Yahweh Challenges Job

1  וַיַּֽעַן־ (And answered) יְהוָ֣ה (YHWH) אֶת־ (-) אִ֭יּוֹב (Job) מִנ (out of) הַסְּעָרָה (the whirlwind) וַיֹּאמַֽר׃ (and He said),

2  מִ֤י (Who is) זֶ֨ה׀ (this) מַחְשִׁ֖יךְ (darkening) עֵצָ֥ה (counsel)

בְמִלִּ֗ין (with words) בְּֽלִי־ (lacking) דָֽעַת׃ (knowledge)?

3  אֱזָר־ (Gird up) נָ֣א (now) כְגֶ֣בֶר (like a man) חֲלָצֶ֑יךָ (your loins);

וְ֝אֶשְׁאָלְךָ֗ (and I will question you), וְהוֹדִיעֵֽנִי׃ (and you shall answer Me).

4  אֵיפֹ֣ה (Where) הָ֭יִיתָ (were you) בְּיָסְדִי־ (at my founding of) אָ֑רֶץ (the earth)?

הַ֝גֵּ֗ד (Declare it), אִם־ (if) יָדַ֥עְתָּ (you know) בִינָֽה׃ (with understanding).

5  מִי־ (Who) שָׂ֣ם (set) מְ֭מַדֶּיהָ (its measurements)? כִּ֣י (Surely) תֵדָ֑ע (you must know)!

א֤וֹ (Or) מִֽי־ (who) נָטָ֖ה (stretched) עָלֶ֣יהָ (over it) קָּֽו׃ (a line).

6  עַל־ (On) מָ֭ה (what) אֲדָנֶ֣יהָ (were its bases) הָטְבָּ֑עוּ (made to sink in)?

א֥וֹ (Or) מִֽי־ (who) יָ֝רָ֗ה (cast) אֶ֣בֶן (the stone) פִּנָּתָֽהּ׃ (of its corner),

7  בְּרָן־ (at the singing) יַ֭חַד (together by) כּ֣וֹכְבֵי (the stars) בֹ֑קֶר (of the morning)

וַ֝יָּרִ֗יעוּ (and shouted for joy) כָּל־ (all) בְּנֵ֥י (the sons) אֱלֹהִֽים׃ (of God)?

8  וַיָּ֣סֶךְ (Or who shut in) בִּדְלָתַ֣יִם (with doors) יָ֑ם (the sea)

בְּ֝גִיח֗וֹ (in its bursting), מֵרֶ֥חֶם (from the womb) יֵצֵֽא׃ (coming forth),

9  בְּשׂוּמִ֣י (in my setting for) עָנָ֣ן (the cloud) לְבֻשׁ֑וֹ (its garment),

וַ֝עֲרָפֶ֗ל (and for the dark cloud) חֲתֻלָּתֽוֹ׃ (its swaddling band),

10  וָאֶשְׁבֹּ֣ר (and I broke forth) עָלָ֣יו (over it) חֻקִּ֑י (My decree)

וָֽ֝אָשִׂ֗ים (and set in place) בְּרִ֣יחַ (a bar) וּדְלָתָֽיִם׃ (and doors),

11  וָאֹמַ֗ר (and I said), עַד־ (Until) פֹּ֣ה (here) תָ֭בוֹא (you may come), וְלֹ֣א (not) תֹסִ֑יף (shall you go further),

וּפֹ֥א־ (and here) יָ֝שִׁ֗ית (shall be set) בִּגְא֥וֹן (the pride) גַּלֶּֽיךָ׃ (of your waves).

12  הְֽ֭מִיָּמֶיךָ (From your days) צִוִּ֣יתָ (have you commanded) בֹּ֑קֶר (the morning)

יִדַּעְתָּה (and caused to know) שַׁחַר (the dawn) מְקֹמֽוֹ׃ (its place),

13  לֶ֭אֱחֹז (for it to take hold) בְּכַנְפ֣וֹת (of the edges) הָאָ֑רֶץ (of the earth),

וְיִנָּעֲר֖וּ (and be shaken) רְשָׁעִ֣ים (the wicked) מִמֶּֽנָּה׃ (out of it)?

14  תִּ֭תְהַפֵּךְ (It is turned over) כְּחֹ֣מֶר (like clay) חוֹתָ֑ם (under a seal),

וְ֝יִֽתְיַצְּב֗וּ (and they stand out) כְּמ֣וֹ (like) לְבֽוּשׁ׃ (a garment).

