² “Who is this that questions my wisdom
    with such ignorant words?
³ Brace yourself like a man,
    because I have some questions for you,
    and you must answer them.

⁴ “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?
    Tell me, if you know so much.
⁵ Who determined its dimensions
    and stretched out the surveying line?
⁶ What supports its foundations,
    and who laid its cornerstone
⁷ as the morning stars sang together
    and all the angels^[a] shouted for joy?

⁸ “Who kept the sea inside its boundaries
    as it burst from the womb,
⁹ and as I clothed it with clouds
    and wrapped it in thick darkness?
¹⁰ For I locked it behind barred gates,
    limiting its shores.
¹¹ I said, ‘This far and no farther will you come.
    Here your proud waves must stop!’

¹² “Have you ever commanded the morning to appear
    and caused the dawn to rise in the east?
¹³ Have you made daylight spread to the ends of the earth,
    to bring an end to the night’s wickedness?
¹⁴ As the light approaches,
    the earth takes shape like clay pressed beneath a seal;
    it is robed in brilliant colors.^[b]
15 The light disturbs the wicked
    and stops the arm that is raised in violence.

¹⁶ “Have you explored the springs from which the seas come?
    Have you explored their depths?
¹⁷ Do you know where the gates of death are located?
    Have you seen the gates of utter gloom?
¹⁸ Do you realize the extent of the earth?
    Tell me about it if you know!

¹⁹ “Where does light come from,
    and where does darkness go?
²⁰ Can you take each to its home?
    Do you know how to get there?
²¹ But of course you know all this!
For you were born before it was all created,
    and you are so very experienced!

²² “Have you visited the storehouses of the snow
    or seen the storehouses of hail?
²³ (I have reserved them as weapons for the time of trouble,
    for the day of battle and war.)
²⁴ Where is the path to the source of light?
    Where is the home of the east wind?

²⁵ “Who created a channel for the torrents of rain?
    Who laid out the path for the lightning?
²⁶ Who makes the rain fall on barren land,
    in a desert where no one lives?
²⁷ Who sends rain to satisfy the parched ground
    and make the tender grass spring up?

²⁸ “Does the rain have a father?
    Who gives birth to the dew?
²⁹ Who is the mother of the ice?
    Who gives birth to the frost from the heavens?
³⁰ For the water turns to ice as hard as rock,
    and the surface of the water freezes.

³¹ “Can you direct the movement of the stars—
    binding the cluster of the Pleiades
    or loosening the cords of Orion?
³² Can you direct the constellations through the seasons
    or guide the Bear with her cubs across the heavens?
³³ Do you know the laws of the universe?
    Can you use them to regulate the earth?

³⁴ “Can you shout to the clouds
    and make it rain?
³⁵ Can you make lightning appear
    and cause it to strike as you direct?
³⁶ Who gives intuition to the heart
    and instinct to the mind?
³⁷ Who is wise enough to count all the clouds?
    Who can tilt the water jars of heaven
³⁸ when the parched ground is dry
    and the soil has hardened into clods?

³⁹ “Can you stalk prey for a lioness
    and satisfy the young lions’ appetites
⁴⁰ as they lie in their dens
    or crouch in the thicket?
⁴¹ Who provides food for the ravens
    when their young cry out to God
    and wander about in hunger?

⁵ “Who gives the wild donkey its freedom?
    Who untied its ropes?
⁶ I have placed it in the wilderness;
    its home is the wasteland.
⁷ It hates the noise of the city
    and has no driver to shout at it.
⁸ The mountains are its pastureland,
    where it searches for every blade of grass.

⁹ “Will the wild ox consent to being tamed?
    Will it spend the night in your stall?
¹⁰ Can you hitch a wild ox to a plow?
    Will it plow a field for you?
¹¹ Given its strength, can you trust it?
    Can you leave and trust the ox to do your work?
¹² Can you rely on it to bring home your grain
    and deliver it to your threshing floor?

¹³ “The ostrich flaps her wings grandly,
    but they are no match for the feathers of the stork.
¹⁴ She lays her eggs on top of the earth,
    letting them be warmed in the dust.
¹⁵ She doesn’t worry that a foot might crush them
    or a wild animal might destroy them.
¹⁶ She is harsh toward her young,
    as if they were not her own.
    She doesn’t care if they die.
¹⁷ For God has deprived her of wisdom.
    He has given her no understanding.
¹⁸ But whenever she jumps up to run,
    she passes the swiftest horse with its rider.

¹⁹ “Have you given the horse its strength
    or clothed its neck with a flowing mane?
²⁰ Did you give it the ability to leap like a locust?
    Its majestic snorting is terrifying!
²¹ It paws the earth and rejoices in its strength
    when it charges out to battle.
²² It laughs at fear and is unafraid.
    It does not run from the sword.
²³ The arrows rattle against it,
    and the spear and javelin flash.
²⁴ It paws the ground fiercely
    and rushes forward into battle when the ram’s horn blows.
²⁵ It snorts at the sound of the horn.
    It senses the battle in the distance.
    It quivers at the captain’s commands and the noise of battle.

²⁶ “Is it your wisdom that makes the hawk soar
    and spread its wings toward the south?
²⁷ Is it at your command that the eagle rises
    to the heights to make its nest?
²⁸ It lives on the cliffs,
    making its home on a distant, rocky crag.
²⁹ From there it hunts its prey,
    keeping watch with piercing eyes.
³⁰ Its young gulp down blood.
    Where there’s a carcass, there you’ll find it.”

² “Do you still want to argue with the Almighty?
    You are God’s critic, but do you have the answers?”

⁴ “I am nothing—how could I ever find the answers?
    I will cover my mouth with my hand.
⁵ I have said too much already.
    I have nothing more to say.”

⁷ “Brace yourself like a man,
    because I have some questions for you,
    and you must answer them.

⁸ “Will you discredit my justice
    and condemn me just to prove you are right?
⁹ Are you as strong as God?
    Can you thunder with a voice like his?
¹⁰ All right, put on your glory and splendor,
    your honor and majesty.
¹¹ Give vent to your anger.
    Let it overflow against the proud.
¹² Humiliate the proud with a glance;
    walk on the wicked where they stand.
¹³ Bury them in the dust.
    Imprison them in the world of the dead.
¹⁴ Then even I would praise you,
    for your own strength would save you.

¹⁵ “Take a look at Behemoth,^[c]
    which I made, just as I made you.
    It eats grass like an ox.
¹⁶ See its powerful loins
    and the muscles of its belly.
¹⁷ Its tail is as strong as a cedar.
    The sinews of its thighs are knit tightly together.
¹⁸ Its bones are tubes of bronze.
    Its limbs are bars of iron.
¹⁹ It is a prime example of God’s handiwork,
    and only its Creator can threaten it.
²⁰ The mountains offer it their best food,
    where all the wild animals play.
²¹ It lies under the lotus plants,^[d]
    hidden by the reeds in the marsh.
²² The lotus plants give it shade
    among the willows beside the stream.
²³ It is not disturbed by the raging river,
    not concerned when the swelling Jordan rushes around it.
²⁴ No one can catch it off guard
    or put a ring in its nose and lead it away.