1 ¶ Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind and said,

And Jehovah answereth Job out of the whirlwind, and saith: --

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

Who this -- darkening 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.

Gird, I pray thee, as a man, thy loins, And I ask thee, and cause thou Me to know.

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

Where wast thou when I founded earth? Declare, if thou hast known understanding.

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

Who placed its measures -- if thou knowest? Or who hath stretched out upon it a line?

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

On what have its sockets been sunk? Or who hath cast its corner-stone?

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

In the singing together of stars of morning, And all sons of God shout 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?

And He shutteth up with doors the sea, In its coming forth, from the womb it goeth out.

9 W hen I made the clouds its garment and thick darkness a swaddling band for it,

In My making a cloud its clothing, And thick darkness its swaddling band,

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

And I measure over it My statute, And place bar 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 say, `Hitherto come thou, and add not, And a command is placed On the pride of thy billows.'

12 ¶ Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days? Hast thou shown the dayspring its place,

Hast thou commanded morning since thy days? Causest thou 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?

To take hold on the skirts of the earth, And the wicked are shaken out of it,

14 I t is transformed as clay to the seal and then stands as a garment;

It turneth itself as clay of a seal And they station themselves as clothed.

15 b ut the light of the wicked is taken from them, and the high arm is broken.

And withheld from the wicked is their light, And the arm lifted up is broken.

16 H ast thou entered into the springs of the sea? Or hast thou walked searching out the deep?

Hast thou come in to springs of the sea? And in searching the deep Hast thou walked up and down?

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

Revealed to thee were the gates of death? And the gates of death-shade dost thou see?

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

Thou hast understanding, Even unto the broad places of earth! Declare -- if thou hast known it all.

19 W here is the way to the habitation of the light, and where is the place of the darkness?

Where this -- the way light dwelleth? And darkness, where this -- its place?

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

That thou dost take it unto its boundary, And that thou dost understand The paths of its house.

21 I f thou didst know when thou wast to be born or if the number of thy days was to be great?

Thou hast known -- for then thou art born And the number of thy days many!

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

Hast thou come in unto the treasure of snow? Yea, the treasures of hail dost thou see?

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

That I have kept back for a time of distress, For a day of conflict and battle.

24 B y what way is the light divided; from where is the east wind scattered upon the earth?

Where this, the way light is apportioned? It scattereth an east wind over the earth.

25 ¶ Who has divided a watercourse for the overflowing of waters or a way for the lightning of thunder,

Who hath divided for the flood a conduit? And a way for the lightning of the voices?

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

To cause to rain on a land -- no man, A wilderness -- no 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 a desolate and waste place, And to cause to shoot up The produce of the tender grass?

28 H as the rain a father? Or who has begotten the drops of the dew?

Hath the rain a father? Or who hath 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 belly came forth the ice? And the hoar-frost of the heavens, Who hath begotten it?

30 T he waters harden as stone, and the face of the deep is frozen.

As a stone waters are hidden, And the face of the deep is captured.

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

Dost thou bind sweet influences of Kimah? Or the attractions of Kesil dost thou open?

32 C anst thou bring forth the signs of the heavens in their season, or canst thou guide Arcturus with his sons?

Dost thou bring out Mazzaroth in its season? And Aysh for her sons dost thou comfort?

33 D ost thou know the ordinances of the heavens? Canst thou use its power in the earth?

Hast thou known the statutes of heaven? Or dost thou appoint Its dominion in the earth?

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

Dost thou lift up to the cloud thy voice, And abundance of water doth cover thee?

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

Dost thou send out lightnings, and they go And say unto thee, `Behold us?'

36 W ho put wisdom in the inward parts? Or who gave intelligence to understanding?

Who hath put in the inward parts wisdom? Or who hath given To the covered part understanding?

37 W ho declared the heavens in wisdom? Or who can stay the bottles of heaven

Who doth number the clouds by wisdom? And the bottles of the heavens, Who doth cause to lie down,

38 w hen the dust hardens and the clods cleave fast together?

In the hardening of dust into hardness, And clods cleave together?

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

Dost thou hunt for a lion prey? And the desire of young lions fulfil?

40 w hen they crouch in their dens and abide in their lairs to lie in wait?

When they bow down in dens -- Abide in a thicket for a covert?

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

Who doth prepare for a raven his provision, When his young ones cry unto God? They wander without food.