Job 38
1 And Jehovah answered Job out of the whirlwind and said,
Then the Lord answered Job out of a whirlwind, and said:
2 Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?
Who is this that wrappeth up sentences in unskillful words?
3 Gird up now thy loins like a man; and I will demand of thee, and inform thou me.
Gird up thy loins like a man: I will ask thee, and answer thou me.
4 Where wast thou when I founded the earth? Declare, if thou hast understanding.
Where wast thou when I laid up the foundations of the earth? tell me if thou hast understanding.
5 Who set the measures thereof — if thou knowest? or who stretched a line upon it?
Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it?
6 Whereupon were the foundations thereof sunken? or who laid its corner-stone,
Upon what are its bases grounded? or who laid the corner stone thereof,
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 melody?
8 And who shut up the sea with doors, when it burst forth, issuing out of the womb?
Who shut up the sea with doors, when it broke forth as issuing out of the womb:
9 When I made the cloud its garment, and thick darkness a swaddling band for it;
When I made a cloud the garment thereof, and wrapped it in a mist as in swaddling bands?
10 When I cut out for it my boundary, and set bars and doors,
I set my bounds around it, and made it bars and doors:
11 And said, Hitherto shalt thou come and no further, and here shall thy proud waves be stayed?
And I said: Hitherto thou shalt come, and shalt go no further, and here thou shalt break thy swelling waves.
12 Hast thou since thy days commanded the morning? hast thou caused the dawn to know its place,
Didst thou since thy birth command the morning, and shew the dawning of the day its place?
13 That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, and the wicked might be shaken out of it?
And didst thou hold the extremities of the earth shaking them, and hast thou shaken the ungodly out of it?
14 It is changed like the signet-clay; and [all things] stand forth as in a garment:
The seal shall be restored as clay, and shall stand as a garment:
15 And from the wicked their light is withholden, and the uplifted arm is broken.
From the wicked their light shall be taken away, and the high arm shall be broken.
16 Hast thou entered as far as the springs of the sea? and hast thou walked in the recesses of the deep?
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 revealed unto thee? and hast thou seen the gates of the shadow of death?
Have the gates of death been opened to thee, and hast thou seen the darksome doors?
18 Hath thine understanding compassed the breadths of the earth? Declare if thou knowest it all.
Hast thou considered the breadth of the earth? tell me, if thou knowest all things?
19 Where is the way to where light dwelleth? and the darkness, where is its place,
Where is the way where light dwelleth, and where is the place of darkness:
20 That thou shouldest take it to its bound, and that thou shouldest know the paths to its house?
That thou mayst bring every thing to its own bounds, and understand the paths of the house thereof.
21 Thou knowest, for thou wast then born, and the number of thy days is great!
Didst thou know then that thou shouldst be born? and didst thou know the number of thy days?
22 Hast thou entered into the storehouses of the snow, and hast thou seen the treasuries of the hail,
Hast thou entered into the storehouses of the snow, or has thou beheld the treasures of the hail:
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, against the day of battle and war?
24 By what way is the light parted, [and] the east wind scattered upon the earth?
By what way is the light spread, and heat divided upon 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 violent showers, or a way for noisy thunder:
26 To cause it to rain on the earth, where no one is; on the wilderness wherein there is not a man;
That it should rain on the earth without man in the wilderness, where no mortal dwelleth:
27 To satisfy the desolate and waste [ground], and to cause the sprout of the grass to spring forth?
That it should fill the desert and desolate land, and should bring forth green grass?
28 Hath the rain a father? or who begetteth the drops of dew?
Who is the father of rain? or who begot the drops of dew?
29 Out of whose womb cometh the ice? and the hoary frost of heaven, who bringeth it forth?
Out of whose womb came the ice; and the frost from heaven who hath gendered it?
30 When the waters lie hidden as in stone, and the face of the deep holdeth fast together.
The waters are hardened like a stone, and the surface of the deep is congealed.
31 Canst thou fasten the bands of the Pleiades, or loosen the cords of Orion?
Shalt thou be able to join together the shining stars the Pleiades, or canst thou stop the turning about of Arcturus?
32 Dost thou bring forth the constellations each in its season? or dost thou guide the Bear with her sons?
Canst thou bring forth the day star in its time, and make the evening star to rise upon the children of the earth?
33 Knowest thou the ordinances of the heavens? dost thou determine their rule over the earth?
Dost thou know the order of heaven, and canst thou set down the reason thereof on the earth?
34 Dost thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, that floods of waters may cover thee?
Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, that an abundance of waters may cover thee?
35 Dost thou send forth lightnings that they may go, and say unto thee, Here we are?
Canst thou send lightnings, and will they go, and will they return and say to thee: Here we are?
36 Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts? or who hath given understanding to the mind?
Who hath put wisdom in the heart of man? or who gave the cock understanding?
37 Who numbereth the clouds with wisdom? or who poureth out the bottles of the heavens,
Who can declare the order of the heavens, or who can make the harmony of heaven to sleep?
38 When the dust runneth as into a molten mass, and the clods cleave fast together?
When was the dust poured on the earth, and the clods fastened together?
39 Dost thou hunt the prey for the lioness, and dost thou satisfy the appetite of the young lions,
Wilt thou take the prey for the lioness, and satisfy the appetite of her whelps,
40 When they crouch in [their] dens, [and] abide in the thicket to lie in wait?
When they couch in the dens and lie in wait in holes?
41 Who provideth for the raven his food, when his young ones cry unto God, [and] they wander for lack of meat?
Who provideth food for the raven, when her young ones cry to God, wandering about, because they have no meat?
