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

And Jehovah answered Job out of the whirlwind and said,

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

Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?

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

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

4 W here were you when I began building the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding.

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

5 W ho decided how big it was to be, since you know? Who looked to see if it was as big as it should be?

Who set the measures thereof—if thou knowest? or who stretched a line upon it?

6 W hat was it built upon? Who laid its first stone,

Whereupon were the foundations thereof sunken? or who laid its corner-stone,

7 w hen the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God called out for joy?

When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

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

And who shut up the sea with doors, when it burst forth, issuing out of the womb?

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

When I made the cloud its garment, and thick darkness a swaddling band for it;

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

When I cut out for it my boundary, and set bars and doors,

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

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

12 “ Have you ever in your life told the morning when to come, and caused the first light of day to know its place,

Hast thou since thy days commanded the morning? hast thou caused the dawn to know its place,

13 t hat it might take hold of the ends of the earth, and the sinful be shaken out of it?

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

14 I t is changed like clay when an object is pushed down to mark it, and they stand out like clothing.

It is changed like the signet-clay; and stand forth as in a garment:

15 T he light of the sinful is held back, and the arm lifted up is broken.

And from the wicked their light is withholden, and the uplifted arm is broken.

16 “ Have you gone into the wells of the sea? Have you walked on the bottom of the deep sea?

Hast thou entered as far as the springs of the sea? and hast thou walked in the recesses of the deep?

17 H ave the gates of death been shown to you? Or have you seen the gates of the deep darkness?

Have the gates of death been revealed unto thee? and hast thou seen the gates of the shadow of death?

18 H ave you understood how great the earth is? Tell Me, if you know all this.

Hath thine understanding compassed the breadths of the earth? Declare if thou knowest it all.

19 “ Where does the light come from? And where is the place of darkness,

Where is the way to where light dwelleth? and the darkness, where is its place,

20 t hat you may take it to its land, and know the paths to its home?

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

21 Y ou know, for you were born then. You are very old!

Thou knowest, for thou wast then born, and the number of thy days is great!

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

Hast thou entered into the storehouses of the snow, and hast thou seen the treasuries of the hail,

23 w hich I have kept for the time of trouble, for the day of war and battle?

Which I have reserved for the time of distress, for the day of battle and war?

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

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

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

Who hath divided a channel for the rain-flood, and a way for the thunder's flash;

26 W ho brings rain on the land without people, on a desert without a man in it,

To cause it to rain on the earth, where no one is; on the wilderness wherein there is not a man;

27 t o fill the need of the wasted land, and to make the grass grow?

To satisfy the desolate and waste, and to cause the sprout of the grass to spring forth?

28 D oes the rain have a father? Who has given birth to the drops of rain?

Hath the rain a father? or who begetteth the drops of dew?

29 W ho gave birth to ice? And who gave birth to the snow water of heaven?

Out of whose womb cometh the ice? and the hoary frost of heaven, who bringeth it forth?

30 W ater becomes hard like stone, and the top of the sea is covered with ice.

When the waters lie hidden as in stone, and the face of the deep holdeth fast together.

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

Canst thou fasten the bands of the Pleiades, or loosen the cords of Orion?

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

Dost thou bring forth the constellations each in its season? or dost thou guide the Bear with her sons?

33 D o you know the laws of the heavens? Can you make them to rule over the earth?

Knowest thou the ordinances of the heavens? dost thou determine their rule over the earth?

34 “ Can you lift up your voice to the clouds, that a flood of water may cover you?

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

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

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

36 W ho has given wisdom to the heart? Who has given understanding to the mind?

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

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

Who numbereth the clouds with wisdom? or who poureth out the bottles of the heavens,

38 w hen the dust gathers together and becomes hard?

When the dust runneth as into a molten mass, and the clods cleave fast together?

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

Dost thou hunt the prey for the lioness, and dost thou satisfy the appetite of the young lions,

40 w hen they lie in their own place in the rock, or wait in their hiding place?

When they crouch in dens, abide in the thicket to lie in wait?

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

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