Job 38

1 Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said,

Then spake Jehovah to Job out of the whirlwind, and said:

2 Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?

Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?

3 Gird up now your loins like a man; for I will demand of you, and answer you me.

Gird up thy loins like a man! I will ask thee, and answer thou me!

4 Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if you have understanding.

Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if thou hast understanding!

5 Who has laid the measures thereof, if you know? or who has stretched the line on it?

Who fixed its dimensions, that thou shouldst know it! Or who stretched out the line upon it?

6 Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof;

Upon what were its foundations fixed? And who laid its corner-stone,

7 When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

When the morning stars sang together, And all the sons of God shouted for joy?

8 Or who shut up the sea with doors, when it broke forth, as if it had issued out of the womb?

And who shut up the sea with doors, When it burst forth as from the womb?

9 When I made the cloud the garment thereof, and thick darkness a swaddling cloth for it,

When I made the clouds its mantle, And thick darkness its swaddling-band;

10 And broke up for it my decreed place, and set bars and doors,

When I appointed for it my bound, And fixed for it bars and doors;

11 And said, Till now shall you come, but no further: and here shall your proud waves be stayed?

And said, Thus far shalt thou come, and no farther, And here shall thy proud waves be stayed!

12 Have you commanded the morning since your days; and caused the dayspring to know his place;

Hast thou, in thy life, given charge to the morning, Or caused the day-spring to know its place,

13 That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, that the wicked might be shaken out of it?

That it should lay hold of the ends of the earth, And shake the wicked out of it?

14 It is turned as clay to the seal; and they stand as a garment.

It is changed as clay by the seal; And all things stand forth as in rich apparel.

15 And from the wicked their light is withheld, and the high arm shall be broken.

But from the wicked their light is withheld, And the high-raised arm is broken.

16 Have you entered into the springs of the sea? or have you walked in the search of the depth?

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 you? or have you seen the doors of the shadow of death?

Have the gates of death been disclosed to thee, And hast thou seen the gates of the shadow of death?

18 Have you perceived the breadth of the earth? declare if you know it all.

Hast thou surveyed the breadth of the earth? Declare, if thou knowest it all!

19 Where is the way where light dwells? and as for darkness, where is the place thereof,

Where is the way to the abode of light? And darkness—where is its dwelling-place?

20 That you should take it to the bound thereof, and that you should know the paths to the house thereof?

That thou shouldst lead it to its boundary, And that thou shouldst know the paths to its mansion!

21 Know you it, because you were then born? or because the number of your days is great?

Surely thou knowest; for thou wast then born! And the number of thy years is great!

22 Have you entered into the treasures of the snow? or have you seen the treasures of the hail,

Hast thou visited the storehouses of the snow, Or seen the treasuries of the hail,

23 Which I have reserved against the time of trouble, 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 parted, which scatters the east wind on the earth?

What is the way to where light is distributed, And the east wind spread abroad upon the earth?

25 Who has divided a watercourse for the overflowing of waters, or a way for the lightning of thunder;

Who hath prepared channels for the rain, And a path for the thunder-flash,

26 To cause it to rain on the earth, where no man is; on the wilderness, wherein there is no man;

To give rain to the land without an inhabitant, To the wilderness wherein is no man;

27 To satisfy the desolate and waste ground; and to cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth?

To satisfy the desolate and waste ground, And cause the tender herb to spring forth?

28 Has the rain a father? or who has begotten 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 hoary frost of heaven, who has gendered it?

Out of whose womb came the ice? And who hath gendered the hoar-frost of heaven?

30 The waters are hid as with a stone, and the face of the deep is frozen.

The waters are hid as under stone, And the face of the deep becometh solid.

31 Can you bind the sweet influences of Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion?

Canst thou fasten the bands of the Pleiades, Or loosen the chains of Orion?

32 Can you bring forth Mazzaroth in his season? or can you guide Arcturus with his sons?

Canst thou lead forth the Signs in their season, Or guide the Bear with her sons?

33 Know you the ordinances of heaven? can you set the dominion thereof in the earth?

Knowest thou the ordinances of the heavens? Hast thou appointed their dominion over the earth?

34 Can you lift up your voice to the clouds, that abundance of waters may cover you?

Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, So that abundance of waters will cover thee?

35 Can you send lightning, that they may go and say to you, Here we are?

Canst thou send forth lightnings, so that they will go, And say to thee, “Here we are”?

36 Who has put wisdom in the inward parts? or who has given understanding to the heart?

Who hath put understanding in the reins, And given intelligence to the mind?

37 Who can number the clouds in wisdom? or who can stay the bottles of heaven,

Who numbereth the clouds in wisdom? And who poureth out the bottles of heaven,

38 When the dust grows into hardness, and the clods stuck fast together?

When the dust floweth into a molten mass, And the clods cleave fast together?

39 Will you hunt the prey for the lion? or fill the appetite of the young lions,

Canst thou hunt prey for the lioness, Or satisfy the hunger of the young lions,

40 When they couch in their dens, and abide in the covert to lie in wait?

When they couch in their dens, And lie in wait in the thicket?

41 Who provides for the raven his food? when his young ones cry to God, they wander for lack of meat.

Who provideth for the raven his food, When his young ones cry unto God, While they wander about without food?