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

Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said,

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

Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?

3 N ow prepare yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer Me.

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

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

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

5 W ho determined its measurements? Surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it?

Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it?

6 T o what were its foundations fastened? Or who laid its cornerstone,

Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof;

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 shouted for joy?

8 “ Or who shut in the sea with doors, When it burst forth and issued from the womb;

Or who shut up the sea with doors, when it brake forth, as if it had issued out of the womb?

9 W hen I made the clouds its garment, And thick darkness its swaddling band;

When I made the cloud the garment thereof, and thick darkness a swaddlingband for it,

10 W hen I fixed My limit for it, And set bars and doors;

And brake up for it my decreed place, and set bars and doors,

11 W hen I said, ‘This far you may come, but no farther, And here your proud waves must stop!’

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

12 “ Have you commanded the morning since your days began, And caused the dawn to know its place,

Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days; and caused the dayspring to know his place;

13 T hat it might take hold of the ends of the earth, And the wicked be shaken out of it?

That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, that the wicked might be shaken out of it?

14 I t takes on form like clay under a seal, And stands out like a garment.

It is turned as clay to the seal; and they stand as a garment.

15 F rom the wicked their light is withheld, And the upraised arm is broken.

And from the wicked their light is withholden, and the high arm shall be broken.

16 “ Have you entered the springs of the sea? Or have you walked in search of the depths?

Hast thou entered into the springs of the sea? or hast thou walked in the search of the depth?

17 H ave the gates of death been revealed to you? Or have you seen the doors of the shadow of death?

Have the gates of death been opened unto thee? or hast thou seen the doors of the shadow of death?

18 H ave you comprehended the breadth of the earth? Tell Me, if you know all this.

Hast thou perceived the breadth of the earth? declare if thou knowest it all.

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

Where is the way where light dwelleth? and as for darkness, where is the place thereof,

20 T hat you may take it to its territory, That you may know the paths to its home?

That thou shouldest take it to the bound thereof, and that thou shouldest know the paths to the house thereof?

21 D o you know it, because you were born then, Or because the number of your days is great?

Knowest thou it, because thou wast then born? or because the number of thy days is great?

22 “ Have you entered the treasury of snow, Or have you seen the treasury of hail,

Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow? or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail,

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

Which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war?

24 B y what way is light diffused, Or the east wind scattered over the earth?

By what way is the light parted, which scattereth the east wind upon the earth?

25 “ Who has divided a channel for the overflowing water, Or a path for the thunderbolt,

Who hath divided a watercourse for the overflowing of waters, or a way for the lightning of thunder;

26 T o cause it to rain on a land where there is no one, A wilderness in which there is no man;

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

27 T o satisfy the desolate waste, And cause to spring forth the growth of tender grass?

To satisfy the desolate and waste ground; and to cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth?

28 H as 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 F rom whose womb comes the ice? And the frost of heaven, who gives it birth?

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

30 T he waters harden like stone, And the surface of the deep is frozen.

The waters are hid as with a stone, and the face of the deep is frozen.

31 “ Can you bind the cluster of the Pleiades, Or loose the belt of Orion?

Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion?

32 C an you bring out Mazzaroth in its season? Or can you guide the Great Bear with its cubs?

Canst thou bring forth Mazzaroth in his season? or canst thou guide Arcturus with his sons?

33 D o you know the ordinances of the heavens? Can you set their dominion over the earth?

Knowest thou the ordinances of heaven? canst thou set the dominion thereof in the earth?

34 “ Can you lift up your voice to the clouds, That an abundance of water may cover you?

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

35 C an you send out lightnings, that they may go, And say to you, ‘Here we are! ’?

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

36 W ho has put wisdom in the mind? Or who has given understanding to the heart?

Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts? or who hath given understanding to the heart?

37 W ho can number the clouds by wisdom? Or who can pour out the bottles of heaven,

Who can number the clouds in wisdom? or who can stay the bottles of heaven,

38 W hen the dust hardens in clumps, And the clods cling together?

When the dust groweth into hardness, and the clods cleave fast together?

39 “ Can you hunt the prey for the lion, Or satisfy the appetite of the young lions,

Wilt thou hunt the prey for the lion? or fill the appetite of the young lions,

40 W hen they crouch in their dens, Or lurk in their lairs to lie in wait?

When they couch in their dens, and abide in the covert to lie in wait?

41 W ho provides food for the raven, When its young ones cry to God, And wander about for lack of food?

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