Job 38
1 But the Lord, responding to Job from a whirlwind, said:
Then Jehovah answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said,
2 Who is this that wraps sentences in unskilled words?
Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?
3 Gird your waist like a man. I will question you, and you must answer me.
Gird up now thy loins like a man, for I will demand of thee, and declare thou to me.
4 Where were you, when I set the foundations of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding.
Where were thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if thou have understanding.
5 Who set its measurements, if you know, or who stretched a line over it?
Who determined the measures of it, if thou know? Or who stretched the line upon it?
6 Upon what have its bases been grounded, and who set forth its cornerstone,
Upon what were the foundations of it fastened? Or who laid the cornerstone of it
7 when the morning stars praised me together, and all the sons of God made a joyful noise?
when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
8 Who enclosed the sea with doors, when it broke forth as if issuing from the womb,
Or who shut up the sea with doors when it broke forth, like it had issued out of the womb,
9 when I stationed a cloud as its garment and wrapped it in a mist as if swaddling an infant?
when I made clouds the garment of it, and thick darkness a swaddling-band for it,
10 I encircled it with my limits, and I positioned its bars and doors.
and marked out for it my bound, and set bars and doors,
11 And I said: “This far you will approach, and you will proceed no further, and here you will break your swelling waves.”
and said, This far thou shall come, but no farther, and here thy proud waves shall be stayed?
12 Did you, after your birth, command the birth of the sun and show the sunrise its place?
Have thou commanded the morning since thy days began, and caused the dayspring to know its place
13 And did you hold the extremities of the earth, shaking them, and have you shaken the impious out of it?
that it might take hold of the ends of the earth, and the wicked be shaken out of it?
14 The seal will be restored like clay, and it will remain in place like a garment.
It is changed as clay under the seal, and all things stand forth as a garment.
15 From the impious, the light will be taken away, and the exalted arm will be broken.
And from the wicked their light is withheld, and the high arm is broken.
16 Have you entered the depths of the sea, and have you taken a walk in the uttermost parts of the abyss?
Have thou entered into the springs of the sea? Or have thou walked in the recesses of the deep?
17 Have the gates of death been opened to you, and have you seen the doors of darkness?
Have the gates of death been revealed to thee? Or have thou seen the gates of the shadow of death?
18 Have you considered the breadth of the earth? If you know all things, reveal them to me.
Have thou comprehended the earth in its breadth? Declare, if thou know it all.
19 Which is the way that holds the light, and which is the place of darkness?
Where is the way to the dwelling of light? And as for darkness, where is the place of it
20 In this way, you might lead each thing to its final place, and understand the paths of its house.
that thou should take it to the bound of it, and that thou should discern the paths to the house of it?
21 So then, did you know when you were to be born? And did you know the number of your days?
Thou know, for thou were born then, and the number of thy days is great!
22 Have you been admitted into the storehouses of the snows, and have you gazed upon the stockpile of the brimstone,
Have thou entered the treasuries of the snow, or have thou seen the treasures of the hail,
23 which I have prepared for the time of the enemy, for the day of the battle and the war?
which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war?
24 In what way is the light scattered, and the heat distributed, over the earth?
By what way is the light divided, or the east wind scattered upon the earth?
25 Who gave a course to the rainstorms, and a path to the resounding thunder,
Who has cleft a channel for the water flood, or the way for the lightning of the thunder,
26 so that it would rain on the earth far from man, in the wilderness where no mortal lingers,
to cause it to rain on a land where no man is, on the wilderness, in which there is no man,
27 so that it would fill impassable and desolate places, and would bring forth green plants?
to satisfy the waste and desolate ground, and to cause the tender grass to spring forth?
28 Who is the father of rain, or who conceived the drops of dew?
Has the rain a father? Or who has begotten the drops of dew?
29 From whose womb did the ice proceed, and who created the frost from the air?
Out of whose womb came the ice? And the hoary frost of heaven, who has engendered it?
30 The waters are hardened to become like stone, and the surface of the abyss freezes over.
The waters hide themselves and become like stone, and the face of the deep is frozen.
31 Will you have the strength to join together the sparkling stars of the Pleiades, or are you able to disperse the circling of Arcturus?
Can thou bind the cluster of the Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion?
32 Can you bring forth the morning star, in its time, and make the evening star rise over the sons of the earth?
Can thou lead forth the Mazzaroth in their season? Or can thou guide the Bear with her train?
33 Do you know the order of heaven, and can you explain its rules here on the earth?
Do thou know the ordinances of the heavens? Can thou establish the dominion of it on the earth?
34 Can you lift up your voice to the clouds, so that an onslaught of waters will cover you?
Can thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, that abundance of waters may cover thee?
35 Can you send forth lightning bolts, and will they go, and on returning, say to you: “Here we are?”
Can thou send forth lightnings, that they may go, and say to thee, Here we are?
36 Who placed discernment in the guts of man, or who gave the rooster intelligence?
Who has put wisdom in the inward parts? Or who has given understanding to the mind?
37 Who can describe the rules of the heavens, or who can put to rest the harmony of heaven?
Who can number the clouds by wisdom? Or who can pour out the bottles of heaven
38 When was the dust cast to become the earth, and when were its clods fastened together?
when the dust runs into a mass, and the clods cleave fast together?
39 Will you seize prey for the lioness, and will you sustain the lives of her young,
Can thou hunt the prey for the lioness, or satisfy the appetite of the young lions
40 as they rest in their dens or lie in wait in pits?
when they couch in their dens, and abide in the covert to lie in wait?
41 Who provides the raven with its meal, when her chicks cry out to God, as they wander around because they have no food?
Who provides for the raven his prey when his young ones cry to God, and wander for lack of food?
