let them be covered together in the dust; let their faces be dark in the secret place of the underworld.
14 Then I will also acknowledge to you that your own right hand can give you victory.
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Then I will give praise to you, saying that your right hand is able to give you salvation.
15 "Look at Behemoth, which I made just as I made you; it eats grass like an ox.
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See now the Great Beast, whom I made, even as I made you; he takes grass for food, like the ox.
16 Its strength is in its loins, and its power in the muscles of its belly.
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His strength is in his body, and his force in the muscles of his stomach.
17 It makes its tail stiff like a cedar; the sinews of its thighs are knit together.
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His tail is curving like a cedar; the muscles of his legs are joined together.
18 Its bones are tubes of bronze, its limbs like bars of iron.
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His bones are pipes of brass, his legs are like rods of iron.
19 "It is the first of the great acts of God— only its Maker can approach it with the sword.
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He is the chief of the ways of God, made by him for his pleasure.
20 For the mountains yield food for it where all the wild animals play.
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He takes the produce of the mountains, where all the beasts of the field are at play.
21 Under the lotus plants it lies, in the covert of the reeds and in the marsh.
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He takes his rest under the trees of the river, and in the pool, under the shade of the water-plants.
22 The lotus trees cover it for shade; the willows of the wadi surround it.
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He is covered by the branches of the trees; the grasses of the stream are round him.
23 Even if the river is turbulent, it is not frightened; it is confident though Jordan rushes against its mouth.
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Truly, if the river is overflowing, it gives him no cause for fear; he has no sense of danger, even if Jordan is rushing against his mouth.
24 Can one take it with hooks or pierce its nose with a snare?
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Will anyone take him when he is on the watch, or put metal teeth through his nose?
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.