The LORD Challenges Job

1Then aunswered the Lorde vnto Iob out of the whirle winde, and saide:

2What is he that darkeneth his counsaile by wordes without knowledge?

3Girde vp thy loynes lyke a man: for I wyl question with thee, see thou geue me a direct aunswere.

4Where wast thou when I layed the foundations of the earth? Tell playnely, if thou hast vnderstanding.

5Who hath measured it, knowest thou? or who hath spread the lyne vpon it?

6Whereupon are the foundations set? or who layed the corner stone thereof?

7Where wast thou when the morning starres praysed me together, and all the children of God reioyced triumphantly?

8Who shut the sea with doores, when it brake foorth as out of the wombe?

9When I made the cloudes to be a covering for it, and swadled it with the darke:

10When I gaue it my commaundement, making doores and barres for it,

11Saying, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further: and here shalt thou laye downe thy proude and hie waues.

12Hast thou geue the morning his charge since thy dayes, and shewed the day spring his place,

13That it might take holde of the corners of the earth, and that the vngodly might be shaken out of it.

14They are fashioned as is the clay with the seale, and all stand vp as a garment.

15The vngodly shall be disapointed of their light, and the arme of the proude shalbe broken.

16Camest thou euer into the grounde of the sea, or walkedst in the lowe corners of the deepe?

17Haue the gates of death ben opened vnto thee? or hast thou seene the doores of the shadowe of death?

18Hast thou also perceaued how brode the earth is? If thou hast knowledge of all this:

19Then shewe me the way where light dwelleth, & where is the place of darkenesse?

20That thou shouldest receaue it in the boundes thereof, and know the pathes to their houses.

21Knewest thou afore thou wast borne how olde thou shouldest be?

22Wentest thou euer into the treasures of the snow, or hast thou seene the secrete places of the hayle,

23Which I haue prepared against the time of trouble, against the time of battaile and warre?

24By what way is the light parted? and into what land breaketh the east winde?

25Who deuideth the waters into diuers chanels? or who maketh a way for the lightening and thunder,

26To cause it to rayne on the earth where no man is, and in the wildernesse where none inhabiteth?

27To satisfie the desolate and waste grounde, and to cause the budde of the hearbe to spring foorth.

28Who is the father of the rayne? or who hath begotten the droppes of the deawe?

29Out of whose wombe came the yce? Who hath gendred the coldnesse of the ayre?

30That the waters are hidde as with a stone, and lye congealed aboue the deepe.

31Wylt thou hinder the sweete influences of the seuen starres? or loose the bandes of Orion?

32Canst thou bring foorth Mazzaroth in their time? canst thou also guide Arctutus with his sonnes?

33Knowest thou the course of heauen, that thou mayest set vp the ordinaunce thereof vpon the earth?

34Moreouer, canst thou lift vp thy voyce to the cloudes, that they may powre downe a great rayne vpon thee?

35Canst thou send the lightninges also, that they may go their way, and be obedient vnto thee, saying, Lo here are we?

36Who hath put wysdome in the reynes? or who hath geuen the heart vnderstanding?

37Who numbreth the cloudes in wysdome? who stilleth the vehement waters of the heauen?

38To cause the earth to grow into hardnesse, & the clots to cleaue fast together?

39Wylt thou hunt the pray for the lion? or fill the appetite of the lions whelpes,

40When they couche in their places, and tarie in the couert to lye in wayte?

41Who prouideth meate for the rauen, when his young ones crye vnto God, and flee about for lacke of meate?