1 A nd Jehovah answereth Job out of the whirlwind, and saith: --

¶ Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind and said,

2 W ho this -- darkening counsel, By words without knowledge?

Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?

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

Now gird up thy loins like a man; for I will enquire of thee, and answer thou me.

4 W here wast thou when I founded earth? Declare, if thou hast known understanding.

¶ Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? Cause me to know, if thou hast understanding.

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

Who ordered its dimensions, if thou knowest? Or who has stretched the line upon it?

6 O n what have its sockets been sunk? Or who hath cast its corner-stone?

Upon what are its foundations founded? Or who laid its corner stone;

7 I n the singing together of stars of morning, And all sons of God shout for joy,

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

8 A nd He shutteth up with doors the sea, In its coming forth, from the womb it goeth out.

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

9 I n My making a cloud its clothing, And thick darkness its swaddling band,

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

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

and established my decree upon it, and set bars and doors,

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

and said, Thou shalt come unto here, but no further; and there shall the pride of thy waves be stayed.

12 H ast thou commanded morning since thy days? Causest thou the dawn to know its place?

¶ Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days? Hast thou shown the dayspring its place,

13 T o take hold on the skirts of the earth, And the wicked are 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 turneth itself as clay of a seal And they station themselves as clothed.

It is transformed as clay to the seal and then stands as a garment;

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

but the light of the wicked is taken from them, and the high arm is broken.

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

Hast thou entered into the springs of the sea? Or hast thou walked searching out the deep?

17 R evealed to thee were the gates of death? And the gates of death-shade dost thou see?

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

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

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

19 W here this -- the way light dwelleth? And darkness, where this -- its place?

Where is the way to the habitation of the light, and where is the place of the darkness?

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

If thou shalt take it in its borders, and if thou should understand the paths to its house?

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

If thou didst know when thou wast to be born or if the number of thy days was to be great?

22 H ast thou come in unto the treasure of snow? Yea, the treasures of hail dost thou see?

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

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

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

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

By what way is the light divided; from where is the east wind scattered upon the earth?

25 W ho hath divided for the flood a conduit? And a way for the lightning of the voices?

¶ Who has divided a watercourse for the overflowing of waters or a way for the lightning of thunder,

26 T o cause to rain on a land -- no man, A wilderness -- no man in it.

to cause it to rain on the earth, where no man is; on the wilderness, in which there is no man;

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

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

28 H ath the rain a father? Or who hath begotten the drops of dew?

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

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

Out of whose womb came the ice, and the hoary frost of heaven, who has begotten it?

30 A s a stone waters are hidden, And the face of the deep is captured.

The waters harden as stone, and the face of the deep is frozen.

31 D ost thou bind sweet influences of Kimah? Or the attractions of Kesil dost thou open?

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

32 D ost thou bring out Mazzaroth in its season? And Aysh for her sons dost thou comfort?

Canst thou bring forth the signs of the heavens in their season, or canst thou guide Arcturus with his sons?

33 H ast thou known the statutes of heaven? Or dost thou appoint Its dominion in the earth?

Dost thou know the ordinances of the heavens? Canst thou use its power in the earth?

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

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

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

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

36 W ho hath put in the inward parts wisdom? Or who hath given To the covered part understanding?

Who put wisdom in the inward parts? Or who gave intelligence to understanding?

37 W ho doth number the clouds by wisdom? And the bottles of the heavens, Who doth cause to lie down,

Who declared the heavens in wisdom? Or who can stay the bottles of heaven

38 I n the hardening of dust into hardness, And clods cleave together?

when the dust hardens and the clods cleave fast together?

39 D ost thou hunt for a lion prey? And the desire of young lions fulfil?

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

40 W hen they bow down in dens -- Abide in a thicket for a covert?

when they crouch in their dens and abide in their lairs to lie in wait?

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

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