Yahweh Challenges Job

1 And the Lord made answer to Job out of the storm-wind, and said,

1 Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said,

1 Then the Lord (A)answered Job out of the whirlwind and said,

1 Then the Lord answered Job from the whirlwind.(A) He said:

1 The LORD responded to Job from the whirlwind and said:

2 Who is this who makes the purpose of God dark by words without knowledge?

2 Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?

2 “Who is this that (B)darkens counselBy words without knowledge?

2 Who is this who obscures My counselwith ignorant words?(B)

2 "Who is this who keeps darkening my counsel without knowing what he's talking about?

3 Get your strength together like a man of war; I will put questions to you, and you will give me the answers.

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

3 “Now (C)gird up your loins like a man,And (D)I will ask you, and you instruct Me!

3 Get ready to answer Me like a man;when I question(C) you, you will inform Me.

3 Stand up like a man! I'll ask you some questions, and you give me some answers!"

Yahweh Interrogates Job

4 Where were you when I put the earth on its base? Say, if you have knowledge.

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

4 “Where were you (E)when I laid the foundation of the earth?Tell Me, if you (a)have understanding,

4 Where were you when I established(D) the earth?Tell Me, if you have(a) understanding.

4 "Where were you when I laid the foundation of my earth? Tell me, since you're so informed!

5 By whom were its measures fixed? Say, if you have wisdom; or by whom was the line stretched out over it?

5 Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it?

5 Who set its (F)measurements? Since you know.Or who stretched the line on it?

5 Who fixed its dimensions? Certainly you know!Who stretched a measuring line across it?

5 Who set its measurement? Am I to assume you know? Who stretched a boundary line over it?

6 On what were its pillars based, or who put down its angle-stone,

6 Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof;

6 “On what (G)were its bases sunk?Or who laid its cornerstone,

6 What supports its foundations?Or who laid its cornerstone

6 On what were its bases set? Who laid its corner stone

7 When the morning stars made songs together, and all the sons of the gods gave cries of joy?

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

7 When the morning stars sang togetherAnd all the (H)sons of God shouted for joy?

7 while the morning stars sang togetherand all the sons of God(E) shouted for joy?

7 while the morning stars sang together and all the divine beings shouted joyfully?

8 Or where were you when the sea came to birth, pushing out from its secret place;

8 Or who shut up the sea with doors, when it brake forth, as if it had issued out of the womb?

8 “Or who (I)enclosed the sea with doorsWhen, bursting forth, it went out from the womb;

8 Who enclosed the sea behind doorswhen it burst from the womb,

8 "Who enclosed the sea with limits when it gushed out of the womb,

9 When I made the cloud its robe, and put thick clouds as bands round it,

9 When I made the cloud the garment thereof, and thick darkness a swaddlingband for it,

9 When I made a cloud its garmentAnd thick darkness its swaddling band,

9 when I made the clouds its garmentand thick darkness its blanket,(b)(F)

9 when I made clouds to be its clothes and thick darkness its swaddling blanket,

10 Ordering a fixed limit for it, with locks and doors;

10 And brake up for it my decreed place, and set bars and doors,

10 And I (b)(J)placed boundaries on itAnd set a bolt and doors,

10 when I determined its boundaries(c)and put its bars and doors in place,

10 when I proscribed a boundary for it, set in place bars and doors for it;

11 And said, So far you may come, and no farther; and here the pride of your waves will be stopped?

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

11 And I said, ‘Thus far you shall come, but no farther;And here shall your proud waves stop’?

11 when I declared: “You may come this far, but no farther;your proud waves stop here”?

11 and said, "You may come only this far and no more. Your majestic waves will stop here.'?

12 Have you, from your earliest days, given orders to the morning, or made the dawn conscious of its place;

12 Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days; and caused the dayspring to know his place;

12 “Have you (c)ever in your life commanded the morning,And caused the dawn to know its place,

12 Have you ever in your life commanded the morningor assigned the dawn its place,

12 "Have you ever commanded the morning at any time during your life? Do you know where the dawn lives,

13 So that it might take a grip of the skirts of the earth, shaking all the evil-doers out of it?

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

13 That it might take hold of (K)the ends of the earth,And (L)the wicked be shaken out of it?

13 so it may seize the edges of the earthand shake the wicked out of it?

13 where it seizes the edge of the earth and shakes the wicked out of it?

14 It is changed like wet earth under a stamp, and is coloured like a robe;

14 It is turned as clay to the seal; and they stand as a garment.

14 “It is changed like clay under the seal;And they stand forth like a garment.

14 The earth is changed as clay is by a seal;its hills stand out like the folds of a garment.

14 Like clay is molded by a signet ring, the earth's hills and valleys then stand out like the colors of a garment.

15 And from the evil-doers their light is kept back, and the arm of pride is broken.

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

15 (M)From the wicked their light is withheld,And the (N)uplifted arm is broken.

