Job 26

1 Then responded Job, and said: —

Then Job answered,

2 How hast thou given help to one of no-strength? given victory to an arm of no-power?

“How have you helped him who is without power! How have you saved the arm that has no strength!

3 How hast thou given counsel to one of no-wisdom? or, effective wisdom, abundantly made known?

How have you counselled him who has no wisdom, and plentifully declared sound knowledge!

4 Whom hast thou taught speech? Whose inspiration hath come from thee?

To whom have you uttered words? Whose spirit came out of you?

5 The shades, tremble, beneath the waters and their inhabitants;

“The departed spirits tremble, those beneath the waters and all that live in them.

6 Naked is hades before him, and there is no covering to destruction; (Sheol h7585)

Sheol is naked before God, and Abaddon has no covering. (Sheol h7585)

7 Who stretcheth out the north over emptiness, hangeth the earth upon nothingness;

He stretches out the north over empty space, and hangs the earth on nothing.

8 Who bindeth up the waters in his thick clouds, and the cloud is not rent beneath them;

He binds up the waters in his thick clouds, and the cloud is not burst under them.

9 Who shutteth-in the face of the throne, he spreadeth over it his cloud;

He encloses the face of his throne, and spreads his cloud on it.

10 A, boundary, hath he encircled on the face of the waters, as far as where light ends in darkness;

He has described a boundary on the surface of the waters, and to the confines of light and darkness.

11 The pillars of the heavens, are shaken, and are terrified at his rebuke:

The pillars of heaven tremble and are astonished at his rebuke.

12 By his strength, hath he excited the sea, and, by his skill, hath he shattered the Crocodile:

He stirs up the sea with his power, and by his understanding he strikes through Rahab.

13 By his spirit, hath he arched the heavens, His hand hath pierced the fleeing serpent.

By his Spirit the heavens are garnished. His hand has pierced the swift serpent.

14 Lo! these, are the fringes of his way, and what a whisper of a word hath been heard of him! But, the thunder of his might, who could understand?

Behold, these are but the outskirts of his ways. How small a whisper do we hear of him! But the thunder of his power who can understand?”