1 Then the Lord spoke to Job from a whirlwind. God said: 2 “Who is this ignorant person that is saying these foolish things?” 3 Job, brace yourself and get ready to answer the questions that I will ask you. 4 “Job, where were you when I made the earth? If you are so smart, then answer me. 5 If you are so smart, Who decided how big the world would be? Who measured the world with a measuring line? 6 What is the earth resting on? Who put the first stone in its place? 7 The morning stars sang together and the angels shouted with joy when that was done! 8 “Job, who closed the gates to stop the sea when it flowed from deep in the earth? 9 At that time I covered it with clouds, and wrapped it in darkness. 10 I set the limits for the sea and put it behind locked gates. 11 I said to the sea, 'You can come this far, but no farther. This is where your proud waves will stop.’ 12 “Job, did you ever in your life command the morning to start or the day to begin? 13 Job, did you ever tell the morning light to grab the earth and shake the evil people out of their hiding places? 14 The morning light makes the hills and the valleys easy to see. When the daylight comes to the earth, the shapes of those places stand out like the folds of a coat. Those places take shape like soft clay that is pressed with a stamp. 15 Evil people don’t like the daylight. When it shines bright, it stops them from doing their bad things. 16 “Job, have you ever gone to the deepest parts of the sea where the sea begins? Have you ever walked on the ocean bottom? 17 Job, have you ever seen the gates leading to the world of the dead? Have you ever seen the gates leading to that dark place of death? 18 Job, do you really understand how large the earth is? Tell me, if you know all this. 19 “Job, where does light come from? Where does darkness come from? 20 Job, can you take light and dark back to the place they came from? Do you know how to go to that place? 21 Surely you know these things, Job. You are very old and wise. You were alive when I made those things, weren’t you? 22 “Job, have you ever gone into the storerooms where I keep the snow and the hail? 23 I save the snow and the hail for times of trouble, for the times of war and battle. 24 Have you ever gone to the place where the sun comes up, where it makes the east wind blow all over the earth? 25 Who dug ditches in the sky for the heavy rain? Who made a path for the thunderstorm? 26 Who makes it rain even in places where no people live? 27 That rain gives plenty of water to that empty land and grass begins to grow. 28 Does the rain have a father? Who produces the drops of dew? 29 Does ice have a mother? Who gives birth to the hail? 30 Water freezes as hard as a rock. And even the ocean freezes over! 31 “Job, can you tie up the Pleiades? Can you unfasten the belt of Orion? 32 Can you bring out the constellations at the right times? Or can you lead out the Bear with its cubs? 33 Do you know the laws that control the sky? Can you make them rule over the earth? 34 “Job, can you shout at the clouds and command them to cover you with rain? 35 Can you give a command to the lightning? Will it come to you and say, 'Here we are. What do you want, sir?’ Will it go wherever you want it to go? 36 “Job, who makes people wise? Who puts wisdom deep inside of them? 37 Who is wise enough to count the clouds and tip them over to pour out their rain? 38 So the dust becomes mud and the clods of dirt stick together. 39 “Job, do you find food for the lions? Do you feed their hungry babies? 40 Those lions lie down in their caves, they crouch down in the grass ˻ready to attack their prey˼. 41 Who feeds the ravens when their babies yell out to God and wander around without food?
