⁴ “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation?^(A)
    Tell me, if you understand.^(B)
5 Who marked off its dimensions?^(C) Surely you know!
    Who stretched a measuring line^(D) across it?
⁶ On what were its footings set,^(E)
    or who laid its cornerstone^(F)—
⁷ while the morning stars^(G) sang together^(H)
    and all the angels^[a](I) shouted for joy?^(J)

⁸ “Who shut up the sea behind doors^(K)
    when it burst forth from the womb,^(L)
9 when I made the clouds its garment
    and wrapped it in thick darkness,^(M)
10 when I fixed limits for it^(N)
    and set its doors and bars in place,^(O)
11 when I said, ‘This far you may come and no farther;^(P)
    here is where your proud waves halt’?^(Q)

¹² “Have you ever given orders to the morning,^(R)
    or shown the dawn its place,^(S)
13 that it might take the earth by the edges
    and shake the wicked^(T) out of it?^(U)
14 The earth takes shape like clay under a seal;^(V)
    its features stand out like those of a garment.
¹⁵ The wicked are denied their light,^(W)
    and their upraised arm is broken.^(X)