15  וְיִמָּנַ֣ע (And is withheld) מֵרְשָׁעִ֣ים (from the wicked) אוֹרָ֑ם (their light),

וּזְר֥וֹעַ (and the arm) רָ֝מָ֗ה (upraised) תִּשָּׁבֵֽר׃ (is broken).

16  הֲ֭בָאתָ (Have you come) עַד־ (to) נִבְכֵי־ (the springs) יָ֑ם (of the sea),

וּבְחֵ֥קֶר (or in search) תְּ֝ה֗וֹם (of the depths) הִתְהַלָּֽכְתָּ׃ (have you walked about)?

17  הֲנִגְל֣וּ (Have they been uncovered) לְ֭ךָ (to you) שַׁעֲרֵי־ (the gates) מָ֑וֶת (of death),

וְשַׁעֲרֵ֖י (or the doors) צַלְמָ֣וֶת (of the shadow of death) תִּרְאֶֽה׃ (have you seen)?

18  הִ֭תְבֹּנַנְתָּ (Have you comprehended) עַד־ (to) רַחֲבֵי־ (the breadths) אָ֑רֶץ (of the earth)?

הַ֝גֵּ֗ד (Declare it) אִם־ (if) יָדַ֥עְתָּ (you know) כֻלָּֽהּ׃ (all of it).

19  אֵי־ (Where is) זֶ֣ה (this) הַ֭דֶּרֶךְ (the way to) יִשְׁכָּן־ (the dwelling) א֑וֹר (of light)?

וְ֝חֹ֗שֶׁךְ (And of darkness), אֵי־ (where is) זֶ֥ה (this), מְקֹמֽוֹ׃ (its place).

20  כִּ֣י (That) תִ֭קָּחֶנּוּ (you may take it) אֶל־ (to) גְּבוּל֑וֹ (its border),

וְכִֽי־ (that) תָ֝בִ֗ין (you may know) נְתִיב֥וֹת (the paths to) בֵּיתֽוֹ׃ (its home),

21  יָ֭דַעְתָּ (you must know it) כִּי־ (for) אָ֣ז (then) תִּוָּלֵ֑ד (you were born),

וּמִסְפַּ֖ר (and the number) יָמֶ֣יךָ (of your days) רַבִּֽים׃ (is great)?

22  הֲ֭בָאתָ (Have you come) אֶל־ (to) אֹצְר֣וֹת (the treasury) שָׁ֑לֶג (of snow),

וְאֹצְר֖וֹת (or the treasury) בָּרָ֣ד (of hail) תִּרְאֶֽה׃ (have you seen),

23  אֲשֶׁר־ (which) חָשַׂ֥כְתִּי (I have held back) לְעֶת־ (for a time) צָ֑ר (of trouble),

לְי֥וֹם (for a day) קְ֝רָ֗ב (of battle) וּמִלְחָמָֽה׃ (and war)?

24  אֵי־ (Where) זֶ֣ה (is this), הַ֭דֶּרֶךְ (the way) יֵחָ֣לֶק (where is apportioned) א֑וֹר (the light),

יָפֵ֖ץ (or is scattered) קָדִ֣ים (the east wind) עֲלֵי־ (over) אָֽרֶץ׃ (the earth)?

25  מִֽי־ (Who) פִלַּ֣ג (has divided) לַשֶּׁ֣טֶף (for the flood) תְּעָלָ֑ה (a channel),

וְ֝דֶ֗רֶךְ (or a path) לַחֲזִ֥יז (for the lightning) קֹלֽוֹת׃ (of the thunderings),

26  לְ֭הַמְטִיר (to make rain come) עַל־ (upon) אֶ֣רֶץ (a land) לֹא־ (without) אִ֑ישׁ (man),

מִ֝דְבָּ֗ר (a desert) לֹא־ (without) אָדָ֥ם (man) בּֽוֹ׃ (in it),

27  לְהַשְׂבִּ֣יעַ (to satisfy) שֹׁ֭אָה (the waste) וּמְשֹׁאָ֑ה (and the desolation),

וּ֝לְהַצְמִ֗יחַ (and to make sprout) מֹ֣צָא (the shoot) דֶֽשֶׁא׃ (of the grass)?

28  הֲיֵשׁ־ (Is there) לַמָּטָ֥ר (for the rain) אָ֑ב (a father)?

