1 B ut Job answered and said:

But Job answered,

2 “ How have you helped him who is without power? How have you saved the arm that has no strength?

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

3 H ow have you counseled one who has no wisdom? And how have you declared sound advice to many?

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

4 T o whom have you uttered words? And whose spirit came from you?

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

5 “ The dead tremble, Those under the waters and those inhabiting them.

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

6 S heol is naked before Him, And Destruction has no covering.

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

7 H e stretches out the north over empty space; He hangs the earth on nothing.

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

8 H e binds up the water in His thick clouds, Yet the clouds are not broken under it.

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

9 H e covers the face of His throne, And spreads His cloud over it.

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

10 H e drew a circular horizon on the face of the waters, At the boundary of light and darkness.

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 rebuke.

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

12 H e stirs up the sea with His power, And by His understanding He breaks up the storm.

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

13 B y His Spirit He adorned the heavens; His hand pierced the fleeing serpent.

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

14 I ndeed these are the mere edges of His ways, And how small a whisper we hear 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?