1 Then the Lord answered Job from the whirlwind and said:

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

2 Who is this that darkens counsel with words without knowledge?

Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?

3 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 Who determined its measurements? Surely you know! Or who stretched the measuring line across it?

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

6 On what were its foundations set, or who laid its cornerstone?

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

7 While 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 enclosed the sea with doors when it burst forth 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 when I made the clouds its garment and wrapped it in thick darkness,

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

10 when I set its boundary and placed bars and doors on it,

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

11 and said, 'This far you may come, but no farther; here is where your proud waves must halt.'

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

12 Have you ever commanded the morning or shown the dawn its place,

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

13 that it might take hold of the edges of the earth and shake the wicked out of it?

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

14 The earth takes shape like clay under a seal; its features stand out like a garment.

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

15 The light is withheld from the wicked, and the uplifted arm is broken.

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

16 Have you journeyed to the springs of the sea or walked in the recesses of the deep?

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

17 Have the gates of death been shown to you? Have you seen the gates of deepest darkness?

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

18 Have you comprehended the vast expanses 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 that light dwells, and where is the place of darkness,

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

20 that you may take it to its boundary and recognize 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 Surely you know, since you were already born, and 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 storehouses of the snow or seen the storehouses of the hail,

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

23 which I have reserved for a 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 What is the way to the place where the light is divided, 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 cuts a channel for the torrents of rain and a path for the thunderstorm,

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

26 to water a land where no man lives, an uninhabited desert,

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

27 to satisfy the desolate and waste ground and make the dry, barren land produce grass?

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

28 Does the rain have a father, or who gives birth to the dew drops?

Hath the rain a father? or who hath begotten the drops of dew?

29 From whose womb does the ice come forth? Who gives birth to the frost of the heavens,

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

30 when the waters become hard as 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 chains of the Pleiades or loosen the cords of Orion?

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

32 Can you bring out the constellations in their seasons or lead out the Great Bear with its cubs?

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

33 Do you know the laws of the heavens? Can you set up their dominion over the earth?

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

34 Can you raise your voice to the clouds and cover yourself with a flood of water?

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

35 Can you send forth lightning bolts and have them go? Do they report to you, 'Here we are'?

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

36 Who has put wisdom in the inward parts or given understanding to the mind?

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

37 Who can count the clouds with wisdom or tilt the water jars of the heavens,

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

38 when the dust becomes hard as metal and the clods of earth stick together?

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

39 Can you hunt prey for the lion or satisfy the hunger of young lions,

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

40 when they crouch in their dens or lie in wait in the thicket?

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

41 Who provides food for the raven when its young cry out to God and wander about without food?

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