Job 38
1 Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind,
And Jehovah answered Job out of the whirlwind and said,
2 “Who is this who questions my wisdom by talking so ignorantly?
Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?
3 Prepare yourself, be strong, for I am going to question you, and you must answer me.
Gird up now thy loins like a man; and I will demand of thee, and inform thou me.
4 Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have such knowledge!
Where wast thou when I founded the earth? Declare, if thou hast understanding.
5 Who decided its dimensions? Don't you know? Who stretched out a measuring line?
Who set the measures thereof — if thou knowest? or who stretched a line upon it?
6 What do its foundations rest upon? Who laid its cornerstone,
Whereupon were the foundations thereof sunken? or who laid its corner-stone,
7 when the stars of the morning sang together and all the angels shouted for joy.
When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
8 Who laid down the boundaries of the sea when it was born?
And who shut up the sea with doors, when it burst forth, issuing out of the womb?
9 Who clothed it with clouds, and wrapped it in a blanket of deep darkness?
When I made the cloud its garment, and thick darkness a swaddling band for it;
10 I set its limits, marking its borders.
When I cut out for it my boundary, and set bars and doors,
11 I said, ‘You may come here, but no farther. Here is where your proud waves stop.’
And said, Hitherto shalt thou come and no further, and here shall thy proud waves be stayed?
12 During your lifetime, have you ever ordered the morning to begin?
Hast thou since thy days commanded the morning? hast thou caused the dawn to know its place,
13 Have you ever told the dawn where to appear that it might take hold of the corners of the earth and shake the wicked out?
That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, and the wicked might be shaken out of it?
14 The earth is changed like clay under a seal; its features stand out like a crumpled garment.
It is changed like the signet-clay; and [all things] stand forth as in a garment:
15 The ‘light’ of the wicked is taken away from them; their acts of violence are stopped.
And from the wicked their light is withholden, and the uplifted arm is broken.
16 Have you entered the sources of the sea? Have you explored their hidden depths?
Hast thou entered as far as the springs of the sea? and hast thou walked in the recesses of the deep?
17 Have you been shown where the gates of death are? Have you seen the gates of utter darkness?
Have the gates of death been revealed unto thee? and hast thou seen the gates of the shadow of death?
18 Do you know how far the earth extends? Tell me if you know all this!
Hath thine understanding compassed the breadths of the earth? Declare if thou knowest it all.
19 In which direction does light live? Where does darkness dwell?
Where is the way to where light dwelleth? and the darkness, where is its place,
20 Can you take them home? Do you know the way to where they live?
That thou shouldest take it to its bound, and that thou shouldest know the paths to its house?
21 Of course you know, because you were already born then! You've lived so long!
Thou knowest, for thou wast then born, and the number of thy days is great!
22 Have you been to where the snow is kept? Have you seen where the hail is held?
Hast thou entered into the storehouses of the snow, and hast thou seen the treasuries of the hail,
23 I have stored them up for the time of trouble, for the day of war and battle.
Which I have reserved for the time of distress, for the day of battle and war?
24 Do you know the way to where light comes from, or to where the east wind blows over the earth?
By what way is the light parted, [and] the east wind scattered upon the earth?
25 Who cuts a channel for the rain to flow? Who creates a path for the thunderbolt?
Who hath divided a channel for the rain-flood, and a way for the thunder's flash;
26 Who brings rain to an uninhabited land, to a desert where nobody lives,
To cause it to rain on the earth, where no one is; on the wilderness wherein there is not a man;
27 to water a parched wasteland to make the green grass grow?
To satisfy the desolate and waste [ground], and to cause the sprout of the grass to spring forth?
28 Does the rain have a father? Who was the father of the dewdrops?
Hath the rain a father? or who begetteth the drops of dew?
29 Who was the mother of ice? Does the frost of the air have a mother?
Out of whose womb cometh the ice? and the hoary frost of heaven, who bringeth it forth?
30 Water turns into rock-hard ice; its surface freezes solid.
When the waters lie hidden as in stone, and the face of the deep holdeth fast together.
31 Can you tie together the stars of the Pleiades? Can you loosen the belt of the Orion constellation?
Canst thou fasten the bands of the Pleiades, or loosen the cords of Orion?
32 Can you guide the stars of Mazzaroth at the right time? Can you direct the Great Bear constellation and its other stars?
Dost thou bring forth the constellations each in its season? or dost thou guide the Bear with her sons?
33 Do you know the laws of the heavens? Can you apply them to the earth?
Knowest thou the ordinances of the heavens? dost thou determine their rule over the earth?
34 Can you shout to the clouds and command them to pour rain down on you?
Dost thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, that floods of waters may cover thee?
35 Can you send out bolts of lightning and direct them, so that they can answer you saying, ‘Here we are’?
Dost thou send forth lightnings that they may go, and say unto thee, Here we are?
36 Who has placed wisdom inside people? Who has given understanding to the mind?
Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts? or who hath given understanding to the mind?
37 Who is clever enough to count the clouds? Who can turn heaven's water jars on their sides
Who numbereth the clouds with wisdom? or who poureth out the bottles of the heavens,
38 when the dust has baked into a solid mass?
When the dust runneth as into a molten mass, and the clods cleave fast together?
39 Can you hunt prey for the lion? Can you feed the lion cubs
Dost thou hunt the prey for the lioness, and dost thou satisfy the appetite of the young lions,
40 as they crouch down in their dens and lie in wait in the bushes?
When they crouch in [their] dens, [and] abide in the thicket to lie in wait?
41 Who provides food for the raven when its young cry out to God, weak from starvation?
Who provideth for the raven his food, when his young ones cry unto God, [and] they wander for lack of meat?
