The LORD Challenges Job

1And Jehovah will answer Job from the whirlwind, and he will say,

2Who this darkening counsel in words without knowledge?

3Gird now thy loins as a man; and I will ask thee, and make thou known to me.

4Where wert thou in my founding the earth? Announce, if thou knewest understanding.

5Who set its measures, if thou shalt know? or who stretched the line upon it?

6Upon what were its bases impressed? or who placed its corner-stone?

7In the rejoicing together of the stars of morning, and all the sons of God will shout for joy?

8And he will hedge in the sea with doors in its breaking forth, going forth from the womb.

9In my making the cloud its garment, and darkness its bandage:

10And I shall break upon it my law, and I shall set bars and doors;

11And saying, Even to this shalt thou come, and thou shalt not add: and here in the pride of thy waves, stand thou.

12In thy days didst thou command the morning? and didst thou make the dawning know its place?

13To take hold upon the wings of the earth, and the unjust shall be shaken out of it?

14It shall be turned as clay to the seal; and they shall stand as clothing.

15And their light shall be withheld from the unjust, and the high arm shall be broken.

16Didst thou go even to the fountains of the sea? and didst thou go about in searching the depth?

17Were the gates of death uncovered to thee? and shalt thou see the gates of the shadow of death?

18Wilt thou consider even to the breadth of the earth? Announce if thou knewest all of it.

19Where the way light shall dwell? and darkness, where its place?

20That thou shalt take it to its bound, and that thou shalt understand the beaten paths of its house?

21Knewest thou? for shalt thou then be born, and the number of thy days great?

22Didst thou come into the treasures of snow? and shalt thou see the treasures of hail,

23Which I kept back for the time of straits, for the day of encounter and war?

24Where that way the light will divide, it will scatter the east wind upon the earth?

25Who divided a channel for the overflowing, and a way for the lightning of the voices?

26To cause it to rain upon the earth, not a man; the wilderness not a man in it?

27To satisfy the desolation and burning, and to cause the springing up of the finding of the tender grass?

28Is there a father to the rain? or who begat the reservoirs of the dew?

29From whose womb came forth the ice? and the hoarfrost of the heavens, who brought it forth?

30The waters shall be hid as a stone, and the face of the depth will be taken.

31Wilt thou bind the bands of the cluster, or wilt thou open the cords of Orion?

32Wilt thou bring forth the twelve signs in its time? and the great bear and his sons, wilt thou guide them?

33Knewest thou the laws of the heavens? or wilt thou set up its dominion in the earth?

34Wilt thou lift up thy voice to the cloud, and abundance of waters shall cover thee?

35Shalt thou send lightnings, and shall they go and shall they say to thee, Behold us?

36Who put wisdom in the reins? or who gave understanding to the mind?

37Who shall number the clouds in wisdom? and who shall cause the bottles of heaven to lie down?

38In the pouring out of the dust into a melted mass, and the clods will adhere.

39Wilt thou hunt the prey for the lion? and wilt thou fill up the life of the young lions?

40For they will sink down in the dwellings; they will dwell in the thicket to lie in wait.

41Who will prepare for the raven his food? for his young will cry to God; they will wander without food.