New International Version NIV
New Living Translation NLT
1 Then the LORD spoke to Job out of the storm. He said:
1
Then the LORD answered Job from the whirlwind:
2 “Who is this that obscures my plans with words without knowledge?
2
“Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorant words?
3 Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me.
3
Brace yourself like a man, because I have some questions for you, and you must answer them.
4 “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand.
4
“Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me, if you know so much.
5 Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it?
5
Who determined its dimensions and stretched out the surveying line?
6 On what were its footings set, or who laid its cornerstone—
6
What supports its foundations, and who laid its cornerstone
7 while the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy?
7
as the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy?
8 “Who shut up the sea behind doors when it burst forth from the womb,
8
“Who kept the sea inside its boundaries as it burst from the womb,
9 when I made the clouds its garment and wrapped it in thick darkness,
9
and as I clothed it with clouds and wrapped it in thick darkness?
10 when I fixed limits for it and set its doors and bars in place,
10
For I locked it behind barred gates, limiting its shores.
11 when I said, ‘This far you may come and no farther; here is where your proud waves halt’?
11
I said, ‘This far and no farther will you come. Here your proud waves must stop!’
12 “Have you ever given orders to the morning, or shown the dawn its place,
12
“Have you ever commanded the morning to appear and caused the dawn to rise in the east?
13 that it might take the earth by the edges and shake the wicked out of it?
13
Have you made daylight spread to the ends of the earth, to bring an end to the night’s wickedness?
14 The earth takes shape like clay under a seal; its features stand out like those of a garment.
14
As the light approaches, the earth takes shape like clay pressed beneath a seal; it is robed in brilliant colors.
15 The wicked are denied their light, and their upraised arm is broken.
15
The light disturbs the wicked and stops the arm that is raised in violence.
16 “Have you journeyed to the springs of the sea or walked in the recesses of the deep?
16
“Have you explored the springs from which the seas come? Have you explored their depths?
17 Have the gates of death been shown to you? Have you seen the gates of the deepest darkness?
17
Do you know where the gates of death are located? Have you seen the gates of utter gloom?
18 Have you comprehended the vast expanses of the earth? Tell me, if you know all this.
18
Do you realize the extent of the earth? Tell me about it if you know!
19 “What is the way to the abode of light? And where does darkness reside?
19
“Where does light come from, and where does darkness go?
20 Can you take them to their places? Do you know the paths to their dwellings?
20
Can you take each to its home? Do you know how to get there?
21 Surely you know, for you were already born! You have lived so many years!
21
But of course you know all this! For you were born before it was all created, and you are so very experienced!
22 “Have you entered the storehouses of the snow or seen the storehouses of the hail,
22
“Have you visited the storehouses of the snow or seen the storehouses of hail?
23 which I reserve for times of trouble, for days of war and battle?
23
(I have reserved them as weapons for the time of trouble, for the day of battle and war.)
24 What is the way to the place where the lightning is dispersed, or the place where the east winds are scattered over the earth?
24
Where is the path to the source of light? Where is the home of the east wind?
25 Who cuts a channel for the torrents of rain, and a path for the thunderstorm,
25
“Who created a channel for the torrents of rain? Who laid out the path for the lightning?
26 to water a land where no one lives, an uninhabited desert,
26
Who makes the rain fall on barren land, in a desert where no one lives?
27 to satisfy a desolate wasteland and make it sprout with grass?
27
Who sends rain to satisfy the parched ground and make the tender grass spring up?
28 Does the rain have a father? Who fathers the drops of dew?
28
“Does the rain have a father? Who gives birth to the dew?
29 From whose womb comes the ice? Who gives birth to the frost from the heavens
29
Who is the mother of the ice? Who gives birth to the frost from the heavens?
30 when the waters become hard as stone, when the surface of the deep is frozen?
30
For the water turns to ice as hard as rock, and the surface of the water freezes.
31 “Can you bind the chains of the Pleiades? Can you loosen Orion’s belt?
31
“Can you direct the movement of the stars— binding the cluster of the Pleiades or loosening the cords of Orion?
32 Can you bring forth the constellations in their seasonsor lead out the Bear with its cubs?
32
Can you direct the constellations through the seasons or guide the Bear with her cubs across the heavens?
33 Do you know the laws of the heavens? Can you set up God’s dominion over the earth?
33
Do you know the laws of the universe? Can you use them to regulate the earth?
34 “Can you raise your voice to the clouds and cover yourself with a flood of water?
34
“Can you shout to the clouds and make it rain?
35 Do you send the lightning bolts on their way? Do they report to you, ‘Here we are’?
35
Can you make lightning appear and cause it to strike as you direct?
36 Who gives the ibis wisdomor gives the rooster understanding?
36
Who gives intuition to the heart and instinct to the mind?
37 Who has the wisdom to count the clouds? Who can tip over the water jars of the heavens
37
Who is wise enough to count all the clouds? Who can tilt the water jars of heaven
38 when the dust becomes hard and the clods of earth stick together?
38
when the parched ground is dry and the soil has hardened into clods?
39 “Do you hunt the prey for the lioness and satisfy the hunger of the lions
39
“Can you stalk prey for a lioness and satisfy the young lions’ appetites
40 when they crouch in their dens or lie in wait in a thicket?
40
as they lie in their dens or crouch in the thicket?
41 Who provides food for the raven when its young cry out to God and wander about for lack of food?
41
Who provides food for the ravens when their young cry out to God and wander about in hunger?
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by
Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.