Job 38
1 Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said,
Then Yahweh called to Job out of a fierce storm and said,
2 Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?
“Who is this who brings darkness to plans by means of words without knowledge?
3 Gird up now your loins like a man; for I will demand of you, and answer you me.
Now gird up your loins like a man for I will ask you questions, and you must answer me.
4 Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if you have understanding.
Where were you when I laid the earth's foundations? Tell me, if you have so much understanding.
5 Who has laid the measures thereof, if you know? or who has stretched the line on it?
Who determined its dimensions? Tell me, if you know. Who stretched the measuring line over it?
6 Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof;
On what were its foundations laid? Who laid its cornerstone
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?
Who shut up the sea with doors when it burst out, as if it had come out of the womb—
9 When I made the cloud the garment thereof, and thick darkness a swaddling cloth for it,
when I made clouds its clothing, and thick darkness its swaddling bands?
10 And broke up for it my decreed place, and set bars and doors,
That was when I marked out for the sea my boundary, and when I placed its bars and doors,
11 And said, Till now shall you come, but no further: and here shall your proud waves be stayed?
and when I said to it, 'You may come this far, but no farther; here is where I will put a boundary to the pride of your waves.'
12 Have you commanded the morning since your days; and caused the dayspring to know his place;
Have you given orders to the morning, or caused the dawn 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?
so that it might take hold of the edges 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.
The earth is changed in appearance like clay changes under a seal; all things on it stand out clearly like the folds of a piece of clothing.
15 And from the wicked their light is withheld, and the high arm shall be broken.
From wicked people their 'light' is taken away; their uplifted arm is broken.
16 Have you entered into the springs of the sea? or have you walked in the search of the depth?
Have you gone to the sources of the waters of the sea? Have you walked in the lowest parts 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 revealed to you? Have you seen the gates of the shadow of death?
18 Have you perceived the breadth of the earth? declare if you know it all.
Have you understood the earth in its expanse? Tell me, if you know 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 resting place of light— as for darkness, where is its place?
20 That you should take it to the bound thereof, and that you should know the paths to the house thereof?
Can you lead light and darkness to their places of work? Can you find the way back to their houses for them?
21 Know you it, because you were then born? or because the number of your days is great?
Undoubtedly you know, for you were born then; the number of your days is so large!
22 Have you entered into the treasures of the snow? or have you seen the treasures of the hail,
Have you entered the storehouses for the snow, or have you seen the storehouses for the hail,
23 Which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war?
these things that I have kept for times of trouble, for days of battle and war?
24 By what way is the light parted, which scatters the east wind on the earth?
What is the path to where the lightning bolts are distributed or to where the winds are scattered from the east over the earth?
25 Who has divided a watercourse for the overflowing of waters, or a way for the lightning of thunder;
Who has created the channels for the floods of rain, or who has made a path for the thunder,
26 To cause it to rain on the earth, where no man is; on the wilderness, wherein there is no man;
to cause it to rain on lands where no person exists, and on the wilderness, in which there is no one,
27 To satisfy the desolate and waste ground; and to cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth?
to satisfy the devastated and desolate places, and to make the ground sprout with grass?
28 Has the rain a father? or who has begotten 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 hoary frost of heaven, who has gendered it?
Out of whose womb did the ice come? Who bore the white frost out of the sky?
30 The waters are hid as with a stone, and the face of the deep is frozen.
The waters hide themselves and become like stone; the surface of the deep becomes frozen.
31 Can you bind the sweet influences of Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion?
Can you fasten chains on the Pleiades, or undo the cords of Orion?
32 Can you bring forth Mazzaroth in his season? or can you guide Arcturus with his sons?
Can you lead the constellations to appear at their proper times? Can you guide the Bear with its children?
33 Know you the ordinances of heaven? can you set the dominion thereof in the earth?
Do you know the regulations of the sky? Could you set in place the sky's rule over the earth?
34 Can you lift up your voice to the clouds, that abundance of waters may cover you?
Can you raise your voice up to the clouds, so that an abundance of rainwater may cover you?
35 Can you send lightning, that they may go and say to you, Here we are?
Can you send out bolts of lightning that they may go out, that they say to you, 'Here we are'?
36 Who has put wisdom in the inward parts? or who has given understanding to the heart?
Who has put wisdom in the clouds or has given understanding to the mists?
37 Who can number the clouds in wisdom? or who can stay the bottles of heaven,
Who can number the clouds by his skill? Who can pour out the water skins of the sky
38 When the dust grows into hardness, and the clods stuck fast together?
when the dust runs into a hard mass and the clods of earth clump tightly together?
39 Will you hunt the prey for the lion? or fill the appetite of the young lions,
Can you hunt down a victim for a lioness or satisfy the appetite of her young lion cubs
40 When they couch in their dens, and abide in the covert to lie in wait?
when they are crouching in their dens and sheltering in hiding to lie in wait?
41 Who provides for the raven his food? when his young ones cry to God, they wander for lack of meat.
Who provides victims for the ravens when their young ones cry out to God and stagger about for lack of food?