א֥וֹ (Or) מִי־ (who) ה֝וֹלִ֗יד (has begotten) אֶגְלֵי־ (the drops) טָֽל׃ (of dew)?

29  מִבֶּ֣טֶן (From the womb) מִ֭י (of whom) יָצָ֣א (comes forth) הַקָּ֑רַח (the ice)?

וּכְפֹ֥ר (And the frost) שָׁ֝מַיִם (of the heavens), מִ֣י (who) יְלָדֽוֹ׃ (gives birth to it).

30  כָּ֭אֶבֶן (Like stone), מַ֣יִם (the waters) יִתְחַבָּ֑אוּ (hide themselves),

וּפְנֵ֥י (and the face) תְ֝ה֗וֹם (of the deep) יִתְלַכָּֽדוּ׃ (is seized).

31  הַֽ֭תְקַשֵּׁר (Can you bind) מַעֲדַנּ֣וֹת (the chains) כִּימָ֑ה (of the Pleiades),

אֽוֹ־ (or) מֹשְׁכ֖וֹת (the cords) כְּסִ֣יל (of Orion) תְּפַתֵּֽחַ׃ (can you open)?

32  הֲתֹצִ֣יא (Can you bring forth) מַזָּר֣וֹת (Mazzaroth) בְּעִתּ֑וֹ (in its time)?

וְ֝עַ֗יִשׁ (The Bear) עַל־ (with) בָּנֶ֥יהָ (her cubs) תַנְחֵֽם׃ (can you lead out)?

33  הֲ֭יָדַעְתָּ (Do you know) חֻקּ֣וֹת (the ordinances) שָׁמָ֑יִם (of the heavens)?

אִם־ (Or) תָּשִׂ֖ים (can you set) מִשְׁטָר֣וֹ (its rule) בָאָֽרֶץ׃ (over the earth)?

34  הֲתָרִ֣ים (Can you raise) לָעָ֣ב (to the cloud) קוֹלֶ֑ךָ (your voice),

וְֽשִׁפְעַת־ (and an abundance) מַ֥יִם (of waters) תְּכַסֶּֽךָּ׃ (will cover you).

35  הַֽתְשַׁלַּ֣ח (Can you send out) בְּרָקִ֣ים (lightnings),

וְיֵלֵ֑כוּ (that they may go), וְיֹאמְר֖וּ (and say) לְךָ֣ (to you), הִנֵּֽנוּ׃ (Behold us)!’

36  מִי־ (Who) שָׁ֭ת (has put) בַּטֻּח֣וֹת (in the inner parts) חָכְמָ֑ה (wisdom)?

א֤וֹ (Or) מִֽי־ (who) נָתַ֖ן (has given) לַשֶּׂ֣כְוִי (to the heart) בִינָֽה׃ (understanding)?

37  מִֽי־ (Who) יְסַפֵּ֣ר (can count) שְׁחָקִ֣ים (the clouds) בְּחָכְמָ֑ה (by wisdom)?

וְנִבְלֵ֥י (Or the water skins) שָׁ֝מַ֗יִם (of the heavens), מִ֣י (who) יַשְׁכִּֽיב׃ (can tilt)?

38  בְּצֶ֣קֶת (In the pouring of) עָ֭פָר (the dust) לַמּוּצָ֑ק (into a mass),

וּרְגָבִ֥ים (and the clods) יְדֻבָּֽקוּ׃ (clinging together)?

39  הֲתָצ֣וּד (Can you hunt) לְלָבִ֣יא (for a lion) טָ֑רֶף (its prey),

וְחַיַּ֖ת (or the life) כְּפִירִ֣ים (of young lions) תְּמַלֵּֽא׃ (satisfy)

40  כִּי־ (when) יָשֹׁ֥חוּ (they crouch) בַמְּעוֹנ֑וֹת (in the dens),

יֵשְׁב֖וּ (dwelling) בַסֻּכָּ֣ה (in a thicket) לְמוֹ־ (in it) אָֽרֶב׃ (lying in wait)?

41  מִ֤י (Who) יָכִ֥ין (provides) לָעֹרֵ֗ב (to the raven) צֵ֫יד֥וֹ (its food)

כִּֽי־ (when) יְלָדוֹ (its children) אֶל־ (to) אֵ֣ל (God) יְשַׁוֵּ֑עוּ (cry out)

יִ֝תְע֗וּ (and wander) לִבְלִי־ (for lack) אֹֽכֶל׃ (of food)?