King James Version KJV
The Complete Jewish Bible CJB
1 Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said,
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Then ADONAI answered Iyov out of the storm:
2 Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?
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"Who is this, darkening my plans with his ignorant words?
3 Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me.
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Stand up like a man, and brace yourself; I will ask questions; and you, give the answers!
4 Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.
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"Where were you when I founded the earth? Tell me, if you know so much.
5 Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it?
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Do you know who determined its dimensions or who stretched the measuring line across it?
6 Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof;
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On what were its bases sunk, or who laid its cornerstone,
7 When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
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when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
8 Or who shut up the sea with doors, when it brake forth, as if it had issued out of the womb?
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"Who shut up the sea behind closed doors when it gushed forth from the womb,
9 When I made the cloud the garment thereof, and thick darkness a swaddlingband for it,
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when I made the clouds its blanket and dense fog its swaddling cloth,
10 And brake up for it my decreed place, and set bars and doors,
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when I made the breakers its boundary set its gates and bars,
11 And said, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further: and here shall thy proud waves be stayed?
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and said, 'You may come this far, but no farther; here your proud waves must stop'?
12 Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days; and caused the dayspring to know his place;
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"Have you ever in your life called up the dawn and made the morning know its place,
13 That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, that the wicked might be shaken out of it?
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so that it could take hold of the edges of the earth and shake the wicked out of it?
14 It is turned as clay to the seal; and they stand as a garment.
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Then the earth is changed like clay under a seal, until its colors are fixed like those of a garment.
15 And from the wicked their light is withholden, and the high arm shall be broken.
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But from the wicked the light is withheld, and the arm raised [to strike] is broken.
16 Hast thou entered into the springs of the sea? or hast thou walked in the search of the depth?
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"Have you gone down to the springs of the sea or explored the limits of the deep?
17 Have the gates of death been opened unto thee? or hast thou seen the doors of the shadow of death?
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Have the gates of death been revealed to you, the gates of death-like darkness?
18 Hast thou perceived the breadth of the earth? declare if thou knowest it all.
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Have you surveyed the full extent of the earth? Say so, if you know it all!
19 Where is the way where light dwelleth? and as for darkness, where is the place thereof,
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"Which way leads to where light has its home? and darkness, where does it dwell?
20 That thou shouldest take it to the bound thereof, and that thou shouldest know the paths to the house thereof?
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If you knew, you could take each to its place and set it on its homeward path.
21 Knowest thou it, because thou wast then born? or because the number of thy days is great?
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You know, of course, because you were born then; by now you must be very old!
22 Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow? or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail,
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"Have you gone into the storehouses for snow or seen the storehouses for hail,
23 Which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war?
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which I save for times of trouble, for days of battle and war?
24 By what way is the light parted, which scattereth the east wind upon the earth?
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"By what path is light dispersed, or the east wind poured out on the land?
25 Who hath divided a watercourse for the overflowing of waters, or a way for the lightning of thunder;
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Who cut a channel for the downpours, or a way for the lightning and thunder,
26 To cause it to rain on the earth, where no man is; on the wilderness, wherein there is no man;
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causing it to rain where no one is, in a desert without anyone there,
27 To satisfy the desolate and waste ground; and to cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth?
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drenching the waste and desolate [ground], till the tender grass sprouts?
28 Hath the rain a father? or who hath begotten the drops of dew?
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Does the rain have a father? Who is the father of dewdrops?
29 Out of whose womb came the ice? and the hoary frost of heaven, who hath gendered it?
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From whose womb does ice come? Who gives birth to the frost of heaven,
30 The waters are hid as with a stone, and the face of the deep is frozen.
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when water becomes as hard as stone, and the surface of the deep freezes solid?
31 Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion?
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"Can you tie up the cords of the Pleiades or loosen the belt of Orion?
32 Canst thou bring forth Mazzaroth in his season? or canst thou guide Arcturus with his sons?
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Can you lead out the constellations of the zodiac in their season or guide the Great Bear and its cubs?
33 Knowest thou the ordinances of heaven? canst thou set the dominion thereof in the earth?
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Do you know the laws of the sky? Can you determine how they affect the earth?
34 Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, that abundance of waters may cover thee?
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"Can you raise your voice to the clouds and make them cover you with a flood of rain?
35 Canst thou send lightnings, that they may go, and say unto thee, Here we are?
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Can you send lightning bolts on their way? Will they say to you, 'Here we are'?
36 Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts? or who hath given understanding to the heart?
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"Who put wisdom in people's inner parts? Who gave understanding to the mind?
37 Who can number the clouds in wisdom? or who can stay the bottles of heaven,
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Who, by wisdom, can number the clouds? Who can tilt the water-skins of heaven,
38 When the dust groweth into hardness, and the clods cleave fast together?
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so that the dust becomes a mass [of mud], and its clods stick together?
39 Wilt thou hunt the prey for the lion? or fill the appetite of the young lions,
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"Can you hunt prey for a lioness or satisfy the appetite of the young lions,
40 When they couch in their dens, and abide in the covert to lie in wait?
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when they crouch in their dens or lie in ambush in their lairs?
41 Who provideth for the raven his food? when his young ones cry unto God, they wander for lack of meat.
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Who provides food for the raven when his young cry out to God and wander about for lack of food?