Job 38

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

And after Elius had ceased from speaking, the Lord spoke to Job through the whirlwind and clouds, [saying],

2 Who [is] this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?

Who is this that hides counsel from me, and confines words in [his] heart, and thinks to conceal [them] from me?

3 Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me.

Gird your loins like a man; and I will ask you, and do you answer me.

4 Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.

Where was you when I founded the earth? tell me now, if you have knowledge,

5 Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it?

who set the measures of it, if you know? or who stretched a line upon it?

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

On what are its rings fastened? and who is he that laid the corner-stone upon it?

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

When the stars were made, all my angels praised me with a loud voice.

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

And I shut up the sea with gates, when it rushed out, coming forth out its mother's womb.

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

And I made a cloud its clothing, and swathed it in mist.

10 And brake up for it my decreed [place], and set bars and doors,

And I set bounds to it, surrounding it with bars and gates.

11 And said, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further: and here shall thy proud waves be stayed?

And I said to it, Hitherto shall you come, but you shall not go beyond, but your waves shall be confined within you.

12 Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days; [and] caused the dayspring to know his place;

Or did I order the morning light in your time; and [did] the morning star [then first] see his appointed place;

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

to lay hold of the extremities of the earth, to cast out the ungodly out of it?

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

Or did you take clay of the ground, and form a living creature, and set it with the power of speech upon the earth?

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

And have you removed light from the ungodly, and crushed the arm of the proud?

16 Hast thou entered into the springs of the sea? or hast thou walked in the search of the depth?

Or have you gone to the source of the sea, and walked in the tracks of the deep?

17 Have the gates of death been opened unto thee? or hast thou seen the doors of the shadow of death?

And do the gates of death open to you for fear; and did the porters of hell quake when they saw you? (questioned)

18 Hast thou perceived the breadth of the earth? declare if thou knowest it all.

And have you been instructed in the breadth of the [whole earth] under heaven? tell me now, what is the extent of it?

19 Where [is] the way [where] light dwelleth? and [as for] darkness, where [is] the place thereof,

And in what kind of a land does the light dwell? and of what kind is the place of darkness?

20 That thou shouldest take it to the bound thereof, and that thou shouldest know the paths [to] the house thereof?

If you could bring me to their [utmost] boundaries, and if also you know their paths;

21 Knowest thou [it], because thou wast then born? or [because] the number of thy days [is] great?

I know then that you were born at that time, and the number of your years is great.

22 Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow? or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail,

But have you gone to the treasures of snow? and have you seen the treasures of hail?

23 Which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war?

And is there a store [of them], for you against the time of [your] enemies, for the day of wars and battle?

24 By what way is the light parted, [which] scattereth the east wind upon the earth?

And whence proceeds the frost? or [whence] is the south wind dispersed over the [whole world] under heaven?

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

And who prepared a course for the violent rain, and a way for the thunders;

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

to rain upon the land where [there is] no man, the wilderness, where there is not a man in it; so as to feed the untrodden and uninhabited [land],

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

and cause it to send forth a crop of green herbs?

28 Hath the rain a father? or who hath begotten the drops of dew?

Who is the rain's father? and who has generated the drops of dew?

29 Out of whose womb came the ice? and the hoary frost of heaven, who hath gendered it?

And out of whose womb comes the ice? and who has produced the frost in the sky,

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

which descends like flowing water? who has terrified the face of the ungodly?

31 Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion?

And do you understand the band of Pleias, and have you opened the barrier of Orion?

32 Canst thou bring forth Mazzaroth in his season? or canst thou guide Arcturus with his sons?

Or will you reveal Mazuroth in his season, and the evening star with his rays? Will you guide them?

33 Knowest thou the ordinances of heaven? canst thou set the dominion thereof in the earth?

And know you the changes of heaven, or the events which take place together under heaven?

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

And will you call a cloud with your voice, and will it obey you with a violent shower of much rain?

35 Canst thou send lightnings, that they may go, and say unto thee, Here we [are]?

And will you send lightnings, and they shall go? and shall they say to you, What is [your pleasure]?

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

And who has given to women skill in weaving, or knowledge of embroidery?

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

And who is he that numbers the clouds in wisdom, and has bowed the heaven [down] to the earth?

38 When the dust groweth into hardness, and the clods cleave fast together?

For it is spread out as dusty earth, and I have cemented it as one hewn stone to another.

39 Wilt thou hunt the prey for the lion? or fill the appetite of the young lions,

And will you hunt a prey for the lions? and satisfy the desires of the serpents?

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

For they fear in their lairs, and lying in wait couch in the woods.

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

And who has prepared food for the raven? for its young ones wander and cry to the Lord, in search of food.