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

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

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

Who this -- darkening counsel, By words without knowledge?

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

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

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

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

5 W ho set its measurements? Since you know. Or who stretched the line on it?

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

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

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 “ Or who enclosed the sea with doors When, bursting forth, it went out from 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 a cloud its garment And thick darkness its swaddling band,

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

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

And I measure over it My statute, And place bar and doors,

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

And say, `Hitherto come thou, and add not, And a command is placed On the pride of thy billows.'

12 “ Have you ever in your life commanded the morning, And caused the dawn to know 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, And the wicked be shaken out of it?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

20 T hat you may take it to its territory And that you may discern the paths to its home?

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

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

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

22 “ Have you entered the storehouses of the snow, Or have you seen the storehouses 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 for the time of distress, For the day of war and battle?

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

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

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

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

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

26 T o bring rain on a land without people, On a desert without a man in it,

To cause to rain on a land -- no man, A wilderness -- no man in it.

27 T o satisfy the waste and desolate land And to make the seeds of grass to sprout?

To satisfy a desolate and waste place, And to cause to shoot up The produce of the tender grass?

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

Hath the rain a father? Or who hath begotten the drops of dew?

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

From whose belly came forth the ice? And the hoar-frost of the heavens, Who hath begotten it?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 into a mass And the clods stick together?

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

39 “ Can you hunt the prey for the lion, Or satisfy 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 lie in wait in their lair?

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

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

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