Job 38
1 Then Jehovah answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said,
Then spake Jehovah to Job out of the whirlwind, and said:
2 Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?
Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?
3 Gird up now thy loins like a man, for I will demand of thee, and declare thou to me.
Gird up thy loins like a man! I will ask thee, and answer thou me!
4 Where were thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if thou have understanding.
Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if thou hast understanding!
5 Who determined the measures of it, if thou know? Or who stretched the line upon it?
Who fixed its dimensions, that thou shouldst know it! Or who stretched out the line upon it?
6 Upon what were the foundations of it fastened? Or who laid the cornerstone of it
Upon what were its foundations fixed? And who laid its corner-stone,
7 when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
When the morning stars sang together, And all the sons of God shouted for joy?
8 Or who shut up the sea with doors when it broke forth, like it had issued out of the womb,
And who shut up the sea with doors, When it burst forth as from the womb?
9 when I made clouds the garment of it, and thick darkness a swaddling-band for it,
When I made the clouds its mantle, And thick darkness its swaddling-band;
10 and marked out for it my bound, and set bars and doors,
When I appointed for it my bound, And fixed for it bars and doors;
11 and said, This far thou shall come, but no farther, and here thy proud waves shall be stayed?
And said, Thus far shalt thou come, and no farther, And here shall thy proud waves be stayed!
12 Have thou commanded the morning since thy days began, and caused the dayspring to know its place
Hast thou, in thy life, given charge to the morning, Or caused the day-spring to know its place,
13 that it might take hold of the ends of the earth, and the wicked be shaken out of it?
That it should lay hold of the ends of the earth, And shake the wicked out of it?
14 It is changed as clay under the seal, and all things stand forth as a garment.
It is changed as clay by the seal; And all things stand forth as in rich apparel.
15 And from the wicked their light is withheld, and the high arm is broken.
But from the wicked their light is withheld, And the high-raised arm is broken.
16 Have thou entered into the springs of the sea? Or have thou walked in the recesses of the deep?
Hast thou visited the springs of the sea, And walked through the recesses of the deep?
17 Have the gates of death been revealed to thee? Or have thou seen the gates of the shadow of death?
Have the gates of death been disclosed to thee, And hast thou seen the gates of the shadow of death?
18 Have thou comprehended the earth in its breadth? Declare, if thou know it all.
Hast thou surveyed the breadth of the earth? Declare, if thou knowest it all!
19 Where is the way to the dwelling of light? And as for darkness, where is the place of it
Where is the way to the abode of light? And darkness—where is its dwelling-place?
20 that thou should take it to the bound of it, and that thou should discern the paths to the house of it?
That thou shouldst lead it to its boundary, And that thou shouldst know the paths to its mansion!
21 Thou know, for thou were born then, and the number of thy days is great!
Surely thou knowest; for thou wast then born! And the number of thy years is great!
22 Have thou entered the treasuries of the snow, or have thou seen the treasures of the hail,
Hast thou visited the storehouses of the snow, Or seen the treasuries of the hail,
23 which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war?
Which I have reserved against the time of trouble, —Against the day of battle and war?
24 By what way is the light divided, or the east wind scattered upon the earth?
What is the way to where light is distributed, And the east wind spread abroad upon the earth?
25 Who has cleft a channel for the water flood, or the way for the lightning of the thunder,
Who hath prepared channels for the rain, And a path for the thunder-flash,
26 to cause it to rain on a land where no man is, on the wilderness, in which there is no man,
To give rain to the land without an inhabitant, To the wilderness wherein is no man;
27 to satisfy the waste and desolate ground, and to cause the tender grass to spring forth?
To satisfy the desolate and waste ground, And cause the tender herb to spring forth?
28 Has the rain a father? Or who has begotten the drops of dew?
Hath the rain a father? Or who hath begotten the drops of the dew?
29 Out of whose womb came the ice? And the hoary frost of heaven, who has engendered it?
Out of whose womb came the ice? And who hath gendered the hoar-frost of heaven?
30 The waters hide themselves and become like stone, and the face of the deep is frozen.
The waters are hid as under stone, And the face of the deep becometh solid.
31 Can thou bind the cluster of the Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion?
Canst thou fasten the bands of the Pleiades, Or loosen the chains of Orion?
32 Can thou lead forth the Mazzaroth in their season? Or can thou guide the Bear with her train?
Canst thou lead forth the Signs in their season, Or guide the Bear with her sons?
33 Do thou know the ordinances of the heavens? Can thou establish the dominion of it on the earth?
Knowest thou the ordinances of the heavens? Hast thou appointed their dominion over the earth?
34 Can thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, that abundance of waters may cover thee?
Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, So that abundance of waters will cover thee?
35 Can thou send forth lightnings, that they may go, and say to thee, Here we are?
Canst thou send forth lightnings, so that they will go, And say to thee, “Here we are”?
36 Who has put wisdom in the inward parts? Or who has given understanding to the mind?
Who hath put understanding in the reins, And given intelligence to the mind?
37 Who can number the clouds by wisdom? Or who can pour out the bottles of heaven
Who numbereth the clouds in wisdom? And who poureth out the bottles of heaven,
38 when the dust runs into a mass, and the clods cleave fast together?
When the dust floweth into a molten mass, And the clods cleave fast together?
39 Can thou hunt the prey for the lioness, or satisfy the appetite of the young lions
Canst thou hunt prey for the lioness, Or satisfy the hunger of the young lions,
40 when they couch in their dens, and abide in the covert to lie in wait?
When they couch in their dens, And lie in wait in the thicket?
41 Who provides for the raven his prey when his young ones cry to God, and wander for lack of food?
Who provideth for the raven his food, When his young ones cry unto God, While they wander about without food?
