² “Who^(C) is this who darkens counsel
By ^(D)words without knowledge?
^3 (E)Now ^[a]prepare yourself like a man;
I will question you, and you shall answer Me.

⁴ “Where^(F) were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?
Tell Me, if you have understanding.
⁵ Who determined its measurements?
Surely you know!
Or who stretched the ^[b]line upon it?
⁶ To what were its foundations fastened?
Or who laid its cornerstone,
⁷ When the morning stars sang together,
And all ^(G)the sons of God shouted for joy?

⁸ “Or^(H) who shut in the sea with doors,
When it burst forth and issued from the womb;
⁹ When I made the clouds its garment,
And thick darkness its swaddling band;
¹⁰ When ^(I)I fixed My limit for it,
And set bars and doors;
¹¹ When I said,
‘This far you may come, but no farther,
And here your proud waves ^(J)must stop!’

¹² “Have you ^(K)commanded the morning since your days began,
And caused the dawn to know its place,

⁴ For there are no ^[a]pangs in their death,
But their strength is firm.
^5 (E)They are not in trouble as other men,
Nor are they plagued like other men.
⁶ Therefore pride serves as their necklace;
Violence covers them ^(F)like a garment.
^7 (G)Their ^[b]eyes bulge with abundance;
They have more than heart could wish.
^8 (H)They scoff and speak wickedly concerning oppression;
They ^(I)speak ^[c]loftily.
⁹ They set their mouth ^(J)against the heavens,
And their tongue walks through the earth.

¹⁰ Therefore his people return here,
^(K)And waters of a full cup are drained by them.
¹¹ And they say, ^(L)“How does God know?
And is there knowledge in the Most High?”
¹² Behold, these are the ungodly,
Who are always at ease;
They increase in riches.
¹³ Surely I have ^[d]cleansed my heart in ^(M)vain,
And washed my hands in innocence.
¹⁴ For all day long I have been plagued,
And chastened every morning.

¹⁵ If I had said, “I will speak thus,”
Behold, I would have been untrue to the generation of Your children.
¹⁶ When I thought how to understand this,
It was ^[e]too painful for me—
¹⁷ Until I went into the sanctuary of God;
Then I understood their ^(N)end.

¹⁸ Surely ^(O)You set them in slippery places;
You cast them down to destruction.
¹⁹ Oh, how they are brought to desolation, as in a moment!
They are utterly consumed with terrors.
²⁰ As a dream when one awakes,
So, Lord, when You awake,
You shall despise their image.

²¹ Thus my heart was grieved,
And I was ^[f]vexed in my mind.
^22 (P)I was so foolish and ignorant;
I was like a beast before You.
²³ Nevertheless I am continually with You;
You hold me by my right hand.
^24 (Q)You will guide me with Your counsel,
And afterward receive me to glory.

^25 (R)Whom have I in heaven but You?
And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You.
^26 (S)My flesh and my heart fail;
But God is the ^[g]strength of my heart and my ^(T)portion forever.

²⁷ For indeed, ^(U)those who are far from You shall perish;
You have destroyed all those who ^[h]desert You for harlotry.
²⁸ But it is good for me to ^(V)draw near to God;
I have put my trust in the Lord God,
That I may ^(W)declare all Your works.