Job 38
1 Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said,
But the Lord, responding to Job from a whirlwind, said:
2 Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?
Who is this that wraps sentences in unskilled words?
3 Gird up now your loins like a man; for I will demand of you, and answer you me.
Gird your waist like a man. I will question you, 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 set the foundations of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding.
5 Who has laid the measures thereof, if you know? or who has stretched the line upon it?
Who set its measurements, if you know, or who stretched a line over it?
6 Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof;
Upon what have its bases been grounded, and who set forth its cornerstone,
7 When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
when the morning stars praised me together, and all the sons of God made a joyful noise?
8 Or who shut up the sea with doors, when it brake forth, as if it had issued out of the womb?
Who enclosed the sea with doors, when it broke forth as if issuing from the womb,
9 When I made the cloud the garment thereof, and thick darkness a swaddling band for it,
when I stationed a cloud as its garment and wrapped it in a mist as if swaddling an infant?
10 And brake up for it my decreed place, and set bars and doors,
I encircled it with my limits, and I positioned its bars and doors.
11 And said, Until now shall you come, but no further: and here shall your proud waves be stayed?
And I said: “This far you will approach, and you will proceed no further, and here you will break your swelling waves.”
12 Have you commanded the morning since your days; and caused the dayspring to know his place;
Did you, after your birth, command the birth of the sun and show the sunrise its place?
13 That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, that the wicked might be shaken out of it?
And did you hold the extremities of the earth, shaking them, and have you shaken the impious out of it?
14 It is turned as clay to the seal; and they stand as a garment.
The seal will be restored like clay, and it will remain in place like a garment.
15 And from the wicked their light is withheld, and the high arm shall be broken.
From the impious, the light will be taken away, and the exalted arm will be broken.
16 Have you entered into the springs of the sea? or have you walked in the search of the depth?
Have you entered the depths of the sea, and have you taken a walk in the uttermost parts of the abyss?
17 Have the gates of death been opened unto you? or have you seen the doors of the shadow of death?
Have the gates of death been opened to you, and have you seen the doors of darkness?
18 Have you perceived the breadth of the earth? declare if you know it all.
Have you considered the breadth of the earth? If you know all things, reveal them to me.
19 Where is the way where light dwells? and as for darkness, where is the place thereof,
Which is the way that holds the light, and which is the place of darkness?
20 That you should take it to the bound thereof, and that you should know the paths to the house thereof?
In this way, you might lead each thing to its final place, and understand the paths of its house.
21 Know you it, because you were then born? or because the number of your days is great?
So then, did you know when you were to be born? And did you know the number of your days?
22 Have you entered into the treasures of the snow? or have you seen the treasures of the hail,
Have you been admitted into the storehouses of the snows, and have you gazed upon the stockpile of the brimstone,
23 Which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war?
which I have prepared for the time of the enemy, for the day of the battle and the war?
24 By what way is the light parted, which scatters the east wind upon the earth?
In what way is the light scattered, and the heat distributed, over the earth?
25 Who has divided a watercourse for the overflowing of waters, or a way for the lightning of thunder;
Who gave a course to the rainstorms, and a path to the resounding thunder,
26 To cause it to rain on the earth, where no man is; on the wilderness, wherein there is no man;
so that it would rain on the earth far from man, in the wilderness where no mortal lingers,
27 To satisfy the desolate and waste ground; and to cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth?
so that it would fill impassable and desolate places, and would bring forth green plants?
28 Has the rain a father? or who has begotten the drops of dew?
Who is the father of rain, or who conceived the drops of dew?
29 Out of whose womb came the ice? and the hoary frost of heaven, who has gendered it?
From whose womb did the ice proceed, and who created the frost from the air?
30 The waters are hid as with a stone, and the face of the deep is frozen.
The waters are hardened to become like stone, and the surface of the abyss freezes over.
31 Can you bind the sweet influences of Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion?
Will you have the strength to join together the sparkling stars of the Pleiades, or are you able to disperse the circling of Arcturus?
32 Can you bring forth Mazzaroth in his season? or can you guide Arcturus with his sons?
Can you bring forth the morning star, in its time, and make the evening star rise over the sons of the earth?
33 Know you the ordinances of heaven? can you set the dominion thereof in the earth?
Do you know the order of heaven, and can you explain its rules here on the earth?
34 Can you lift up your voice to the clouds, that abundance of waters may cover you?
Can you lift up your voice to the clouds, so that an onslaught of waters will cover you?
35 Can you send lightnings, that they may go and say unto you, Here we are?
Can you send forth lightning bolts, and will they go, and on returning, say to you: “Here we are?”
36 Who has put wisdom in the inward parts? or who has given understanding to the heart?
Who placed discernment in the guts of man, or who gave the rooster intelligence?
37 Who can number the clouds in wisdom? or who can stay the bottles of heaven,
Who can describe the rules of the heavens, or who can put to rest the harmony of heaven?
38 When the dust grows into hardness, and the clods cleave fast together?
When was the dust cast to become the earth, and when were its clods fastened together?
39 Will you hunt the prey for the lion? or fill the appetite of the young lions,
Will you seize prey for the lioness, and will you sustain the lives of her young,
40 When they couch in their dens, and abide in the covert to lie in wait?
as they rest in their dens or lie in wait in pits?
41 Who provides for the raven his food? when his young ones cry unto God, they wander for lack of food.
Who provides the raven with its meal, when her chicks cry out to God, as they wander around because they have no food?
