² Who is this darkening counsel
    with words lacking knowledge?
³ Prepare yourself like a man;
    I will interrogate you, and you will respond to me.

⁴ Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundations?
    Tell me if you know.
⁵ Who set its measurements? Surely you know.
    Who stretched a measuring tape on it?
⁶ On what were its footings sunk;
    who laid its cornerstone,
⁷     while the morning stars sang in unison
        and all the divine beings shouted?
⁸ Who enclosed the Sea^[a] behind doors
    when it burst forth from the womb,
⁹     when I made the clouds its garment,
        the dense clouds its wrap,
¹⁰     when I imposed^[b] my limit for it,
        put on a bar and doors
¹¹     and said, “You may come this far, no farther;
        here your proud waves stop”?

² Will the one who disputes with the Almighty correct him?
    God’s instructor must answer him.
³ Job responded to the Lord:
⁴ Look, I’m of little worth. What can I answer you?
    I’ll put my hand over my mouth.
⁵ I have spoken once, I won’t answer;
    twice, I won’t do it again.

⁶ The Lord answered Job from the whirlwind:
⁷ Prepare yourself like a man;
    I will interrogate you, and you will respond to me.
⁸ Would you question my justice,
    deem me guilty so you can be innocent?
⁹ Or do you have an arm like God;
    can you thunder with a voice like him?
¹⁰ Adorn yourself with splendor and majesty;
    clothe yourself with honor and esteem.
¹¹ Unleash your raging anger;
    look on all the proud and humble them.
¹² Look on all the proud and debase them;
    trample the wicked in their place.
¹³ Hide them together in the dust;
    bind their faces in a hidden place.
¹⁴ Then I, even I, will praise you,
    for your strong hand has delivered you.

² I know you can do anything;
    no plan of yours can be opposed successfully.
³ You said,^[a] “Who is this darkening counsel without knowledge?”
    I have indeed spoken about things I didn’t understand,
    wonders beyond my comprehension.
⁴ You said,^[b] “Listen and I will speak;
    I will question you and you will inform me.”
⁵ My ears had heard about you,
    but now my eyes have seen you.
⁶ Therefore, I relent^[c] and find comfort
    on dust and ashes.