Good News Translation GNT
World English Bible WEB
1 Then out of the storm the Lord spoke to Job.
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Then Yahweh answered Job out of the whirlwind,
2 Who are you to question my wisdom with your ignorant, empty words?
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"Who is this who darkens counsel By words without knowledge?
3 Now stand up straight and answer the questions I ask you.
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Brace yourself like a man, For I will question you, then you answer me!
4 Were you there when I made the world? If you know so much, tell me about it.
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"Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if you have understanding.
5 Who decided how large it would be? Who stretched the measuring line over it? Do you know all the answers?
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Who determined the measures of it, if you know? Or who stretched the line on it?
6 What holds up the pillars that support the earth? Who laid the cornerstone of the world?
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Whereupon were the foundations of it fastened? Or who laid its cornerstone,
7 In the dawn of that day the stars sang together, and the heavenly beings shouted for joy.
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When the morning stars sang together, And all the sons of God shouted for joy?
8 Who closed the gates to hold back the sea when it burst from the womb of the earth?
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"Or who shut up the sea with doors, When it broke forth from the womb,
9 It was I who covered the sea with clouds and wrapped it in darkness.
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When I made clouds the garment of it, Thick darkness a swaddling-band for it,
10 I marked a boundary for the sea and kept it behind bolted gates.
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Marked out for it my bound, Set bars and doors,
11 I told it, "So far and no farther! Here your powerful waves must stop."
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And said, 'Here you may come, but no further; Here shall your proud waves be stayed?'
12 Job, have you ever in all your life commanded a day to dawn?
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"Have you commanded the morning in your days, And caused the dawn to know its place;
13 Have you ordered the dawn to seize the earth and shake the wicked from their hiding places?
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That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, And shake the wicked out of it?
14 Daylight makes the hills and valleys stand out like the folds of a garment, clear as the imprint of a seal on clay.
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It is changed as clay under the seal, And stands forth as a garment.
15 The light of day is too bright for the wicked and restrains them from doing violence.
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From the wicked, their light is withheld, The high arm is broken.
16 Have you been to the springs in the depths of the sea? Have you walked on the floor of the ocean?
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"Have you entered into the springs of the sea? Or have you walked in the recesses of the deep?
17 Has anyone ever shown you the gates that guard the dark world of the dead?
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Have the gates of death been revealed to you? Or have you seen the gates of the shadow of death?
18 Have you any idea how big the world is? Answer me if you know.
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Have you comprehended the earth in its breadth? Declare, if you know it all.
19 Do you know where the light comes from or what the source of darkness is?
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"What is the way to the dwelling of light? As for darkness, where is the place of it,
20 Can you show them how far to go, or send them back again?
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That you should take it to the bound of it, That you should discern the paths to the house of it?
21 I am sure you can, because you're so old and were there when the world was made!
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Surely you know, for you were born then, And the number of your days is great!
22 Have you ever visited the storerooms, where I keep the snow and the hail?
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Have you entered the treasuries of the snow, Or have you seen the treasures of the hail,
23 I keep them ready for times of trouble, for days of battle and war.
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Which I have reserved against the time of trouble, Against the day 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?
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By what way is the lightning distributed, Or the east wind scattered on the earth?
25 Who dug a channel for the pouring rain and cleared the way for the thunderstorm?
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Who has cut a channel for the flood water, Or the path for the thunderstorm;
26 Who makes rain fall where no one lives?
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To cause it to rain on a land where no man is; On the wilderness, in which there is no man;
27 Who waters the dry and thirsty land, so that grass springs up?
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To satisfy the waste and desolate ground, To cause the tender grass to spring forth?
28 Does either the rain or the dew have a father?
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Does the rain have a father? Or who fathers the drops of dew?
29 Who is the mother of the ice and the frost,
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Out of whose womb came the ice? The gray frost of the sky, who has given birth to it?
30 which turn the waters to stone and freeze the face of the sea?
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The waters become hard like stone, When the surface of the deep is frozen.
31 Can you tie the Pleiades together or loosen the bonds that hold Orion?
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"Can you bind the cluster of the Pleiades, Or loosen the cords of Orion?
32 Can you guide the stars season by season and direct the Big and the Little Dipper?
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Can you lead forth the constellations in their season? Or can you guide the Bear with her cubs?
33 Do you know the laws that govern the skies, and can you make them apply to the earth?
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Do you know the laws of the heavens? Can you establish the dominion of it over the earth?
34 Can you shout orders to the clouds and make them drench you with rain?
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"Can you lift up your voice to the clouds, That abundance of waters may cover you?
35 And if you command the lightning to flash, will it come to you and say, "At your service"?
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Can you send forth lightnings, that they may go? Do they report to you, 'Here we are?'
36 Who tells the ibis when the Nile will flood, or who tells the rooster that rain will fall?
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Who has put wisdom in the inward parts? Or who has given understanding to the mind?
37 Who is wise enough to count the clouds and tilt them over to pour out the rain,
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Who can number the clouds by wisdom? Or who can pour out the bottles of the sky,
38 rain that hardens the dust into lumps?
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When the dust runs into a mass, And the clods of earth stick together?
39 Do you find food for lions to eat, and satisfy hungry young lions
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"Can you hunt the prey for the lioness, Or satisfy the appetite of the young lions,
40 when they hide in their caves, or lie in wait in their dens?
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When they crouch in their dens, And lie in wait in the thicket?
41 Who is it that feeds the ravens when they wander about hungry, when their young cry to me for food?
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Who provides for the raven his prey, When his young ones cry to God, And wander for lack of food?
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.
The World English Bible is in the public domain.