15 Light(d) is withheld from the wicked,and the arm raised in violence is broken.

15 Then from the wicked their light is withheld and their upraised arm is broken.

16 Have you come into the springs of the sea, walking in the secret places of the deep?

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

16 “Have you entered into (O)the springs of the seaOr walked (d)in the recesses of the deep?

16 Have you traveled to the sources of the seaor walked in the depths of the oceans?

16 "Have you been to the source of the sea and walked about in the recesses of the deepest ocean?

17 Have the doors of death been open to you, or have the door-keepers of the dark ever seen you?

17 Have the gates of death been opened unto thee? or hast thou seen the doors of the shadow of death?

17 “Have the gates of death been revealed to you,Or have you seen the gates of (P)deep darkness?

17 Have the gates(G) of death been revealed to you?Have you seen the gates of deep darkness?

17 Have the gates of death been revealed to you? Have you seen the gates of the deepest darkness?

18 Have you taken note of the wide limits of the earth? Say, if you have knowledge of it all.

18 Hast thou perceived the breadth of the earth? declare if thou knowest it all.

18 “Have you understood the (e)expanse of (Q)the earth?Tell Me, if you know all this.

18 Have you comprehended the extent of the earth?Tell Me, if you know all this.

18 Do you understand the breadth of the earth? Tell me, since you know it all!

19 Which is the way to the resting-place of the light, and where is the store-house of the dark;

19 Where is the way where light dwelleth? and as for darkness, where is the place thereof,

19 “Where is the way to the dwelling of light?And darkness, where is its place,

19 Where is the road to the home of light?Do you know where darkness lives,

19 "Where is the road to where the light lives? Or where does the darkness live?

20 So that you might take it to its limit, guiding it to its house?

20 That thou shouldest take it to the bound thereof, and that thou shouldest know the paths to the house thereof?

20 That you may take it to (R)its territoryAnd that you may discern the paths to its (f)home?

20 so you can lead it back to its border?Are you familiar with the paths to its home?

20 Can you take it to its homeland, since you know the path to his house?

21 No doubt you have knowledge of it, for then you had come to birth, and the number of your days is great.

21 Knowest thou it, because thou wast then born? or because the number of thy days is great?

21 “You know, for (S)you were born then,And the number of your days is great!

21 Don’t you know? You were already born;(H)you have lived so long!(e)

21 You should know! After all, you had been born back then, so the number of your days is great!

22 Have you come into the secret place of snow, or have you seen the store-houses of the ice-drops,

22 Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow? or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail,

22 “Have you entered the storehouses (T)of the snow,Or have you seen the storehouses of the (U)hail,

22 Have you entered the place where the snow is stored?Or have you seen the storehouses of hail,(I)

22 "Have you entered the storehouses of the snow or seen where the hail is stored,

23 Which I have kept for the time of trouble, for the day of war and fighting?

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

23 Which I have reserved for the time of distress,For the day of war and battle?

23 which I hold in reserve for times of trouble,for the day of warfare and battle?(J)

23 which I've reserved for the tribulation to come, for the day of battle and war?

24 Which is the way to the place where the wind is measured out, and the east wind sent out over the earth?

24 By what way is the light parted, which scattereth the east wind upon the earth?

24 “Where is the way that (V)the light is divided,Or the east wind scattered on the earth?

24 What road leads to the place where light is dispersed?(f)Where is the source of the east wind that spreads across the earth?

24 Where is the lightning diffused or the east wind scattered around the earth?

25 By whom has the way been cut for the flowing of the rain, and the flaming of the thunder;

25 Who hath divided a watercourse for the overflowing of waters, or a way for the lightning of thunder;

25 “Who has cleft a channel for the flood,Or a way for the thunderbolt,

25 Who cuts a channel for the flooding rainor clears the way for lightning,

25 "Who cuts canals for storm floods, and paths for the lightning and thunder,

26 Causing rain to come on a land where no man is living, on the waste land which has no people;

26 To cause it to rain on the earth, where no man is; on the wilderness, wherein there is no man;

26 To bring (W)rain on a land without (g)people,On a desert without a man in it,

26 to bring rain on an uninhabited land,on a desert with no human life,(g)

26 to bring rain upon a land without inhabitants, a desert in which no human beings live,

27 To give water to the land where there is waste and destruction, and to make the dry land green with young grass?

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

27 To (X)satisfy the waste and desolate landAnd to make the (h)seeds of grass to sprout?

27 to satisfy the parched wastelandand cause the grass to sprout?(K)

27 to satisfy a desolate and devastated desert, causing it to sprout vegetation?

28 Has the rain a father? or who gave birth to the drops of night mist?

28 Hath the rain a father? or who hath begotten the drops of dew?

28 “Has (Y)the rain a father?Or who has begotten the drops of dew?

28 Does the rain have a father?Who fathered the drops of dew?(L)

28 "Does the rain have a father? Who fathered the dew?

