Job 38
1 Then the Lord answered Job out of a whirlwind, and said:
Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind,
2 Who is this that wrappeth up sentences in unskillful words?
"Who is this who darkens counsel by words without knowledge?
3 Gird up thy loins like a man: I will ask thee, and answer thou me.
Brace yourself like a man, for I will question you, then you answer me.
4 Where wast thou when I laid up the foundations of the earth? tell me if thou hast understanding.
"Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if you have understanding.
5 Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it?
Who determined its measures, if you know? Or who stretched the line on it?
6 Upon what are its bases grounded? or who laid the corner stone thereof,
Whereupon were its foundations fastened? Or who laid its cornerstone,
7 When the morning stars praised me together, and all the sons of God made a joyful melody?
when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
8 Who shut up the sea with doors, when it broke forth as issuing out of the womb:
"Or who shut up the sea with doors, when it broke forth from the womb,
9 When I made a cloud the garment thereof, and wrapped it in a mist as in swaddling bands?
when I made clouds its garment, and wrapped it in thick darkness,
10 I set my bounds around it, and made it bars and doors:
marked out for it my bound, set bars and doors,
11 And I said: Hitherto thou shalt come, and shalt go no further, and here thou shalt break thy swelling waves.
and said, 'Here you may come, but no further. Here your proud waves shall be stayed?'
12 Didst thou since thy birth command the morning, and shew the dawning of the day its place?
"Have you commanded the morning in your days, and caused the dawn to know its place;
13 And didst thou hold the extremities of the earth shaking them, and hast thou shaken the ungodly out of it?
that it might take hold of the farthest parts of the earth, and shake the wicked out of it?
14 The seal shall be restored as clay, and shall stand as a garment:
It is changed as clay under the seal, and stands forth as a garment.
15 From the wicked their light shall be taken away, and the high arm shall be broken.
From the wicked, their light is withheld. The high arm is broken.
16 Hast thou entered into the depths of the sea, and walked in the lowest parts of the deep?
"Have you entered into the springs of the sea? Or have you walked in the recesses of the deep?
17 Have the gates of death been opened to thee, and hast thou seen the darksome doors?
Have the gates of death been revealed to you? Or have you seen the gates of the shadow of death?
18 Hast thou considered the breadth of the earth? tell me, if thou knowest all things?
Have you comprehended the earth in its breadth? Declare, if you know it all.
19 Where is the way where light dwelleth, and where is the place of darkness:
"What is the way to the dwelling of light? As for darkness, where is its place,
20 That thou mayst bring every thing to its own bounds, and understand the paths of the house thereof.
that you should take it to its bound, that you should discern the paths to its house?
21 Didst thou know then that thou shouldst be born? and didst thou know the number of thy days?
Surely you know, for you were born then, and the number of your days is great.
22 Hast thou entered into the storehouses of the snow, or has thou beheld the treasures of the hail:
Have you entered the treasuries of the snow, or have you seen the treasures of the hail,
23 Which I have prepared for the time of the enemy, against the day of battle and war?
which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war?
24 By what way is the light spread, and heat divided upon the earth?
By what way is the lightning distributed, or the east wind scattered on the earth?
25 Who gave a course to violent showers, or a way for noisy thunder:
Who has cut a channel for the flood water, or the path for the thunderstorm;
26 That it should rain on the earth without man in the wilderness, where no mortal dwelleth:
To cause it to rain on a land where no man is; on the wilderness, in which there is no man;
27 That it should fill the desert and desolate land, and should bring forth green grass?
to satisfy the waste and desolate ground, to cause the tender grass to spring forth?
28 Who is the father of rain? or who begot the drops of dew?
Does the rain have a father? Or who fathers the drops of dew?
29 Out of whose womb came the ice; and the frost from heaven who hath gendered it?
Out of whose womb came the ice? The gray frost of the sky, who has given birth to it?
30 The waters are hardened like a stone, and the surface of the deep is congealed.
The waters become hard like stone, when the surface of the deep is frozen.
31 Shalt thou be able to join together the shining stars the Pleiades, or canst thou stop the turning about of Arcturus?
"Can you fasten the chains of Kimah, or loosen the cords of Kesil?
32 Canst thou bring forth the day star in its time, and make the evening star to rise upon the children of the earth?
Can you lead forth the Mazzaroth in their season? Or can you lead Aysh with her children?
33 Dost thou know the order of heaven, and canst thou set down the reason thereof on the earth?
Do you know the laws of the heavens? Can you establish its dominion over the earth?
34 Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, that an abundance of waters may cover thee?
"Can you lift up your voice to the clouds, That abundance of waters may cover you?
35 Canst thou send lightnings, and will they go, and will they return and say to thee: Here we are?
Can you send forth lightnings, that they may go? Do they report to you, 'Here we are?'
36 Who hath put wisdom in the heart of man? or who gave the cock understanding?
Who has put wisdom in the inward parts? Or who has given understanding to the mind?
37 Who can declare the order of the heavens, or who can make the harmony of heaven to sleep?
Who can number the clouds by wisdom? Or who can pour out the bottles of the sky,
38 When was the dust poured on the earth, and the clods fastened together?
when the dust runs into a mass, and the clods of earth stick together?
39 Wilt thou take the prey for the lioness, and satisfy the appetite of her whelps,
"Can you hunt the prey for the lioness, or satisfy the appetite of the young lions,
40 When they couch in the dens and lie in wait in holes?
when they crouch in their dens, and lie in wait in the thicket?
41 Who provideth food for the raven, when her young ones cry to God, wandering about, because they have no meat?
Who provides for the raven his prey, when his young ones cry to God, and wander for lack of food?
