Job 38
1 And after Elius had ceased from speaking, the Lord spoke to Job through the whirlwind and clouds, [saying],
And YHWH answers Job out of the whirlwind and says:
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—darkening counsel, By words without knowledge?
3 Gird your loins like a man; and I will ask you, and do you answer me.
Now gird your loins as a man, And I ask you, and you cause Me to know.
4 Where was you when I founded the earth? tell me now, if you have knowledge,
Where were you when I founded the earth? Declare, if you have known understanding.
5 who set the measures of it, if you know? or who stretched a line upon it?
Who placed its measures—if you know? Or who has stretched out a line on it?
6 On what are its rings fastened? and who is he that laid the corner-stone upon it?
On what have its sockets been sunk? Or who has cast its cornerstone—
7 When the stars were made, all my angels praised me with a loud voice.
In the singing together of [the] stars of morning, When all [the] sons of God shout for joy?
8 And I shut up the sea with gates, when it rushed out, coming forth out its mother's womb.
And He shuts up the sea with doors, In its coming forth, it goes out from the womb.
9 And I made a cloud its clothing, and swathed it in mist.
In My making a cloud its clothing, And thick darkness its swaddling band,
10 And I set bounds to it, surrounding it with bars and gates.
And I measure My statute over it, And place bar 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 say, To here you come, and no more, And a command is placed On the pride of your billows.
12 Or did I order the morning light in your time; and [did] the morning star [then first] see his appointed place;
Have you commanded morning since your days? Do you cause the dawn to know its place?
13 to lay hold of the extremities of the earth, to cast out the ungodly out of it?
To take hold on the skirts of the earth, And the wicked are 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 turns itself as clay of a seal And they station themselves as clothed.
15 And have you removed light from the ungodly, and crushed the arm of the proud?
And their light is withheld from the wicked, And the arm lifted up is broken.
16 Or have you gone to the source of the sea, and walked in the tracks of the deep?
Have you come to springs of the sea? And in searching the deep Have you walked up and down?
17 And do the gates of death open to you for fear; and did the porters of hell quake when they saw you? (questioned)
Were the gates of death revealed to you? And do you see the gates of death-shade?
18 And have you been instructed in the breadth of the [whole earth] under heaven? tell me now, what is the extent of it?
You have understanding, Even to the broad places of earth! Declare—if you have known 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] this—the way light dwells? And darkness, where [is] this—its place?
20 If you could bring me to their [utmost] boundaries, and if also you know their paths;
That you take it to its boundary, And that you understand the paths of its house.
21 I know then that you were born at that time, and the number of your years is great.
You have known—for then you are born, And the number of your days [are] many!
22 But have you gone to the treasures of snow? and have you seen the treasures of hail?
Have you come to the treasure of snow? Indeed, do you see the treasures of hail,
23 And is there a store [of them], for you against the time of [your] enemies, for the day of wars and battle?
That I have kept back for a time of distress, For a day of conflict and battle?
24 And whence proceeds the frost? or [whence] is the south wind dispersed over the [whole world] under heaven?
Where [is] this, the way light is apportioned? It scatters an east wind over the earth.
25 And who prepared a course for the violent rain, and a way for the thunders;
Who has divided a conduit for the flood? And a way for the lightning of the voices?
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 a land [with] no man, A wilderness [with] no man in it.
27 and cause it to send forth a crop of green herbs?
To satisfy a desolate and ruined place, And to cause to shoot up The produce of the tender grass?
28 Who is the rain's father? and who has generated the drops of dew?
Does the rain have a father? Or who has begotten the drops of dew?
29 And out of whose womb comes the ice? and who has produced the frost in the sky,
From whose belly came forth the ice? And the hoarfrost of the heavens, Who has begotten it?
30 which descends like flowing water? who has terrified the face of the ungodly?
Waters are hidden as a stone, And the face of the deep is captured.
31 And do you understand the band of Pleias, and have you opened the barrier of Orion?
Do you bind the chains of the Pleiades? Or do you open the cords of Orion?
32 Or will you reveal Mazuroth in his season, and the evening star with his rays? Will you guide them?
Do you bring out the twelve signs in [their] season? And do you comfort the Great Bear over her sons?
33 And know you the changes of heaven, or the events which take place together under heaven?
Have you known the statutes of the heavens? Or do you appoint Its dominion in the earth?
34 And will you call a cloud with your voice, and will it obey you with a violent shower of much rain?
Do you lift up your voice to the cloud, And abundance of water covers you?
35 And will you send lightnings, and they shall go? and shall they say to you, What is [your pleasure]?
Do you send out lightnings, and they go And say to you, Behold us?
36 And who has given to women skill in weaving, or knowledge of embroidery?
Who has put wisdom in the inward parts? Or who has given understanding to the covered part?
37 And who is he that numbers the clouds in wisdom, and has bowed the heaven [down] to the earth?
Who numbers the clouds by wisdom? And the bottles of the heavens, Who causes to lie down,
38 For it is spread out as dusty earth, and I have cemented it as one hewn stone to another.
In the hardening of dust into hardness, And clods cleave together?
39 And will you hunt a prey for the lions? and satisfy the desires of the serpents?
Do you hunt prey for a lion? And fulfill the desire of young lions?
40 For they fear in their lairs, and lying in wait couch in the woods.
When they bow down in dens—Abide in a thicket for a covert?
41 And who has prepared food for the raven? for its young ones wander and cry to the Lord, in search of food.
Who prepares for a raven his provision, When his young ones cry to God? They wander without food.”
