1 T hen Yahweh answered Job out of the whirlwind,

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

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

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

3 B race yourself like a man, for I will question you, then you answer me!

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

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

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

5 W ho determined its measures, if you know? Or who stretched the line on 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 were its foundations fastened? Or who laid its cornerstone,

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 “ Or who shut up the sea with doors, when it broke out of the womb,

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

9 w hen I made clouds its garment, and wrapped it in thick darkness,

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

10 m arked out for it my bound, set bars and doors,

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

11 a nd said, ‘Here you may come, but no further. Here your proud waves shall be stayed?’

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

12 “ Have you commanded the morning in your days, and caused the dawn to know its 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, and shake the wicked 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 changed as clay under the seal, and presented as a garment.

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

15 F rom the wicked, their light is withheld. The high arm is broken.

The light of the sinful is held back, and the arm lifted up is broken.

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

“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 revealed to you? Or have you seen the gates 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 ave you comprehended the earth in its width? Declare, if you know it all.

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

19 “ What is the way to the dwelling of light? As for darkness, where is its place,

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

20 t hat you should take it to its bound, that you should discern the paths to its house?

that you may take it to its land, and know the paths to its home?

21 S urely you know, for you were born then, and the number of your days is great!

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

22 H ave you entered the treasuries of the snow, or have you 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 lightning distributed, or the east wind scattered on 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 has cut a channel for the flood water, or the path for the thunderstorm;

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

26 T o cause it to rain on a land where no man is; on the wilderness, in which 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 waste and desolate ground, to cause the tender grass to grow?

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

28 D oes the rain have a father? Or who fathers 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? The gray frost of the sky, who has given birth to it?

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

30 T he waters become hard like stone, when the surface of the deep is frozen.

Water becomes hard like stone, and the top of the sea is covered with ice.

31 “ Can you bind the cluster of the Pleiades, or loosen the cords of Orion?

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

32 C an you lead the constellations out in their season? Or can you guide the Bear with her cubs?

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

33 D o you know the laws of the heavens? Can you establish its dominion over the earth?

Do you know the laws of the heavens? Can you make them to rule over the earth?

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

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

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

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

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

Who has given wisdom to the heart? Who has given understanding to the mind?

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

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

38 w hen the dust runs into a mass, and the clods of earth stick together?

when the dust gathers together and becomes hard?

39 “ Can you hunt the prey for the lioness, or satisfy 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 crouch in their dens, and lie in wait in the thicket?

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

41 W ho provides for the raven his prey, when his young ones cry to God, and wander for lack of food?

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