Job 38
1 But the Lord, responding to Job from a whirlwind, said:
Then the Lord answered Job out of a whirlwind, and said:
2 Who is this that wraps sentences in unskilled words?
Who is this that wrappeth up sentences in unskillful words?
3 Gird your waist like a man. I will question you, and you must answer me.
Gird up thy loins like a man: I will ask thee, and answer thou me.
4 Where were you, when I set the foundations of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding.
Where wast thou when I laid up the foundations of the earth? tell me if thou hast understanding.
5 Who set its measurements, if you know, or who stretched a line over it?
Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it?
6 Upon what have its bases been grounded, and who set forth its cornerstone,
Upon what are its bases grounded? or who laid the corner stone thereof,
7 when the morning stars praised me together, and all the sons of God made a joyful noise?
When the morning stars praised me together, and all the sons of God made a joyful melody?
8 Who enclosed the sea with doors, when it broke forth as if issuing from the womb,
Who shut up the sea with doors, when it broke forth as issuing 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 a cloud the garment thereof, and wrapped it in a mist as in swaddling bands?
10 I encircled it with my limits, and I positioned its bars and doors.
I set my bounds around it, and made it 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 I said: Hitherto thou shalt come, and shalt go no further, and here thou shalt break thy swelling waves.
12 Did you, after your birth, command the birth of the sun and show the sunrise its place?
Didst thou since thy birth command the morning, and shew the dawning of the day its place?
13 And did you hold the extremities of the earth, shaking them, and have you shaken the impious out of it?
And didst thou hold the extremities of the earth shaking them, and hast thou shaken the ungodly out of it?
14 The seal will be restored like clay, and it will remain in place like a garment.
The seal shall be restored as clay, and shall stand as a garment:
15 From the impious, the light will be taken away, and the exalted arm will be broken.
From the wicked their light shall be taken away, and the high arm shall be broken.
16 Have you entered the depths of the sea, and have you taken a walk in the uttermost parts of the abyss?
Hast thou entered into the depths of the sea, and walked in the lowest parts 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 opened to thee, and hast thou seen the darksome doors?
18 Have you considered the breadth of the earth? If you know all things, reveal them to me.
Hast thou considered the breadth of the earth? tell me, if thou knowest all things?
19 Which is the way that holds the light, and which is the place of darkness?
Where is the way where light dwelleth, and where is the place of darkness:
20 In this way, you might lead each thing to its final place, and understand the paths of its house.
That thou mayst bring every thing to its own bounds, and understand the paths of the house thereof.
21 So then, did you know when you were to be born? And did you know the number of your days?
Didst thou know then that thou shouldst be born? and didst thou know the number of thy days?
22 Have you been admitted into the storehouses of the snows, and have you gazed upon the stockpile of the brimstone,
Hast thou entered into the storehouses of the snow, or has thou beheld 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 prepared for the time of the enemy, 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 spread, and heat divided upon the earth?
25 Who gave a course to the rainstorms, and a path to the resounding thunder,
Who gave a course to violent showers, or a way for noisy thunder:
26 so that it would rain on the earth far from man, in the wilderness where no mortal lingers,
That it should rain on the earth without man in the wilderness, where no mortal dwelleth:
27 so that it would fill impassable and desolate places, and would bring forth green plants?
That it should fill the desert and desolate land, and should bring forth green grass?
28 Who is the father of rain, or who conceived the drops of dew?
Who is the father of rain? or who begot 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 frost from heaven who hath gendered it?
30 The waters are hardened to become like stone, and the surface of the abyss freezes over.
The waters are hardened like a stone, and the surface of the deep is congealed.
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?
Shalt thou be able to join together the shining stars the Pleiades, or canst thou stop the turning about of Arcturus?
32 Can you bring forth the morning star, in its time, and make the evening star rise over the sons of the earth?
Canst thou bring forth the day star in its time, and make the evening star to rise upon the children of the earth?
33 Do you know the order of heaven, and can you explain its rules here on the earth?
Dost thou know the order of heaven, and canst thou set down the reason thereof on the earth?
34 Can you lift up your voice to the clouds, so that an onslaught of waters will cover you?
Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, that an 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?”
Canst thou send lightnings, and will they go, and will they return and say to thee: Here we are?
36 Who placed discernment in the guts of man, or who gave the rooster intelligence?
Who hath put wisdom in the heart of man? or who gave the cock understanding?
37 Who can describe the rules of the heavens, or who can put to rest the harmony of heaven?
Who can declare the order of the heavens, or who can make the harmony of heaven to sleep?
38 When was the dust cast to become the earth, and when were its clods fastened together?
When was the dust poured on the earth, and the clods fastened together?
39 Will you seize prey for the lioness, and will you sustain the lives of her young,
Wilt thou take the prey for the lioness, and satisfy the appetite of her whelps,
40 as they rest in their dens or lie in wait in pits?
When they couch in the dens and lie in wait in holes?
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 provideth food for the raven, when her young ones cry to God, wandering about, because they have no meat?
