Job 38
1 And Jehovah answered Job out of the whirlwind and said,
But the Lord, responding to Job from a whirlwind, said:
2 Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?
Who is this that wraps sentences in unskilled words?
3 Gird up now thy loins like a man; and I will demand of thee, and inform thou me.
Gird your waist like a man. I will question you, and you must answer me.
4 Where wast thou when I founded the earth? Declare, if thou hast understanding.
Where were you, when I set the foundations of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding.
5 Who set the measures thereof — if thou knowest? or who stretched a line upon it?
Who set its measurements, if you know, or who stretched a line over it?
6 Whereupon were the foundations thereof sunken? or who laid its corner-stone,
Upon what have its bases been grounded, and who set forth its cornerstone,
7 When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
when the morning stars praised me together, and all the sons of God made a joyful noise?
8 And who shut up the sea with doors, when it burst forth, issuing out of the womb?
Who enclosed the sea with doors, when it broke forth as if issuing from the womb,
9 When I made the cloud its garment, and thick darkness a swaddling band for it;
when I stationed a cloud as its garment and wrapped it in a mist as if swaddling an infant?
10 When I cut out for it my boundary, and set bars and doors,
I encircled it with my limits, and I positioned its bars and doors.
11 And said, Hitherto shalt thou come and no further, and here shall thy proud waves be stayed?
And I said: “This far you will approach, and you will proceed no further, and here you will break your swelling waves.”
12 Hast thou since thy days commanded the morning? hast thou caused the dawn to know its place,
Did you, after your birth, command the birth of the sun and show the sunrise its place?
13 That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, and the wicked might be shaken out of it?
And did you hold the extremities of the earth, shaking them, and have you shaken the impious out of it?
14 It is changed like the signet-clay; and [all things] stand forth as in a garment:
The seal will be restored like clay, and it will remain in place like a garment.
15 And from the wicked their light is withholden, and the uplifted arm is broken.
From the impious, the light will be taken away, and the exalted arm will be broken.
16 Hast thou entered as far as the springs of the sea? and hast thou walked in the recesses of the deep?
Have you entered the depths of the sea, and have you taken a walk in the uttermost parts of the abyss?
17 Have the gates of death been revealed unto thee? and hast thou seen the gates of the shadow of death?
Have the gates of death been opened to you, and have you seen the doors of darkness?
18 Hath thine understanding compassed the breadths of the earth? Declare if thou knowest it all.
Have you considered the breadth of the earth? If you know all things, reveal them to me.
19 Where is the way to where light dwelleth? and the darkness, where is its place,
Which is the way that holds the light, and which is the place of darkness?
20 That thou shouldest take it to its bound, and that thou shouldest know the paths to its house?
In this way, you might lead each thing to its final place, and understand the paths of its house.
21 Thou knowest, for thou wast then born, and the number of thy days is great!
So then, did you know when you were to be born? And did you know the number of your days?
22 Hast thou entered into the storehouses of the snow, and hast thou seen the treasuries of the hail,
Have you been admitted into the storehouses of the snows, and have you gazed upon the stockpile of the brimstone,
23 Which I have reserved for the time of distress, for the day of battle and war?
which I have prepared for the time of the enemy, for the day of the battle and the war?
24 By what way is the light parted, [and] the east wind scattered upon the earth?
In what way is the light scattered, and the heat distributed, over the earth?
25 Who hath divided a channel for the rain-flood, and a way for the thunder's flash;
Who gave a course to the rainstorms, and a path to the resounding thunder,
26 To cause it to rain on the earth, where no one is; on the wilderness wherein there is not a man;
so that it would rain on the earth far from man, in the wilderness where no mortal lingers,
27 To satisfy the desolate and waste [ground], and to cause the sprout of the grass to spring forth?
so that it would fill impassable and desolate places, and would bring forth green plants?
28 Hath the rain a father? or who begetteth the drops of dew?
Who is the father of rain, or who conceived the drops of dew?
29 Out of whose womb cometh the ice? and the hoary frost of heaven, who bringeth it forth?
From whose womb did the ice proceed, and who created the frost from the air?
30 When the waters lie hidden as in stone, and the face of the deep holdeth fast together.
The waters are hardened to become like stone, and the surface of the abyss freezes over.
31 Canst thou fasten the bands of the Pleiades, or loosen the cords of Orion?
Will you have the strength to join together the sparkling stars of the Pleiades, or are you able to disperse the circling of Arcturus?
32 Dost thou bring forth the constellations each in its season? or dost thou guide the Bear with her sons?
Can you bring forth the morning star, in its time, and make the evening star rise over the sons of the earth?
33 Knowest thou the ordinances of the heavens? dost thou determine their rule over the earth?
Do you know the order of heaven, and can you explain its rules here on the earth?
34 Dost thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, that floods of waters may cover thee?
Can you lift up your voice to the clouds, so that an onslaught of waters will cover you?
35 Dost thou send forth lightnings that they may go, and say unto thee, Here we are?
Can you send forth lightning bolts, and will they go, and on returning, say to you: “Here we are?”
36 Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts? or who hath given understanding to the mind?
Who placed discernment in the guts of man, or who gave the rooster intelligence?
37 Who numbereth the clouds with wisdom? or who poureth out the bottles of the heavens,
Who can describe the rules of the heavens, or who can put to rest the harmony of heaven?
38 When the dust runneth as into a molten mass, and the clods cleave fast together?
When was the dust cast to become the earth, and when were its clods fastened together?
39 Dost thou hunt the prey for the lioness, and dost thou satisfy the appetite of the young lions,
Will you seize prey for the lioness, and will you sustain the lives of her young,
40 When they crouch in [their] dens, [and] abide in the thicket to lie in wait?
as they rest in their dens or lie in wait in pits?
41 Who provideth for the raven his food, when his young ones cry unto God, [and] they wander for lack of meat?
Who provides the raven with its meal, when her chicks cry out to God, as they wander around because they have no food?
