1Job svarede på følgende måde:2„Hvor har du været til megen hjælp, trøstet og støttet mig arme stakkel!3Du har virkelig åbenbaret din store visdom og forklaret det hele for den tåbe, jeg er!4Hvordan har du fået din vældige visdom? Hvorfra kommer alle de kloge ord?5De dødes ånder skælver af frygt i deres opholdssted under havet.6Dødsriget ligger åbent for Gud, intet dernede er skjult for ham.7Gud udspændte himmelbuen over horisonten, hængte jordkloden op i det tomme rum.8Vandet binder han i de mørke skyer, de bryder ikke sammen under vægten.9Han skjuler fuldmånen bag sine skyer, breder et slør ud over den.10Han markerer horisonten, hvor havet ender, og stedet, hvor dagen bryder frem af natten.11Himlens søjler ryster og bæver, de vakler, når han viser sin vrede.12Med sin magt bragte han havet til ro, da han i sin visdom knuste Rahab.[1]13Ved et pust fra ham klarede himlen op, han gennemborede den flygtende slange.14Det er kun små eksempler på hans styrke, et svagt ekko af hans almagt, for hvem kan fatte hans fulde styrke?”
1Then Job answered and said:2“How you have helped him who has no power! How you have saved the arm that has no strength! (1.Mos 49,24; Es 40,29; Hos 7,15)3How you have counseled him who has no wisdom, and plentifully declared sound knowledge! (Salm 73,24; Jak 1,5)4With whose help have you uttered words, and whose breath has come out from you? (1.Mos 2,7)5The dead tremble under the waters and their inhabitants. (Salm 88,10)6Sheol is naked before God,[1] and Abaddon has no covering. (Salm 139,8; Ord 15,11; Åb 9,11)7He stretches out the north over the void and hangs the earth on nothing. (1.Mos 1,2; Job 9,8)8He binds up the waters in his thick clouds, and the cloud is not split open under them. (Ord 30,4)9He covers the face of the full moon[2] and spreads over it his cloud. (Job 36,29)10He has inscribed a circle on the face of the waters at the boundary between light and darkness. (Job 38,8; Salm 33,7; Ord 8,29; Jer 5,22)11The pillars of heaven tremble and are astounded at his rebuke. (Job 9,6; Salm 75,3; Salm 104,7)12By his power he stilled the sea; by his understanding he shattered Rahab. (Job 9,13; Es 51,15; Jer 31,35)13By his wind the heavens were made fair; his hand pierced the fleeing serpent. (Salm 33,6; Es 27,1)14Behold, these are but the outskirts of his ways, and how small a whisper do we hear of him! But the thunder of his power who can understand?” (Job 4,12; Job 40,19)