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

Then the Lord answered Job out of the strong wind and said,

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

“Who is this that makes words of wisdom dark by speaking without much learning?

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

Now get ready like a man, and I will ask you some questions and you answer Me.

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

Where were you when I began building 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 decided how big it was to be, since you know? Who looked to see if it was as big as it should be?

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

What was it built upon? Who laid its first stone,

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 called out 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?

“Who shut up the sea with doors, when it rushed out from its secret place?

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

I made clouds its clothing, and put much darkness around it.

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

I marked the places where it could not pass, and set locks and doors.

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

And I said, ‘You will come this far, and no farther. Here will your proud waves stop.’

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

“Have you ever in your life told the morning when to come, and caused the first light of day 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 sinful 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 when an object is pushed down to mark it, and they stand out like clothing.

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

The light of the sinful is held back, and the arm lifted up 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 gone into the wells of the sea? Have you walked on the bottom of the deep sea?

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 shown to you? Or have you seen the gates of the deep darkness?

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

Have you understood how great the earth is? 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 does the light come from? And where is the place of darkness,

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 land, and know 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. You are very old!

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

Have you gone into the store-houses of the snow? Have you seen the store-houses of the hail,

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

which I have kept for the time of trouble, for the day of war and battle?

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

What is the way to the place where the light is divided, or the east wind spread over the earth?

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

“Who has cut open a way for the flood, and a path for the thunderstorm?

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

Who brings rain on the 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 fill the need of the wasted land, and to make the grass grow?

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

Does the rain have a father? Who has given birth to the drops of rain?

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

Who gave birth to ice? And who gave birth to the snow water of heaven?

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 top of the sea is covered with ice.

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

“Can you tie the chains of the stars of Pleiades, or loose the ropes of Orion?

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

Can you lead the groups of stars out at the right times? Can you lead the stars of the Bear with her young?

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

Do you know the laws of the heavens? Can you make them to 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, that a flood of water may cover you?

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

Can you send out 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 given wisdom to the heart? Who has given understanding to the mind?

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

Who can number the clouds by wisdom? Or who can push over the water jars of the heavens,

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

when the dust gathers together and becomes hard?

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

“Can you hunt food for the lion? Can you fill the hunger of the young lions,

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

when they lie in their own place in the rock, or wait in their hiding place?

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

Who gets the food ready for the raven, when its young cry to God and go about without food?