Job

¹ And now, finally, God answered Job from the eye of a violent storm. He said:

² Why do you talk without knowing what you're talking about?

³ Up on your feet! Stand tall! I have some questions for you, and I want some straight answers.

⁴ Tell me, since you know so much!

⁵ Who came up with the blueprints and measurements?

⁶ and who set the cornerstone,

⁷ and all the angels shouted praise?

⁸ when it gushed forth like a baby from the womb?

⁹ and tucked it in safely at night.

¹⁰ a strong playpen so it couldn't run loose,

¹¹ Your wild tantrums are confined to this place.'

¹² told Dawn, 'Get to work!'

¹³ and shake out the wicked like cockroaches?

¹⁴ brings out all the colors and shapes,

¹⁵ they're caught in the very act!

¹⁶ explored the labyrinthine caves of deep ocean?

¹⁷ Do you have one clue regarding death's dark mysteries?

¹⁸ Speak up if you have even the beginning of an answer.

¹⁹ and where Darkness lives

²⁰ and lead them home when they get lost?

²¹ You've known them all your life, grown up in the same neighborhood with them!

²² seen the vault where hail is stockpiled,

²³ for times of trouble and battle and war?

²⁴ or to the place from which the wind blows?

²⁵ for the downpours of rain, and charts the route of thunderstorms

²⁶ deserts no one ever lays eyes on,

²⁷ so they're carpeted with wildflowers and grass?

²⁸ And who do you think is the father of rain and dew,

²⁹ the mother of ice and frost?

³⁰ these marvels of weather just happen, do you?

³¹ or distract Orion from his hunt?

³² or get the Great Bear and her cubs to come out and play?

³³ and how they affect things on Earth?

³⁴ and commission a shower of rain?

³⁵ and have them report to you for orders?

³⁶ and storm-savvy to the rooster?

³⁷ or tip over the rain barrels of heaven

³⁸ the ground baked hard as a brick?

³⁹ and satisfy the appetite of her cubs

⁴⁰ waiting hungrily in their cave?

⁴¹ when their young cry to God, fluttering about because they have no food?