29 Out of whose body came the ice? and who gave birth to the cold mist of heaven?

29 Out of whose womb came the ice? and the hoary frost of heaven, who hath gendered it?

29 “From whose womb has come the (Z)ice?And the frost of heaven, who has given it birth?

29 Whose womb did the ice come from?Who gave birth to the frost of heaven

29 Whose womb brings forth the ice? Who gives birth to frost out of an empty sky,

30 The waters are joined together, hard as a stone, and the face of the deep is covered.

30 The waters are hid as with a stone, and the face of the deep is frozen.

30 “Water (i)becomes hard like stone,And the surface of the deep is imprisoned.

30 when water becomes as hard as stone,(h)and the surface of the watery depths is frozen?(M)

30 when water solidifies like stone and the surface of the deepest sea freezes?

31 Are the bands of the Pleiades fixed by you, or are the cords of Orion made loose?

31 Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion?

31 “Can you bind the chains of the (AA)Pleiades,Or loose the cords of Orion?

31 Can you fasten the chains of the Pleiadesor loosen the belt of Orion?

31 "Can you bind the chains of Pleiades or loosen the cords of Orion?

32 Do you make Mazzaroth come out in its right time, or are the Bear and its children guided by you?

32 Canst thou bring forth Mazzaroth in his season? or canst thou guide Arcturus with his sons?

32 “Can you lead forth a (j)constellation in its season,And guide the Bear with her (k)satellites?

32 Can you bring out the constellations(i) in their seasonand lead the Bear(j) and her cubs?(N)

32 Can you bring out constellations in their season? Can you guide the Bear with her cubs?

33 Have you knowledge of the laws of the heavens? did you give them rule over the earth?

33 Knowest thou the ordinances of heaven? canst thou set the dominion thereof in the earth?

33 “Do you know the (AB)ordinances of the heavens,Or fix their rule over the earth?

33 Do you know the laws(O) of heaven?Can you impose its(k) authority on earth?

33 Do you know the laws of the heavens? Can you regulate their authority over the earth?

34 Is your voice sent up to the cloud, so that you may be covered by the weight of waters?

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

34 “Can you lift up your voice to the clouds,So that an (AC)abundance of water will cover you?

34 Can you command(l) the cloudsso that a flood of water covers you?(P)

34 "Can you call out to the clouds, so that abundant water drenches you?

35 Do you send out the thunder-flames, so that they may go, and say to you, Here we are?

35 Canst thou send lightnings, that they may go, and say unto thee, Here we are?

35 “Can you (AD)send forth lightnings that they may goAnd say to you, ‘Here we are’?

35 Can you send out lightning(Q) bolts, and they go?Do they report to you: “Here we are”?

35 Can you command the lightning, so that it goes forth and calls to you, "Look at us!'

36 Who has put wisdom in the high clouds, or given knowledge to the lights of the north?

36 Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts? or who hath given understanding to the heart?

36 “Who has (AE)put wisdom in the innermost beingOr given (AF)understanding to the (l)mind?

36 Who put wisdom(R) in the heart(m)or gave the mind understanding?

36 "Who sets wisdom within you, or imbues your mind with understanding?

37 By whose wisdom are the clouds numbered, or the water-skins of the heavens turned to the earth,

37 Who can number the clouds in wisdom? or who can stay the bottles of heaven,

37 “Who can count the clouds by wisdom,Or (AG)tip the water jars of the heavens,

37 Who has the wisdom to number the clouds?Or who can tilt the water jars of heaven

37 Who has the wisdom to be able to count the clouds, or to empty the water jars of heaven,

38 When the earth becomes hard as metal, and is joined together in masses?

38 When the dust groweth into hardness, and the clods cleave fast together?

38 When the dust hardens into a massAnd the clods stick together?

38 when the dust hardens like cast metaland the clods of dirt stick together?

38 when dust dries into a mass and then breaks apart into clods?

The Lioness

39 Do you go after food for the she-lion, or get meat so that the young lions may have enough,

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

39 “Can you hunt the (AH)prey for the lion,Or satisfy the appetite of the young lions,

39 Can you hunt prey for a lionessor satisfy the appetite of young lions(S)

39 "Can you hunt prey for the lioness to satisfy young lions

40 When they are stretched out in their holes, and are waiting in the brushwood?

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

40 When they (AI)crouch in their densAnd lie in wait in their lair?

40 when they crouch in their densand lie in wait within their lairs?

40 when they crouch in their dens and lie in ambush in their lairs?

The Crow

41 Who gives in the evening the meat he is searching for, when his young ones are crying to God; when the young lions with loud noise go wandering after their food?

41 Who provideth for the raven his food? when his young ones cry unto God, they wander for lack of meat.

41 “Who prepares for (AJ)the raven its nourishmentWhen its young cry to GodAnd wander about without food?

41 Who provides the raven’s food(T)when its young cry out to Godand wander about for lack of food? >

41 Who prepares food for the raven, when its offspring cry out to God as they wander for lack of food?"

Basic English, produced by Mr C. K. Ogden of the Orthological Institute - public domain

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