1 T hen the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said,

Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said,

2 W ho is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?

“Who is this that darkens counsel By words without knowledge?

3 G ird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me.

“Now gird up your loins like a man, And I will ask you, and you instruct Me!

4 W here wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.

“Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding,

5 W ho hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it?

Who set its measurements? Since you know. Or who stretched the line on it?

6 W hereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof;

“On what were its bases sunk? Or who laid its cornerstone,

7 w hen the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

When the morning stars sang together And all the sons of God shouted for joy?

8 O r who shut up the sea with doors, when it brake forth, as if it had issued out of the womb?

“Or who enclosed the sea with doors When, bursting forth, it went out from the womb;

9 W hen I made the cloud the garment thereof, and thick darkness a swaddlingband for it,

When I made a cloud its garment And thick darkness its swaddling band,

10 a nd brake up for it my decreed place, and set bars and doors,

And I placed boundaries on it And set a bolt and doors,

11 a nd said, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further: and here shall thy proud waves be stayed?

And I said, ‘Thus far you shall come, but no farther; And here shall your proud waves stop’? God’s Mighty Power

12 H ast thou commanded the morning since thy days; and caused the dayspring to know his place;

“Have you ever in your life commanded the morning, And caused the dawn to know its place,

13 t hat it might take hold of the ends of the earth, that the wicked might be shaken out of it?

That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, And the wicked be shaken out of it?

14 I t is turned as clay to the seal; and they stand as a garment.

“It is changed like clay under the seal; And they stand forth like a garment.

15 A nd from the wicked their light is withholden, and the high arm shall be broken.

“ From the wicked their light is withheld, And the uplifted arm is broken.

16 H ast thou entered into the springs of the sea? or hast thou walked in the search of the depth?

“Have you entered into the springs of the sea Or walked in the recesses of the deep?

17 H ave the gates of death been opened unto thee? or hast thou seen the doors of the shadow of death?

“Have the gates of death been revealed to you, Or have you seen the gates of deep darkness?

18 H ast thou perceived the breadth of the earth? declare if thou knowest it all.

“Have you understood the expanse of the earth? Tell Me, if you know all this.

19 W here is the way where light dwelleth? and as for darkness, where is the place thereof,

“Where is the way to the dwelling of light? And darkness, where is its place,

20 t hat thou shouldest take it to the bound thereof, and that thou shouldest know the paths to the house thereof?

That you may take it to its territory And that you may discern the paths to its home?

21 K nowest thou it, because thou wast then born? or because the number of thy days is great?

“You know, for you were born then, And the number of your days is great!

22 H ast thou entered into the treasures of the snow? or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail,

“Have you entered the storehouses of the snow, Or have you seen the storehouses of the hail,

23 w hich I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war?

Which I have reserved for the time of distress, For the day of war and battle?

24 B y what way is the light parted, which scattereth the east wind upon the earth?

“Where is the way that the light is divided, Or the east wind scattered on the earth?

25 W ho hath divided a watercourse for the overflowing of waters, or a way for the lightning of thunder;

“Who has cleft a channel for the flood, Or a way for the thunderbolt,

26 t o cause it to rain on the earth, where no man is; on the wilderness, wherein there is no man;

To bring rain on a land without people, On a desert without a man in it,

27 t o satisfy the desolate and waste ground; and to cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth?

To satisfy the waste and desolate land And to make the seeds of grass to sprout?

28 H ath the rain a father? or who hath begotten the drops of dew?

“Has the rain a father? Or who has begotten the drops of dew?

29 O ut of whose womb came the ice? and the hoary frost of heaven, who hath gendered it?

“From whose womb has come the ice? And the frost of heaven, who has given it birth?

30 T he waters are hid as with a stone, and the face of the deep is frozen.

“Water becomes hard like stone, And the surface of the deep is imprisoned.

31 C anst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion?

“Can you bind the chains of the Pleiades, Or loose the cords of Orion?

32 C anst thou bring forth Mazzaroth in his season? or canst thou guide Arcturus with his sons?

“Can you lead forth a constellation in its season, And guide the Bear with her satellites?

33 K nowest thou the ordinances of heaven? canst thou set the dominion thereof in the earth?

“Do you know the ordinances of the heavens, Or fix their rule over the earth?

34 C anst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, that abundance of waters may cover thee?

“Can you lift up your voice to the clouds, So that an abundance of water will cover you?

35 C anst thou send lightnings, that they may go, and say unto thee, Here we are ?

“Can you send forth lightnings that they may go And say to you, ‘Here we are’?

36 W ho hath put wisdom in the inward parts? or who hath given understanding to the heart?

“Who has put wisdom in the innermost being Or given understanding to the mind?

37 W ho can number the clouds in wisdom? or who can stay the bottles of heaven,

“Who can count the clouds by wisdom, Or tip the water jars of the heavens,

38 w hen the dust groweth into hardness, and the clods cleave fast together?

When the dust hardens into a mass And the clods stick together?

39 W ilt thou hunt the prey for the lion? or fill the appetite of the young lions,

“Can you hunt the prey for the lion, Or satisfy the appetite of the young lions,

40 w hen they couch in their dens, and abide in the covert to lie in wait?

When they crouch in their dens And lie in wait in their lair?

41 W ho provideth for the raven his food? when his young ones cry unto God, they wander for lack of meat.

“Who prepares for the raven its nourishment When its young cry to God And wander about without food?