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

²Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?

Gird³ up now thy loins like a man; for⁴ I will demand of thee, and answer thou me⁵.

¶ Where⁶ wast thou when I⁷ laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast⁸ understanding.

Who hath laid⁹ the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched¹⁰ the line upon it?

Whereupon¹¹ are the foundations¹² thereof fastened¹³? or who laid the corner stone thereof;

When the morning¹⁴ stars sang together, and all the sons¹⁵ of God shouted¹⁶ for joy?

Or who¹⁷ shut up the sea with doors, when it brake forth, as if it had issued out¹⁸ of the womb?

When I made the cloud the garment thereof, and thick¹⁹ darkness a swaddlingband for it,

¶ And brake up for it my decreed place,²⁰ and set bars and doors,

And said, Hitherto²¹ shalt thou come, but²² no further: and here shall thy proud waves²³ be stayed?

¶ Hast thou commanded²⁴ the morning since²⁵ thy days; and caused the dayspring²⁶ to know his place;

That it might take²⁷ hold of the ends²⁸ of the earth, that the wicked²⁹ might be shaken out of it?

It is turned as clay to the seal; and they stand as a³⁰ garment.

And from³¹ the wicked their light is withholden, and the high³² arm shall be broken.

Hast thou entered into the springs³³ of the sea? or hast thou walked³⁴ in the search of the depth?

Have the gates³⁵ of death been opened unto thee? or hast thou seen the doors of the shadow³⁶ of death?

³⁷Hast thou perceived the breadth of the earth? declare if thou knowest it all.

Where is the way³⁸ where light dwelleth? and as for darkness³⁹, where is the place thereof,

¶ That thou shouldest take it to⁴⁰ the bound thereof, and that thou shouldest know the paths to the house thereof?

⁴¹Knowest thou it, because thou wast then born? or because the number of thy days is great?

⁴²Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow? or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail,

⁴³Which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war?

⁴⁴By what way is the light parted, which scattereth the east wind upon the earth?

¶⁴⁵Who hath divided a watercourse for the overflowing of waters, or a way for the lightning of thunder;

To cause⁴⁶ it to rain on the earth, where no man is; on the wilderness⁴⁷, wherein there is no man;

To satisfy the desolate and waste ground; and to cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth?

Hath the⁴⁸ rain a father? or who hath begotten the drops of dew⁴⁹?

⁵⁰Out of whose womb came the ice? and the hoary frost of heaven, who hath gendered it?

¶ The waters are hid as with a stone, and the face⁵¹ of the deep is frozen⁵².

Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades⁵³, or loose the bands of Orion⁵⁴?

Canst thou bring forth Mazzaroth⁵⁵ in his season? or canst thou guide Arcturus⁵⁶ with his sons?

Knowest thou the ordinances⁵⁷ of heaven? canst⁵⁸ thou set the dominion thereof in the earth?

⁵⁹Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, that abundance of waters may cover thee?

Canst⁶⁰ thou send lightnings, that they may go, and say unto thee, Here we are⁶¹?

Who hath put⁶² wisdom in the inward parts? or who hath given⁶³ understanding to the heart?

Who can number⁶⁴ the clouds in wisdom? or who⁶⁵ can stay⁶⁶ the bottles of heaven,

When the dust groweth into hardness⁶⁷, and the clods⁶⁸ cleave⁶⁹ fast together?

Wilt⁷⁰ thou hunt the prey for the lion? or fill the appetite⁷¹ of the young lions,

¶⁷²When they couch in their dens, and abide in the covert to lie in wait?

⁷³Who provideth for the raven his food? when his young ones cry unto God, they wander for lack of meat.