The Lord speaks
1Then the Lord spoke to Job out of the storm. He said:
2‘Who is this that obscures my plans
with words without knowledge?
3Brace yourself like a man;
I will question you,
and you shall answer me.
4‘Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation?
Tell me, if you understand.
5Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know!
Who stretched a measuring line across it?
6On what were its footings set,
or who laid its cornerstone –
7while the morning stars sang together
and all the angels38:7 Hebrew the sons of God shouted for joy?
8‘Who shut up the sea behind doors
when it burst forth from the womb,
9when I made the clouds its garment
and wrapped it in thick darkness,
10when I fixed limits for it
and set its doors and bars in place,
11when I said, “This far you may come and no farther;
here is where your proud waves halt”?
12‘Have you ever given orders to the morning,
or shown the dawn its place,
13that it might take the earth by the edges
and shake the wicked out of it?
14The earth takes shape like clay under a seal;
its features stand out like those of a garment.
15The wicked are denied their light,
and their upraised arm is broken.
16‘Have you journeyed to the springs of the sea
or walked in the recesses of the deep?
17Have the gates of death been shown to you?
Have you seen the gates of the deepest darkness?
18Have you comprehended the vast expanses of the earth?
Tell me, if you know all this.
19‘What is the way to the abode of light?
And where does darkness reside?
20Can you take them to their places?
Do you know the paths to their dwellings?
21Surely you know, for you were already born!
You have lived so many years!
22‘Have you entered the storehouses of the snow
or seen the storehouses of the hail,
23which I reserve for times of trouble,
for days of war and battle?
24What is the way to the place where the lightning is dispersed,
or the place where the east winds are scattered over the earth?
25Who cuts a channel for the torrents of rain,
and a path for the thunderstorm,
26to water a land where no-one lives,
an uninhabited desert,
27to satisfy a desolate wasteland
and make it sprout with grass?
28Does the rain have a father?
Who fathers the drops of dew?
29From whose womb comes the ice?
Who gives birth to the frost from the heavens
30when the waters become hard as stone,
when the surface of the deep is frozen?
31‘Can you bind the chains38:31 Septuagint; Hebrew beauty of the Pleiades?
Can you loosen Orion’s belt?
32Can you bring forth the constellations in their seasons38:32 Or the morning star in its season
or lead out the Bear38:32 Or out Leo with its cubs?
33Do you know the laws of the heavens?
Can you set up God’s38:33 Or their dominion over the earth?
34‘Can you raise your voice to the clouds
and cover yourself with a flood of water?
35Do you send the lightning bolts on their way?
Do they report to you, “Here we are”?
36Who gives the ibis wisdom38:36 That is, wisdom about the flooding of the Nile
or gives the cockerel understanding?38:36 That is, understanding of when to crow; the meaning of the Hebrew for this verse is uncertain.
37Who has the wisdom to count the clouds?
Who can tip over the water jars of the heavens
38when the dust becomes hard
and the clods of earth stick together?
39‘Do you hunt the prey for the lioness
and satisfy the hunger of the lions
40when they crouch in their dens
or lie in wait in a thicket?
41Who provides food for the raven
when its young cry out to God
and wander about for lack of food?
1Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said, 2Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge? 3Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me.38.3 answer…: Heb. make me know
4Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.38.4 hast…: Heb. knowest understanding 5Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it? 6Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof;38.6 foundations: Heb. sockets38.6 fastened: Heb. made to sink? 7When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy? 8Or who shut up the sea with doors, when it brake forth, as if it had issued out of the womb? 9When I made the cloud the garment thereof, and thick darkness a swaddlingband for it, 10And brake up for it my decreed place, and set bars and doors,38.10 brake…: or, established my decree upon it 11And said, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further: and here shall thy proud waves be stayed?38.11 thy…: Heb. the pride of thy waves
12Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days; and caused the dayspring to know his place; 13That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, that the wicked might be shaken out of it?38.13 ends: Heb. wings 14It is turned as clay to the seal; and they stand as a garment. 15And from the wicked their light is withholden, and the high arm shall be broken. 16Hast thou entered into the springs of the sea? or hast thou walked in the search of the depth? 17Have the gates of death been opened unto thee? or hast thou seen the doors of the shadow of death? 18Hast thou perceived the breadth of the earth? declare if thou knowest it all. 19Where is the way where light dwelleth? and as for darkness, where is the place thereof, 20That thou shouldest take it to the bound thereof, and that thou shouldest know the paths to the house thereof?38.20 to the bound: or, at, etc 21Knowest thou it, because thou wast then born? or because the number of thy days is great? 22Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow? or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail, 23Which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war? 24By what way is the light parted, which scattereth the east wind upon the earth?
25Who hath divided a watercourse for the overflowing of waters, or a way for the lightning of thunder; 26To cause it to rain on the earth, where no man is; on the wilderness, wherein there is no man; 27To satisfy the desolate and waste ground; and to cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth? 28Hath the rain a father? or who hath begotten the drops of dew? 29Out of whose womb came the ice? and the hoary frost of heaven, who hath gendered it? 30The waters are hid as with a stone, and the face of the deep is frozen.38.30 is…: Heb. is taken 31Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion?38.31 Pleiades: or, the seven stars: Heb. Cimah38.31 Orion: Heb. Cesil? 32Canst thou bring forth Mazzaroth in his season? or canst thou guide Arcturus with his sons?38.32 Mazzaroth: or, the twelve signs38.32 guide: Heb. guide them 33Knowest thou the ordinances of heaven? canst thou set the dominion thereof in the earth? 34Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, that abundance of waters may cover thee? 35Canst thou send lightnings, that they may go, and say unto thee, Here we are?38.35 Here…: Heb. Behold us? 36Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts? or who hath given understanding to the heart? 37Who can number the clouds in wisdom? or who can stay the bottles of heaven,38.37 stay: Heb. cause to lie down 38When the dust groweth into hardness, and the clods cleave fast together?38.38 groweth…: or, is turned into mire: Heb. is poured 39Wilt thou hunt the prey for the lion? or fill the appetite of the young lions,38.39 the appetite: Heb. the life 40When they couch in their dens, and abide in the covert to lie in wait? 41Who provideth for the raven his food? when his young ones cry unto God, they wander for lack of meat.
