Job 38
1 Saa svarede HERREN Job ud fra Stormvejret og sagde:
Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind and said:
2 Hvem fordunkler mit Raad med Ord, som er uden Mening?
“Who is this who obscures My counsel by words without knowledge?
3 Omgjord som en Mand dine Lænder, jeg vil spørge, og du skal lære mig!
Now brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall inform Me.
4 Hvor var du, da jeg grundede Jorden? Sig frem, om du har nogen Indsigt!
Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding.
5 Hvem bestemte dens Maal — du kender det jo — hvem spændte Maalesnor ud derover?
Who fixed its measurements? Surely you know! Or who stretched a measuring line across it?
6 Hvorpaa blev dens Støtter sænket, hvem lagde dens Hjørnesten,
On what were its foundations set, or who laid its cornerstone,
7 mens Morgenstjernerne jubled til Hobe, og alle Gudssønner raabte af Glæde?
while the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
8 Hvem stængte for Havet med Porte, dengang det brusende udgik af Moders Skød,
Who enclosed the sea behind doors when it burst forth from the womb,
9 dengang jeg gav det Skyen til Klædning og Taagemulm til Svøb,
when I made the clouds its garment and thick darkness its blanket,
10 dengang jeg brød det en Grænse og indsatte Portslaa og Døre
when I fixed its boundaries and set in place its bars and doors,
11 og sagde: »Hertil og ikke længer! Her standse dine stolte Vover!«
and I declared: ‘You may come this far, but no farther; here your proud waves must stop’?
12 Har du nogen Sinde kaldt Morgenen frem, ladet Morgenrøden vide sit Sted,
In your days, have you commanded the morning or assigned the dawn its place,
13 saa den greb om Jordens Flige og gudløse rystedes bort,
that it might spread to the ends of the earth and shake the wicked out of it?
14 saa den dannedes til som Ler under Segl, fik Farve, som var den en Klædning?
The earth takes shape like clay under a seal; its hills stand out like the folds of a garment.
15 De gudløses Lys toges fra dem, den løftede Arm blev knust.
Light is withheld from the wicked, and their upraised arm is broken.
16 Har du mon været ved Havets Kilder, har du mon vandret paa Dybets Bund?
Have you journeyed to the vents of the sea or walked in the trenches of the deep?
17 Mon Dødens Porte har vist sig for dig, skued du Mulmets Porte?
Have the gates of death been revealed to you? Have you seen the gates of the shadow of death?
18 Saa du ud over Jordens Vidder? Sig frem, om du ved, hvor stor den er!
Have you surveyed the extent of the earth? Tell Me, if you know all this.
19 Hvor er Vejen til Lysets Bolig, og hvor har Mørket mon hjemme,
Where is the way to the home of light? Do you know where darkness resides,
20 saa du kunde hente det til dets Rige og bringe det hen paa Vej til dets Bolig?
so you can lead it back to its border? Do you know the paths to its home?
21 Du ved det, du blev jo født dengang, dine Dages Tal er jo stort!
Surely you know, for you were already born! And the number of your days is great!
22 Har du været, hvor Sneen gemmes, og skuet, hvor Hagelen vogtes,
Have you entered the storehouses of snow or observed the storehouses of hail,
23 den, jeg gemmer til Trængselens Tid, til Kampens og Krigens Dag?
which I hold in reserve for times of trouble, for the day of war and battle?
24 Hvor er Vejen did, hvor Lyset deler sig, hvor Østenvinden spreder sig ud over Jorden?
In which direction is the lightning dispersed, or the east wind scattered over the earth?
25 Hvem aabnede Regnen en Rende og Tordenens Lyn en Vej
Who cuts a channel for the flood or clears a path for the thunderbolt,
26 for at væde folketomt Land, Ørkenen, hvor ingen bor,
to bring rain on a barren land, on a desert where no man lives,
27 for at kvæge Øde og Ødemark og fremkalde Urter i Ørkenen?
to satisfy the parched wasteland and make it sprout with tender grass?
28 Har Regnen mon en Fader, hvem avlede Duggens Draaber?
Does the rain have a father? Who has begotten the drops of dew?
29 Af hvilket Skød kom Isen vel frem, hvem fødte mon Himlens Rim?
From whose womb does the ice emerge? Who gives birth to the frost from heaven,
30 Vandet størkner som Sten, Dybets Flade trækker sig sammen.
when the waters become hard as stone and the surface of the deep is frozen?
31 Knytter du Syvstjernens Baand, kan du løse Orions Lænker?
Can you bind the chains of the Pleiades or loosen the belt of Orion?
32 Lader du Aftenstjernen gaa op i Tide, leder du Bjørnen med Unger?
Can you bring forth the constellations in their seasons or lead out the Bear and her cubs?
33 Kender du Himmelens Love, fastsætter du dens Magt over Jorden?
Do you know the laws of the heavens? Can you set their dominion over the earth?
34 Kan du løfte Røsten til Sky, saa Vandskyl adlyder dig?
Can you command the clouds so that a flood of water covers you?
35 Sender du Lynene ud, saa de gaar, og svarer de dig: »Her er vi!«
Can you send the lightning bolts on their way? Do they report to you, ‘Here we are’?
36 Hvem lagde Visdom i sorte Skyer, hvem gav Luftsynet Kløgt?
Who has put wisdom in the heart or given understanding to the mind?
37 Hvem er saa viis, at han tæller Skyerne, hvem hælder Himmelens Vandsække om,
Who has the wisdom to count the clouds? Or who can tilt the water jars of the heavens
38 naar Jorden ligger i Ælte, og Leret klumper sig sammen?
when the dust hardens into a mass and the clods of earth stick together?
39 Jager du Rov til Løvinden, stiller du Ungløvers Hunger,
Can you hunt the prey for a lioness or satisfy the hunger of young lions
40 naar de dukker sig i deres Huler; ligger paa Lur i Krat?
when they crouch in their dens and lie in wait in the thicket?
41 Hvem skaffer Ravnen Æde, naar Ungerne skriger til Gud og flakker om uden Føde?
Who provides food for the raven when its young cry out to God as they wander about for lack of food?
