Job 38
1 Then the Lord answered Job out of a whirlwind, and said:
Then spake Jehovah to Job out of the whirlwind, and said:
2 Who is this that wrappeth up sentences in unskillful words?
Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?
3 Gird up thy loins like a man: I will ask thee, and answer thou me.
Gird up thy loins like a man! I will ask thee, and answer thou me!
4 Where wast thou when I laid up the foundations of the earth? tell me if thou hast understanding.
Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if thou hast understanding!
5 Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it?
Who fixed its dimensions, that thou shouldst know it! Or who stretched out the line upon it?
6 Upon what are its bases grounded? or who laid the corner stone thereof,
Upon what were its foundations fixed? And who laid its corner-stone,
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:
And who shut up the sea with doors, When it burst forth as 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 the clouds its mantle, And thick darkness its swaddling-band;
10 I set my bounds around it, and made it bars and doors:
When I appointed for it my bound, And fixed for it 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, Thus far shalt thou come, and no farther, And here shall thy proud waves be stayed!
12 Didst thou since thy birth command the morning, and shew the dawning of the day its place?
Hast thou, in thy life, given charge to the morning, Or caused the day-spring 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 should lay hold of the ends 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 by the seal; And all things stand forth as in rich apparel.
15 From the wicked their light shall be taken away, and the high arm shall be broken.
But from the wicked their light is withheld, And the high-raised arm is broken.
16 Hast thou entered into the depths of the sea, and walked in the lowest parts of the deep?
Hast thou visited the springs of the sea, And walked through 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 disclosed to thee, And hast thou seen the gates of the shadow of death?
18 Hast thou considered the breadth of the earth? tell me, if thou knowest all things?
Hast thou surveyed the breadth of the earth? Declare, if thou knowest it all!
19 Where is the way where light dwelleth, and where is the place of darkness:
Where is the way to the abode of light? And darkness—where is its dwelling-place?
20 That thou mayst bring every thing to its own bounds, and understand the paths of the house thereof.
That thou shouldst lead it to its boundary, And that thou shouldst know the paths to its mansion!
21 Didst thou know then that thou shouldst be born? and didst thou know the number of thy days?
Surely thou knowest; for thou wast then born! And the number of thy years is great!
22 Hast thou entered into the storehouses of the snow, or has thou beheld the treasures of the hail:
Hast thou visited the storehouses of the snow, Or seen the treasuries 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?
What is the way to where light is distributed, And the east wind spread abroad upon the earth?
25 Who gave a course to violent showers, or a way for noisy thunder:
Who hath prepared channels for the rain, And a path for the thunder-flash,
26 That it should rain on the earth without man in the wilderness, where no mortal dwelleth:
To give rain to the land without an inhabitant, To the wilderness wherein is no man;
27 That it should fill the desert and desolate land, and should bring forth green grass?
To satisfy the desolate and waste ground, And cause the tender herb to spring forth?
28 Who is the father of rain? or who begot the drops of dew?
Hath the rain a father? Or who hath begotten the drops of the 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? And who hath gendered the hoar-frost of heaven?
30 The waters are hardened like a stone, and the surface of the deep is congealed.
The waters are hid as under stone, And the face of the deep becometh solid.
31 Shalt thou be able to join together the shining stars the Pleiades, or canst thou stop the turning about of Arcturus?
Canst thou fasten the bands of the Pleiades, Or loosen the chains 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?
Canst thou lead forth the Signs in their season, Or guide the Bear with her sons?
33 Dost thou know the order of heaven, and canst thou set down the reason thereof on the earth?
Knowest thou the ordinances of the heavens? Hast thou appointed their dominion over the earth?
34 Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, that an abundance of waters may cover thee?
Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, So that abundance of waters will cover thee?
35 Canst thou send lightnings, and will they go, and will they return and say to thee: Here we are?
Canst thou send forth lightnings, so that they will go, And say to thee, “Here we are”?
36 Who hath put wisdom in the heart of man? or who gave the cock understanding?
Who hath put understanding in the reins, And given intelligence to the mind?
37 Who can declare the order of the heavens, or who can make the harmony of heaven to sleep?
Who numbereth the clouds in wisdom? And who poureth out the bottles of heaven,
38 When was the dust poured on the earth, and the clods fastened together?
When the dust floweth into a molten mass, And the clods cleave fast together?
39 Wilt thou take the prey for the lioness, and satisfy the appetite of her whelps,
Canst thou hunt prey for the lioness, Or satisfy the hunger of the young lions,
40 When they couch in the dens and lie in wait in holes?
When they couch 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 provideth for the raven his food, When his young ones cry unto God, While they wander about without food?
