Job 38
1 Then the Lord answered Job out of a whirlwind, and said:
And after Elius had ceased from speaking, the Lord spoke to Job through the whirlwind and clouds, [saying],
2 Who is this that wrappeth up sentences in unskillful words?
Who is this that hides counsel from me, and confines words in [his] heart, and thinks to conceal [them] from me?
3 Gird up thy loins like a man: I will ask thee, and answer thou me.
Gird your loins like a man; and I will ask you, and do you answer me.
4 Where wast thou when I laid up the foundations of the earth? tell me if thou hast understanding.
Where was you when I founded the earth? tell me now, if you have knowledge,
5 Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it?
who set the measures of it, if you know? or who stretched a line upon it?
6 Upon what are its bases grounded? or who laid the corner stone thereof,
On what are its rings fastened? and who is he that laid the corner-stone upon it?
7 When the morning stars praised me together, and all the sons of God made a joyful melody?
When the stars were made, all my angels praised me with a loud voice.
8 Who shut up the sea with doors, when it broke forth as issuing out of the womb:
And I shut up the sea with gates, when it rushed out, coming forth out its mother's womb.
9 When I made a cloud the garment thereof, and wrapped it in a mist as in swaddling bands?
And I made a cloud its clothing, and swathed it in mist.
10 I set my bounds around it, and made it bars and doors:
And I set bounds to it, surrounding it with bars and gates.
11 And I said: Hitherto thou shalt come, and shalt go no further, and here thou shalt break thy swelling waves.
And I said to it, Hitherto shall you come, but you shall not go beyond, but your waves shall be confined within you.
12 Didst thou since thy birth command the morning, and shew the dawning of the day its place?
Or did I order the morning light in your time; and [did] the morning star [then first] see his appointed place;
13 And didst thou hold the extremities of the earth shaking them, and hast thou shaken the ungodly out of it?
to lay hold of the extremities of the earth, to cast out the ungodly out of it?
14 The seal shall be restored as clay, and shall stand as a garment:
Or did you take clay of the ground, and form a living creature, and set it with the power of speech upon the earth?
15 From the wicked their light shall be taken away, and the high arm shall be broken.
And have you removed light from the ungodly, and crushed the arm of the proud?
16 Hast thou entered into the depths of the sea, and walked in the lowest parts of the deep?
Or have you gone to the source of the sea, and walked in the tracks of the deep?
17 Have the gates of death been opened to thee, and hast thou seen the darksome doors?
And do the gates of death open to you for fear; and did the porters of hell quake when they saw you? (questioned)
18 Hast thou considered the breadth of the earth? tell me, if thou knowest all things?
And have you been instructed in the breadth of the [whole earth] under heaven? tell me now, what is the extent of it?
19 Where is the way where light dwelleth, and where is the place of darkness:
And in what kind of a land does the light dwell? and of what kind is the place of darkness?
20 That thou mayst bring every thing to its own bounds, and understand the paths of the house thereof.
If you could bring me to their [utmost] boundaries, and if also you know their paths;
21 Didst thou know then that thou shouldst be born? and didst thou know the number of thy days?
I know then that you were born at that time, and the number of your years is great.
22 Hast thou entered into the storehouses of the snow, or has thou beheld the treasures of the hail:
But have you gone to the treasures of snow? and have you seen the treasures of hail?
23 Which I have prepared for the time of the enemy, against the day of battle and war?
And is there a store [of them], for you against the time of [your] enemies, for the day of wars and battle?
24 By what way is the light spread, and heat divided upon the earth?
And whence proceeds the frost? or [whence] is the south wind dispersed over the [whole world] under heaven?
25 Who gave a course to violent showers, or a way for noisy thunder:
And who prepared a course for the violent rain, and a way for the thunders;
26 That it should rain on the earth without man in the wilderness, where no mortal dwelleth:
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],
27 That it should fill the desert and desolate land, and should bring forth green grass?
and cause it to send forth a crop of green herbs?
28 Who is the father of rain? or who begot the drops of dew?
Who is the rain's father? and who has generated the drops of dew?
29 Out of whose womb came the ice; and the frost from heaven who hath gendered it?
And out of whose womb comes the ice? and who has produced the frost in the sky,
30 The waters are hardened like a stone, and the surface of the deep is congealed.
which descends like flowing water? who has terrified the face of the ungodly?
31 Shalt thou be able to join together the shining stars the Pleiades, or canst thou stop the turning about of Arcturus?
And do you understand the band of Pleias, and have you opened the barrier of Orion?
32 Canst thou bring forth the day star in its time, and make the evening star to rise upon the children of the earth?
Or will you reveal Mazuroth in his season, and the evening star with his rays? Will you guide them?
33 Dost thou know the order of heaven, and canst thou set down the reason thereof on the earth?
And know you the changes of heaven, or the events which take place together under heaven?
34 Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, that an abundance of waters may cover thee?
And will you call a cloud with your voice, and will it obey you with a violent shower of much rain?
35 Canst thou send lightnings, and will they go, and will they return and say to thee: Here we are?
And will you send lightnings, and they shall go? and shall they say to you, What is [your pleasure]?
36 Who hath put wisdom in the heart of man? or who gave the cock understanding?
And who has given to women skill in weaving, or knowledge of embroidery?
37 Who can declare the order of the heavens, or who can make the harmony of heaven to sleep?
And who is he that numbers the clouds in wisdom, and has bowed the heaven [down] to the earth?
38 When was the dust poured on the earth, and the clods fastened together?
For it is spread out as dusty earth, and I have cemented it as one hewn stone to another.
39 Wilt thou take the prey for the lioness, and satisfy the appetite of her whelps,
And will you hunt a prey for the lions? and satisfy the desires of the serpents?
40 When they couch in the dens and lie in wait in holes?
For they fear in their lairs, and lying in wait couch in the woods.
41 Who provideth food for the raven, when her young ones cry to God, wandering about, because they have no meat?
And who has prepared food for the raven? for its young ones wander and cry to the Lord, in search of food.
