Job 38

1 Then Jehovah answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said,

And after Elius had ceased from speaking, the Lord spoke to Job through the whirlwind and clouds, [saying],

2 Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?

Who is this that hides counsel from me, and confines words in [his] heart, and thinks to conceal [them] from me?

3 Gird up now thy loins like a man, for I will demand of thee, and declare thou to me.

Gird your loins like a man; and I will ask you, and do you answer me.

4 Where were thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if thou have understanding.

Where was you when I founded the earth? tell me now, if you have knowledge,

5 Who determined the measures of it, if thou know? Or who stretched the line upon it?

who set the measures of it, if you know? or who stretched a line upon it?

6 Upon what were the foundations of it fastened? Or who laid the cornerstone of it

On what are its rings fastened? and who is he that laid the corner-stone upon it?

7 when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

When the stars were made, all my angels praised me with a loud voice.

8 Or who shut up the sea with doors when it broke forth, like it had issued out of the womb,

And I shut up the sea with gates, when it rushed out, coming forth out its mother's womb.

9 when I made clouds the garment of it, and thick darkness a swaddling-band for it,

And I made a cloud its clothing, and swathed it in mist.

10 and marked out for it my bound, and set bars and doors,

And I set bounds to it, surrounding it with bars and gates.

11 and said, This far thou shall come, but no farther, and here thy proud waves shall be stayed?

And I said to it, Hitherto shall you come, but you shall not go beyond, but your waves shall be confined within you.

12 Have thou commanded the morning since thy days began, and caused the dayspring to know its place

Or did I order the morning light in your time; and [did] the morning star [then first] see his appointed place;

13 that it might take hold of the ends of the earth, and the wicked be shaken out of it?

to lay hold of the extremities of the earth, to cast out the ungodly out of it?

14 It is changed as clay under the seal, and all things stand forth as a garment.

Or did you take clay of the ground, and form a living creature, and set it with the power of speech upon the earth?

15 And from the wicked their light is withheld, and the high arm is broken.

And have you removed light from the ungodly, and crushed the arm of the proud?

16 Have thou entered into the springs of the sea? Or have thou walked in the recesses of the deep?

Or have you gone to the source of the sea, and walked in the tracks of the deep?

17 Have the gates of death been revealed to thee? Or have thou seen the gates of the shadow of death?

And do the gates of death open to you for fear; and did the porters of hell quake when they saw you? (questioned)

18 Have thou comprehended the earth in its breadth? Declare, if thou know it all.

And have you been instructed in the breadth of the [whole earth] under heaven? tell me now, what is the extent of it?

19 Where is the way to the dwelling of light? And as for darkness, where is the place of it

And in what kind of a land does the light dwell? and of what kind is the place of darkness?

20 that thou should take it to the bound of it, and that thou should discern the paths to the house of it?

If you could bring me to their [utmost] boundaries, and if also you know their paths;

21 Thou know, for thou were born then, and the number of thy days is great!

I know then that you were born at that time, and the number of your years is great.

22 Have thou entered the treasuries of the snow, or have thou seen the treasures of the hail,

But have you gone to the treasures of snow? and have you seen the treasures of hail?

23 which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war?

And is there a store [of them], for you against the time of [your] enemies, for the day of wars and battle?

24 By what way is the light divided, or the east wind scattered upon the earth?

And whence proceeds the frost? or [whence] is the south wind dispersed over the [whole world] under heaven?

25 Who has cleft a channel for the water flood, or the way for the lightning of the thunder,

And who prepared a course for the violent rain, and a way for the thunders;

26 to cause it to rain on a land where no man is, on the wilderness, in which there is no man,

to rain upon the land where [there is] no man, the wilderness, where there is not a man in it; so as to feed the untrodden and uninhabited [land],

27 to satisfy the waste and desolate ground, and to cause the tender grass to spring forth?

and cause it to send forth a crop of green herbs?

28 Has the rain a father? Or who has begotten the drops of dew?

Who is the rain's father? and who has generated the drops of dew?

29 Out of whose womb came the ice? And the hoary frost of heaven, who has engendered it?

And out of whose womb comes the ice? and who has produced the frost in the sky,

30 The waters hide themselves and become like stone, and the face of the deep is frozen.

which descends like flowing water? who has terrified the face of the ungodly?

31 Can thou bind the cluster of the Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion?

And do you understand the band of Pleias, and have you opened the barrier of Orion?

32 Can thou lead forth the Mazzaroth in their season? Or can thou guide the Bear with her train?

Or will you reveal Mazuroth in his season, and the evening star with his rays? Will you guide them?

33 Do thou know the ordinances of the heavens? Can thou establish the dominion of it on the earth?

And know you the changes of heaven, or the events which take place together under heaven?

34 Can thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, that abundance of waters may cover thee?

And will you call a cloud with your voice, and will it obey you with a violent shower of much rain?

35 Can thou send forth lightnings, that they may go, and say to thee, Here we are?

And will you send lightnings, and they shall go? and shall they say to you, What is [your pleasure]?

36 Who has put wisdom in the inward parts? Or who has given understanding to the mind?

And who has given to women skill in weaving, or knowledge of embroidery?

37 Who can number the clouds by wisdom? Or who can pour out the bottles of heaven

And who is he that numbers the clouds in wisdom, and has bowed the heaven [down] to the earth?

38 when the dust runs into a mass, and the clods cleave fast together?

For it is spread out as dusty earth, and I have cemented it as one hewn stone to another.

39 Can thou hunt the prey for the lioness, or satisfy the appetite of the young lions

And will you hunt a prey for the lions? and satisfy the desires of the serpents?

40 when they couch in their dens, and abide in the covert to lie in wait?

For they fear in their lairs, and lying in wait couch in the woods.

41 Who provides for the raven his prey when his young ones cry to God, and wander for lack of food?

And who has prepared food for the raven? for its young ones wander and cry to the Lord, in search of food.