New King James Version

Christian Standard Bible

1Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said:

1Then the LORD answered Job from the whirlwind. He said:

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

2Who is this who obscures my counsel with ignorant words?

3Now prepare yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer Me.

3Get ready to answer me like a man; when I question you, you will inform me.

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

4Where were you when I established the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding.

5Who determined its measurements? Surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it?

5Who fixed its dimensions? Certainly you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it?

6To what were its foundations fastened? Or who laid its cornerstone,

6What supports its foundations? Or who laid its cornerstone

7When the morning stars sang together, And all the sons of God shouted for joy?

7while the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

8“Or who shut in the sea with doors, When it burst forth and issued from the womb;

8Who enclosed the sea behind doors when it burst from the womb,

9When I made the clouds its garment, And thick darkness its swaddling band;

9when I made the clouds its garment and total darkness its blanket,

10When I fixed My limit for it, And set bars and doors;

10when I determined its boundaries and put its bars and doors in place,

11When I said, ‘This far you may come, but no farther, And here your proud waves must stop!’

11when I declared: "You may come this far, but no farther; your proud waves stop here"?

12“Have you commanded the morning since your days began, And caused the dawn to know its place,

12Have you ever in your life commanded the morning or assigned the dawn its place,

13That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, And the wicked be shaken out of it?

13so it may seize the edges of the earth and shake the wicked out of it?

14It takes on form like clay under a seal, And stands out like a garment.

14The earth is changed as clay is by a seal; its hills stand out like the folds of a garment.

15From the wicked their light is withheld, And the upraised arm is broken.

15Light is withheld from the wicked, and the arm raised in violence is broken.

16“Have you entered the springs of the sea? Or have you walked in search of the depths?

16Have you traveled to the sources of the sea or walked in the depths of the oceans?

17Have the gates of death been revealed to you? Or have you seen the doors of the shadow of death?

17Have the gates of death been revealed to you? Have you seen the gates of deep darkness?

18Have you comprehended the breadth of the earth? Tell Me, if you know all this.

18Have you comprehended the extent of the earth? Tell me, if you know all this.

19“Where is the way to the dwelling of light? And darkness, where is its place,

19Where is the road to the home of light? Do you know where darkness lives,

20That you may take it to its territory, That you may know the paths to its home?

20so you can lead it back to its border? Are you familiar with the paths to its home?

21Do you know it, because you were born then, Or because the number of your days is great?

21Don't you know? You were already born; you have lived so long!

22“Have you entered the treasury of snow, Or have you seen the treasury of hail,

22Have you entered the place where the snow is stored? Or have you seen the storehouses of hail,

23Which I have reserved for the time of trouble, For the day of battle and war?

23which I hold in reserve for times of trouble, for the day of warfare and battle?

24By what way is light diffused, Or the east wind scattered over the earth?

24What road leads to the place where light is dispersed? Where is the source of the east wind that spreads across the earth?

25“Who has divided a channel for the overflowing water, Or a path for the thunderbolt,

25Who cuts a channel for the flooding rain or clears the way for lightning,

26To cause it to rain on a land where there is no one, A wilderness in which there is no man;

26to bring rain on an uninhabited land, on a desert with no human life,

27To satisfy the desolate waste, And cause to spring forth the growth of tender grass?

27to satisfy the parched wasteland and cause the grass to sprout?

28Has the rain a father? Or who has begotten the drops of dew?

28Does the rain have a father? Who fathered the drops of dew?

29From whose womb comes the ice? And the frost of heaven, who gives it birth?

29Whose womb did the ice come from? Who gave birth to the frost of heaven

30The waters harden like stone, And the surface of the deep is frozen.

30when water becomes as hard as stone, and the surface of the watery depths is frozen?

31“Can you bind the cluster of the Pleiades, Or loose the belt of Orion?

31Can you fasten the chains of the Pleiades or loosen the belt of Orion?

32Can you bring out Mazzaroth in its season? Or can you guide the Great Bear with its cubs?

32Can you bring out the constellations in their season and lead the Bear and her cubs?

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

33Do you know the laws of heaven? Can you impose its authority on earth?

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

34Can you command the clouds so that a flood of water covers you?

35Can you send out lightnings, that they may go, And say to you, ‘Here we are!’?

35Can you send out lightning bolts, and they go? Do they report to you: "Here we are"?

36Who has put wisdom in the mind? Or who has given understanding to the heart?

36Who put wisdom in the heart or gave the mind understanding?

37Who can number the clouds by wisdom? Or who can pour out the bottles of heaven,

37Who has the wisdom to number the clouds? Or who can tilt the water jars of heaven

38When the dust hardens in clumps, And the clods cling together?

38when the dust hardens like cast metal and the clods of dirt stick together?

39“Can you hunt the prey for the lion, Or satisfy the appetite of the young lions,

39Can you hunt prey for a lioness or satisfy the appetite of young lions

40When they crouch in their dens, Or lurk in their lairs to lie in wait?

40when they crouch in their dens and lie in wait within their lairs?

41Who provides food for the raven, When its young ones cry to God, And wander about for lack of food?

41Who provides the raven's food when its young cry out to God and wander about for lack of food?

The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.

The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.