1 B ut Job answered and said,

But Job answered,

2 H ow hast thou helped him that is without power? how savest thou the arm that hath no strength?

How you have helped him who is without power! How you have sustained the arm that is without strength!

3 H ow hast thou counselled him that hath no wisdom? and how hast thou plentifully declared the thing as it is?

How you have counseled him who has no wisdom! And how plentifully you have declared to him sound knowledge!

4 T o whom hast thou uttered words? and whose spirit came from thee?

With whose assistance have you uttered these words? And whose spirit came forth from you?

5 D ead things are formed from under the waters, and the inhabitants thereof.

The shades of the dead tremble underneath the waters and their inhabitants.

6 H ell is naked before him, and destruction hath no covering.

Sheol (the place of the dead) is naked before God, and Abaddon (the place of destruction) has no covering.

7 H e stretcheth out the north over the empty place, and hangeth the earth upon nothing.

He it is Who spreads out the northern skies over emptiness and hangs the earth upon or over nothing.

8 H e bindeth up the waters in his thick clouds; and the cloud is not rent under them.

He holds the waters bound in His clouds, and the cloud is not rent under them.

9 H e holdeth back the face of his throne, and spreadeth his cloud upon it.

He covers the face of His throne and spreads over it His cloud.

10 H e hath compassed the waters with bounds, until the day and night come to an end.

He has placed an enclosing limit upon the waters at the boundary between light and darkness.

11 T he pillars of heaven tremble and are astonished at his reproof.

The pillars of the heavens tremble and are astonished at His rebuke.

12 H e divideth the sea with his power, and by his understanding he smiteth through the proud.

He stills or stirs up the sea by His power, and by His understanding He smites proud Rahab.

13 B y his spirit he hath garnished the heavens; his hand hath formed the crooked serpent.

By His breath the heavens are garnished; His hand pierced the fleeing serpent.

14 L o, these are parts of his ways: but how little a portion is heard of him? but the thunder of his power who can understand?

Yet these are but the outskirts of His ways or the mere fringes of His force, the faintest whisper of His voice! Who dares contemplate or who can understand the thunders of His full, magnificent power?