Then the Lord answered Iyyov out of the storm wind, and said,

Then the L rd answered Iyyov from the tempest and said:

Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?

Who is it that darkens counsel with words void of knowledge?

Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and let me know thy answer.

Gird, now, your loins like a man. I shall question you, and you answer Me.

Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.

Where were you when I founded the earth? Answer, if you possess understanding.

Who determined its measurements, if thou knowst? or who has stretched the line upon it?

Who established its measurements — if you know. Who stretched a plumb line over it?

whereupon are its foundations fastened? or who laid its corner stone;

On what were its foundations sunk? Who cast its cornerstone [(in the middle of the sea, whence the entire world was founded)]?

when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

[Where were you] when the stars of morning sang together [(at the creation)] and all the men of G d [(the angels)] shouted?

or who shut up the sea with doors, when it broke forth, and issued out of the womb?

And [who] barred the sea with doors [(the shore sands)] when it gushed forth to leave its womb?

when I made the cloud its garment, and thick darkness a swaddling band for it,

[Where were you] when I made the cloud its [(the sea's)] garment and the mist its swaddling cloth?

and prescribed bounds for it, and set bars and doors,

I broke My statute upon it [i.e., I placed breakers around it to contain it] and made bar and doors [for it].

and said, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further: and here shall thy proud waves be stayed?

And I said: "Until here you may come, and no further; and here you may lift your waves in pride."

Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days began; and caused the dayspring to know its place;

Did you ever command the sun? Do you know the [resting] place of [the herald of] the morning?

that it might take hold of the ends of the earth, that the wicked might be shaken out of it?

[Did you ever command one] to hold the ends of the earth [like a garment] and to shake the wicked out of it [(as I am destined to do)]?

It is changed like clay under the seal; and they stand as a garment.

[Do you command] that the seal [(a man's countenance)] be transformed [in the grave] like clay, and that they stand [fully] clothed [at the resurrection]?

And from the wicked their light is withheld, and the high arm shall be broken.

[At that time] their light will be withheld from the wicked and the upraised arm will be broken.

Hast thou entered into the springs of the sea? or hast thou walked in the recesses of the depth?

Did you reach the enclosures of the sea, and did you go around probing the deep?

have the gates of death been opened to thee? or hast thou seen the doors of deepest darkness?

Were the gates of death [(Gehinnom)] revealed to you, and did you see the gates of the shadow of death?

hast thou comprehended the expanse of the earth? declare if thou knowst it all.

Have you probed into the far reaches of the earth? Speak if you know it all.

Where is the way where light dwells? and as for darkness, where is its place,

Where is the road to the dwelling of light, and where is the place of darkness

that thou shouldst take it to its bound, and that thou shouldst know the paths to its home?

that you could take it [(the light)] to its [(darkness's] boundary and that you could know the paths to its house [to bring light there]?

Thou knowst it because thou wast then born, and the number of thy days is great.

[(sarcastically: Surely,)] you know [all these things], for you were born then [(when I created them)] and the number of your days are many!

Hast thou entered the treasuries of the snow? or hast thou seen the treasuries of the hail,

Did you come to the treasures of snow and did you see the treasures of hail,

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

which I saved for a time of trouble [(with the five kings of Giveon)], for a time of battle and war [(the war of Gog and Magog)].

By what way is the light parted, or the east wind scattered upon the earth?

What is the way that the light [of the sun] is parted, [the way that] the [sun of the] east spreads [itself] over the earth?

who has divided a watercourse for the torrent of rain, or a way for the lightning of thunder;

Who cut out a basin for the hair [(each hair having its own follicle)] and a path for the sounds [i.e., the thunder peals] of the rain clouds [(each peal having its own track)]

to cause it to rain on a land where no man is; on the wilderness, wherein there is no man;

to bring rain upon a land where there is no man, upon a desert, where no man dwells,

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

to sate the darkness [i.e., the drought] and the waste and to cause the source of grass to sprout?

Has the rain a father? or who has begotten the drops of dew?

Does the rain have a father? And who begot the waves of dew?

out of whose womb came the ice? and the hoar frost of heaven, who has given it birth?

From whose stomach did the ice come forth, and who gave birth to the heavenly frost?

The waters are hidden as with a stone, and the face of the deep forms a solid mass.

Like a stone, the waters hide [beneath the ice] and the [waters on] the face of the deep cling together.

Canst thou bind the chains of the Pleiades, or loosen the cords of Orion?

Would you tie the bonds of the Pleiades [(to keep the world from freezing)] or undo the cords of Orion [(to warm the Pleiades thereby)]?

canst thou bring forth Mazzarot in their season? or canst thou guide the Bear with his sons?

Would you bring out the stars in their proper time and lead forth the Bear with its sons?

knowst thou the ordinances of heaven? canst thou establish its dominion in the earth?

Do you know the statutes of the heavens [.e., the ordinance of the stars (in producing cold and heat, winter and summer)]? Can you establish its rule [i.e., the function of each star] upon the earth?

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

Would you raise your voice to the cloud and be covered by an outpouring of water?

canst thou send lightnings, that they may go, and say to thee, Here we are?

Would you send out lightnings that they go forth [in the place where they have been sent to, without needing to return] to say to you: "Here we are" [i.e., we have done your bidding (the Shechinah being omnipresent)]?

Who has put wisdom in the inward parts? or who has given understanding to the birds?

Who places wisdom in the kidneys, or who deposits understanding in the heart?

who can number the clouds by wisdom? or who can refill the bottles of heaven,

Who charges the heights with wisdom, and who lays down the flagons of the sky [(the clouds)]

when the dust grows into a mass, and the clods cleave fast together?

[(as I did at the creation)] when the dust was spilled out into a mold and the clods congealed [(for the creation of the world)]?

Wilt thou hunt the prey for the lion? or satisfy the appetite of the young lions,

Would you hunt prey for the lion or sate the spirit of the young lion?

when they couch in their dens, and abide in the covert to lie in wait?

For they crouch in their lairs; they wait under cover for the ambush.

Who provides for the raven his provision? when his young ones cry to God, and wander for lack of food?

Who prepares his prey for the raven? For his young cry out to G d [(their father forsaking them)]. They stray, without food [(and G d Himself provides for them)].