1 ¶ Then 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 darkens counsel by words without knowledge?

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

3 N ow gird up thy loins like a man; for I will enquire of thee, and answer thou me.

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

4 ¶ Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? Cause me to know, if thou hast understanding.

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

5 W ho ordered its dimensions, if thou knowest? Or who has stretched the line upon it?

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

6 U pon what are its foundations founded? Or who laid its corner stone;

“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 broke 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 clouds its garment and thick darkness a swaddling band for it,

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

10 a nd established my decree upon it, and set bars and doors,

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

11 a nd said, Thou shalt come unto here, but no further; and there shall the pride of thy 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 ¶ Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days? Hast thou shown the dayspring its 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 transformed as clay to the seal and then stands as a garment;

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

15 b ut the light of the wicked is taken from them, and the high arm is 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 searching out the deep?

“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 to the habitation of the light, and where is the place of the darkness?

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

20 I f thou shalt take it in its borders, and if thou should understand the paths to its house?

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

21 I f thou didst know when thou wast to be born or if the number of thy days was to be 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, and 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 divided; from where is the east wind scattered upon the earth?

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

25 ¶ Who has 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, in which 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 as the rain a father? Or who has begotten the drops of the 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 has begotten it?

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

30 T he waters harden as 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 the signs of the heavens in their 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 D ost thou know the ordinances of the heavens? Canst thou use its power 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 put wisdom in the inward parts? Or who gave intelligence to understanding?

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

37 W ho declared the heavens 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 hardens 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 crouch in their dens and abide in their lairs to lie in wait?

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

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

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