Job 38
1 And after Elius had ceased from speaking, the Lord spoke to Job through the whirlwind and clouds, [saying],
And Jehovah answered Job out of the whirlwind and said,
2 Who is this that hides counsel from me, and confines words in [his] heart, and thinks to conceal [them] from me?
Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?
3 Gird your loins like a man; and I will ask you, and do you answer me.
Gird up now thy loins like a man; and I will demand of thee, and inform thou me.
4 Where was you when I founded the earth? tell me now, if you have knowledge,
Where wast thou when I founded the earth? Declare, if thou hast understanding.
5 who set the measures of it, if you know? or who stretched a line upon it?
Who set the measures thereof — if thou knowest? or who stretched a line upon it?
6 On what are its rings fastened? and who is he that laid the corner-stone upon it?
Whereupon were the foundations thereof sunken? or who laid its corner-stone,
7 When the stars were made, all my angels praised me with a loud voice.
When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
8 And I shut up the sea with gates, when it rushed out, coming forth out its mother's womb.
And who shut up the sea with doors, when it burst forth, issuing out of the womb?
9 And I made a cloud its clothing, and swathed it in mist.
When I made the cloud its garment, and thick darkness a swaddling band for it;
10 And I set bounds to it, surrounding it with bars and gates.
When I cut out for it my boundary, and set bars and doors,
11 And I said to it, Hitherto shall you come, but you shall not go beyond, but your waves shall be confined within you.
And said, Hitherto shalt thou come and no further, and here shall thy proud waves be stayed?
12 Or did I order the morning light in your time; and [did] the morning star [then first] see his appointed place;
Hast thou since thy days commanded the morning? hast thou caused the dawn to know its place,
13 to lay hold of the extremities of the earth, to cast out the ungodly out of it?
That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, and the wicked might be shaken out of it?
14 Or did you take clay of the ground, and form a living creature, and set it with the power of speech upon the earth?
It is changed like the signet-clay; and [all things] stand forth as in a garment:
15 And have you removed light from the ungodly, and crushed the arm of the proud?
And from the wicked their light is withholden, and the uplifted arm is broken.
16 Or have you gone to the source of the sea, and walked in the tracks of the deep?
Hast thou entered as far as the springs of the sea? and hast thou walked in the recesses of the deep?
17 And do the gates of death open to you for fear; and did the porters of hell quake when they saw you? (questioned)
Have the gates of death been revealed unto thee? and hast thou seen the gates of the shadow of death?
18 And have you been instructed in the breadth of the [whole earth] under heaven? tell me now, what is the extent of it?
Hath thine understanding compassed the breadths of the earth? Declare if thou knowest it all.
19 And in what kind of a land does the light dwell? and of what kind is the place of darkness?
Where is the way to where light dwelleth? and the darkness, where is its place,
20 If you could bring me to their [utmost] boundaries, and if also you know their paths;
That thou shouldest take it to its bound, and that thou shouldest know the paths to its house?
21 I know then that you were born at that time, and the number of your years is great.
Thou knowest, for thou wast then born, and the number of thy days is great!
22 But have you gone to the treasures of snow? and have you seen the treasures of hail?
Hast thou entered into the storehouses of the snow, and hast thou seen the treasuries of the hail,
23 And is there a store [of them], for you against the time of [your] enemies, for the day of wars and battle?
Which I have reserved for the time of distress, for the day of battle and war?
24 And whence proceeds the frost? or [whence] is the south wind dispersed over the [whole world] under heaven?
By what way is the light parted, [and] the east wind scattered upon the earth?
25 And who prepared a course for the violent rain, and a way for the thunders;
Who hath divided a channel for the rain-flood, and a way for the thunder's flash;
26 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],
To cause it to rain on the earth, where no one is; on the wilderness wherein there is not a man;
27 and cause it to send forth a crop of green herbs?
To satisfy the desolate and waste [ground], and to cause the sprout of the grass to spring forth?
28 Who is the rain's father? and who has generated the drops of dew?
Hath the rain a father? or who begetteth the drops of dew?
29 And out of whose womb comes the ice? and who has produced the frost in the sky,
Out of whose womb cometh the ice? and the hoary frost of heaven, who bringeth it forth?
30 which descends like flowing water? who has terrified the face of the ungodly?
When the waters lie hidden as in stone, and the face of the deep holdeth fast together.
31 And do you understand the band of Pleias, and have you opened the barrier of Orion?
Canst thou fasten the bands of the Pleiades, or loosen the cords of Orion?
32 Or will you reveal Mazuroth in his season, and the evening star with his rays? Will you guide them?
Dost thou bring forth the constellations each in its season? or dost thou guide the Bear with her sons?
33 And know you the changes of heaven, or the events which take place together under heaven?
Knowest thou the ordinances of the heavens? dost thou determine their rule over the earth?
34 And will you call a cloud with your voice, and will it obey you with a violent shower of much rain?
Dost thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, that floods of waters may cover thee?
35 And will you send lightnings, and they shall go? and shall they say to you, What is [your pleasure]?
Dost thou send forth lightnings that they may go, and say unto thee, Here we are?
36 And who has given to women skill in weaving, or knowledge of embroidery?
Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts? or who hath given understanding to the mind?
37 And who is he that numbers the clouds in wisdom, and has bowed the heaven [down] to the earth?
Who numbereth the clouds with wisdom? or who poureth out the bottles of the heavens,
38 For it is spread out as dusty earth, and I have cemented it as one hewn stone to another.
When the dust runneth as into a molten mass, and the clods cleave fast together?
39 And will you hunt a prey for the lions? and satisfy the desires of the serpents?
Dost thou hunt the prey for the lioness, and dost thou satisfy the appetite of the young lions,
40 For they fear in their lairs, and lying in wait couch in the woods.
When they crouch in [their] dens, [and] abide in the thicket to lie in wait?
41 And who has prepared food for the raven? for its young ones wander and cry to the Lord, in search of food.
Who provideth for the raven his food, when his young ones cry unto God, [and] they wander for lack of meat?
