1 Then answered the Lord vnto Iob out of the whirle winde, and said, 2 Who is this that darkeneth the counsell by wordes without knowledge? 3 Girde vp nowe thy loynes like a man: I will demande of thee and declare thou vnto me. 4 Where wast thou when I layd the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast vnderstanding, 5 Who hath layde the measures thereof, if thou knowest, or who hath stretched the line ouer it: 6 Whereupon are the foundations thereof set: or who layed the corner stone thereof: 7 When the starres of the morning praysed me together, and all the children of God reioyced: 8 Or who hath shut vp the Sea with doores, when it yssued and came foorth as out of the wombe: 9 When I made the cloudes as a couering thereof, and darkenesse as the swadeling bands thereof: 10 When I stablished my commandement vpon it, and set barres and doores, 11 And said, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no farther, and here shall it stay thy proude waues. 12 Hast thou commanded the morning since thy dayes? hast thou caused the morning to knowe his place, 13 That it might take hold of the corners of the earth, and that the wicked might be shaken out of it? 14 It is turned as clay to facion, and all stand vp as a garment. 15 And from the wicked their light shall be taken away, and the hie arme shalbe broken. 16 Hast thou entred into the bottomes of the sea? or hast thou walked to seeke out the depth? 17 Haue the gates of death bene opened vnto thee? or hast thou seene the gates of the shadowe of death? 18 Hast thou perceiued the breadth of the earth? tell if thou knowest all this. 19 Where is the way where light dwelleth? and where is the place of darkenesse, 20 That thou shouldest receiue it in the boundes thereof, and that thou shouldest knowe the paths to the house thereof? 21 Knewest thou it, because thou wast then borne, and because the nomber of thy dayes is great? 22 Hast thou entred into the treasures of the snow? or hast thou seene the treasures of ye haile, 23 Which I haue hid against the time of trouble, against the day of warre and battell? 24 By what way is the light parted, which scattereth the East winde vpon the earth? 25 Who hath deuided the spowtes for the raine? or the way for the lightning of ye thunders, 26 To cause it to raine on the earth where no man is, and in the wildernes where there is no man? 27 To fulfil the wilde and waste place, and to cause the bud of the herbe to spring forth? 28 Who is the father of the rayne? or who hath begotten the droppes of the dewe? 29 Out of whose wombe came the yee? who hath ingendred the frost of the heauen? 30 The waters are hid as with a stone: and the face of the depth is frosen. 31 Canst thou restraine the sweete influences of the Pleiades? or loose the bandes of Orion? 32 Canst thou bring foorth Mazzaroth in their time? canst thou also guide Arcturus with his sonnes? 33 Knowest thou the course of heauen, or canst thou set the rule thereof in the earth? 34 Canst thou lift vp thy voice to the cloudes that the aboundance of water may couer thee? 35 Canst thou sende the lightenings that they may walke, and say vnto thee, Loe, heere we are? 36 Who hath put wisedome in the reines? or who hath giuen the heart vnderstanding? 37 Who can nomber cloudes by wisedome? or who can cause to cease the bottels of heaue, 38 When the earth groweth into hardnesse, and the clottes are fast together?
The Lord Answers Job
1 Then out of the storm the Lord spoke to Job.
The Lord
2 Who are you to question my wisdom
with your ignorant, empty words?
3 Now stand up straight
and answer the questions I ask you.
4 Were you there when I made the world?
If you know so much, tell me about it.
5 Who decided how large it would be?
Who stretched the measuring line over it?
Do you know all the answers?
6 What holds up the pillars that support the earth?
Who laid the cornerstone of the world?
7 In the dawn of that day the stars sang together,
and the heavenly beings shouted for joy.
8 Who closed the gates to hold back the sea
when it burst from the womb of the earth?
9 It was I who covered the sea with clouds
and wrapped it in darkness.
10 I marked a boundary for the sea
and kept it behind bolted gates.
11 I told it, “So far and no farther!
Here your powerful waves must stop.”
12 Job, have you ever in all your life
commanded a day to dawn?
13 Have you ordered the dawn to seize the earth
and shake the wicked from their hiding places?
14 Daylight makes the hills and valleys stand out
like the folds of a garment,
clear as the imprint of a seal on clay.
15 The light of day is too bright for the wicked
and restrains them from doing violence.
16 Have you been to the springs in the depths of the sea?
Have you walked on the floor of the ocean?
17 Has anyone ever shown you the gates
that guard the dark world of the dead?
18 Have you any idea how big the world is?
Answer me if you know.
19 Do you know where the light comes from
or what the source of darkness is?
20 Can you show them how far to go,
or send them back again?
21 I am sure you can, because you're so old
and were there when the world was made!
22 Have you ever visited the storerooms,
where I keep the snow and the hail?
23 I keep them ready for times of trouble,
for days of battle and war.
24 Have you been to the place where the sun comes up,
or the place from which the east wind blows?
25 Who dug a channel for the pouring rain
and cleared the way for the thunderstorm?
26 Who makes rain fall where no one lives?
27 Who waters the dry and thirsty land,
so that grass springs up?
28 Does either the rain or the dew have a father?
29 Who is the mother of the ice and the frost,
30 which turn the waters to stone
and freeze the face of the sea?
31 Can you tie the Pleiades together
or loosen the bonds that hold Orion?
32 Can you guide the stars season by season
and direct the Big and the Little Dipper?
33 Do you know the laws that govern the skies,
and can you make them apply to the earth?
34 Can you shout orders to the clouds
and make them drench you with rain?
35 And if you command the lightning to flash,
will it come to you and say, “At your service”?
36 Who tells the ibis when the Nile will flood,
or who tells the rooster that rain will fall?
37 Who is wise enough to count the clouds
and tilt them over to pour out the rain,
38 rain that hardens the dust into lumps?
39 Do you find food for lions to eat,
and satisfy hungry young lions
40 when they hide in their caves,
or lie in wait in their dens?
41 Who is it that feeds the ravens
when they wander about hungry,
when their young cry to me for food?