^7 (A)“Are you the first man who was born?
    Or ^(B)were you brought forth ^(C)before the hills?

^22 (A)“The Lord ^(B)possessed^[a] me at the beginning of his work,^[b]
    the first of his acts ^(C)of old.
²³ Ages ago I was ^(D)set up,
    at the first, ^(E)before the beginning of the earth.
²⁴ When there were no ^(F)depths I was ^(G)brought forth,
    when there were no springs abounding with water.
²⁵ Before the mountains ^(H)had been shaped,
    ^(I)before the hills, I was brought forth,

⁴ “Where were you when I ^(A)laid the foundation of the earth?
    Tell me, if you have understanding.
⁵ Who determined its measurements—surely you know!
    Or who stretched the line upon it?
⁶ On what were its bases sunk,
    or who laid its cornerstone,
⁷ when the morning stars ^(B)sang together
    and all ^(C)the sons of God ^(D)shouted for joy?

⁸ “Or who ^(E)shut in the sea with doors
    when it burst out from the womb,
⁹ when I made clouds its garment
    and ^(F)thick darkness its swaddling band,
¹⁰ and prescribed ^(G)limits for it
    and set bars and doors,
¹¹ and said, ‘Thus far shall you come, and no farther,
    and here shall your ^(H)proud waves be stayed’?

¹² “Have you ^(I)commanded the morning since your days began,
    and caused the dawn to know its place,
¹³ that it might take hold of ^(J)the skirts of the earth,
    and the wicked be ^(K)shaken out of it?
¹⁴ It is changed like clay under the seal,
    and its features stand out like a garment.
¹⁵ From the wicked their ^(L)light is withheld,
    and ^(M)their uplifted arm is broken.

¹⁶ “Have you ^(N)entered into the springs of the sea,
    or walked in the recesses of the deep?
¹⁷ Have ^(O)the gates of death been revealed to you,
    or have you seen the gates of ^(P)deep darkness?
¹⁸ Have you comprehended the expanse of the earth?
    Declare, if you know all this.

¹⁹ “Where is the way to the dwelling of light,
    and where is the place of darkness,
²⁰ that you may take it to its territory
    and that you may discern ^(Q)the paths to its home?
²¹ You know, for ^(R)you were born then,
    and the number of your days is great!

²² “Have you entered ^(S)the storehouses of the snow,
    or have you seen ^(T)the storehouses of the hail,
²³ which I have reserved ^(U)for the time of trouble,
    ^(V)for the day of battle and war?
²⁴ What is the way to the place where the light is distributed,
    or where the east wind is scattered upon the earth?

²⁵ “Who has cleft a channel for the torrents of rain
    and ^(W)a way for the thunderbolt,
²⁶ to bring rain on ^(X)a land where no man is,
    on ^(Y)the desert in which there is no man,
²⁷ to satisfy the waste and desolate land,
    and to make the ground sprout with ^(Z)grass?

²⁸ “Has ^(AA)the rain a father,
    or who has begotten the drops of dew?
²⁹ From whose womb did ^(AB)the ice come forth,
    and who has given birth to ^(AC)the frost of heaven?
³⁰ The waters become hard like stone,
    and the face of the deep is ^(AD)frozen.

³¹ “Can you bind the chains of ^(AE)the Pleiades
    or loose the cords of ^(AF)Orion?
³² Can you lead forth the Mazzaroth^[a] in their season,
    or can you guide ^(AG)the Bear with its children?
³³ Do you know ^(AH)the ordinances of the heavens?
    Can you establish their rule on the earth?

³⁴ “Can you lift up your voice to the clouds,
    that ^(AI)a flood of waters may cover you?
³⁵ Can you send forth lightnings, that they may go
    and say to you, ‘Here we are’?
³⁶ Who has ^(AJ)put wisdom in ^(AK)the inward parts^[b]
    or given understanding to the mind?^[c]
37 Who can number the clouds by wisdom?
    Or who can tilt the waterskins of the heavens,
³⁸ when the dust runs into a mass
    and ^(AL)the clods stick fast together?

³⁹ “Can you hunt the prey for the lion,
    or ^(AM)satisfy the appetite of the young lions,
⁴⁰ when they crouch in their ^(AN)dens
    or lie in wait ^(AO)in their thicket?
⁴¹ Who provides for ^(AP)the raven its prey,
    when its young ones cry to God for help,
    and wander about for lack of food?