Job 38
1 And after Elius had ceased from speaking, the Lord spoke to Job through the whirlwind and clouds, [saying],
Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said,
2 Who is this that hides counsel from me, and confines words in [his] heart, and thinks to conceal [them] from me?
Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?
3 Gird your loins like a man; and I will ask you, and do you answer me.
Gird up now your loins like a man; for I will demand of you, and answer you me.
4 Where was you when I founded the earth? tell me now, if you have knowledge,
Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if you have understanding.
5 who set the measures of it, if you know? or who stretched a line upon it?
Who has laid the measures thereof, if you know? or who has stretched the line upon it?
6 On what are its rings fastened? and who is he that laid the corner-stone upon it?
Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof;
7 When the stars were made, all my angels praised me with a loud voice.
When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
8 And I shut up the sea with gates, when it rushed out, coming forth out its mother's womb.
Or who shut up the sea with doors, when it brake forth, as if it had issued out of the womb?
9 And I made a cloud its clothing, and swathed it in mist.
When I made the cloud the garment thereof, and thick darkness a swaddling band for it,
10 And I set bounds to it, surrounding it with bars and gates.
And brake up for it my decreed place, and set bars and doors,
11 And I said to it, Hitherto shall you come, but you shall not go beyond, but your waves shall be confined within you.
And said, Until now shall you come, but no further: and here shall your proud waves be stayed?
12 Or did I order the morning light in your time; and [did] the morning star [then first] see his appointed place;
Have you commanded the morning since your days; and caused the dayspring to know his place;
13 to lay hold of the extremities of the earth, to cast out the ungodly out of it?
That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, that the wicked might be shaken out of it?
14 Or did you take clay of the ground, and form a living creature, and set it with the power of speech upon the earth?
It is turned as clay to the seal; and they stand as a garment.
15 And have you removed light from the ungodly, and crushed the arm of the proud?
And from the wicked their light is withheld, and the high arm shall be broken.
16 Or have you gone to the source of the sea, and walked in the tracks of the deep?
Have you entered into the springs of the sea? or have you walked in the search of the depth?
17 And do the gates of death open to you for fear; and did the porters of hell quake when they saw you? (questioned)
Have the gates of death been opened unto you? or have you seen the doors of the shadow of death?
18 And have you been instructed in the breadth of the [whole earth] under heaven? tell me now, what is the extent of it?
Have you perceived the breadth of the earth? declare if you know it all.
19 And in what kind of a land does the light dwell? and of what kind is the place of darkness?
Where is the way where light dwells? and as for darkness, where is the place thereof,
20 If you could bring me to their [utmost] boundaries, and if also you know their paths;
That you should take it to the bound thereof, and that you should know the paths to the house thereof?
21 I know then that you were born at that time, and the number of your years is great.
Know you it, because you were then born? or because the number of your days is great?
22 But have you gone to the treasures of snow? and have you seen the treasures of hail?
Have you entered into the treasures of the snow? or have you seen the treasures of the hail,
23 And is there a store [of them], for you against the time of [your] enemies, for the day of wars and battle?
Which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war?
24 And whence proceeds the frost? or [whence] is the south wind dispersed over the [whole world] under heaven?
By what way is the light parted, which scatters the east wind upon the earth?
25 And who prepared a course for the violent rain, and a way for the thunders;
Who has divided a watercourse for the overflowing of waters, or a way for the lightning of thunder;
26 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],
To cause it to rain on the earth, where no man is; on the wilderness, wherein there is no man;
27 and cause it to send forth a crop of green herbs?
To satisfy the desolate and waste ground; and to cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth?
28 Who is the rain's father? and who has generated the drops of dew?
Has the rain a father? or who has begotten the drops of dew?
29 And out of whose womb comes the ice? and who has produced the frost in the sky,
Out of whose womb came the ice? and the hoary frost of heaven, who has gendered it?
30 which descends like flowing water? who has terrified the face of the ungodly?
The waters are hid as with a stone, and the face of the deep is frozen.
31 And do you understand the band of Pleias, and have you opened the barrier of Orion?
Can you bind the sweet influences of Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion?
32 Or will you reveal Mazuroth in his season, and the evening star with his rays? Will you guide them?
Can you bring forth Mazzaroth in his season? or can you guide Arcturus with his sons?
33 And know you the changes of heaven, or the events which take place together under heaven?
Know you the ordinances of heaven? can you set the dominion thereof in the earth?
34 And will you call a cloud with your voice, and will it obey you with a violent shower of much rain?
Can you lift up your voice to the clouds, that abundance of waters may cover you?
35 And will you send lightnings, and they shall go? and shall they say to you, What is [your pleasure]?
Can you send lightnings, that they may go and say unto you, Here we are?
36 And who has given to women skill in weaving, or knowledge of embroidery?
Who has put wisdom in the inward parts? or who has given understanding to the heart?
37 And who is he that numbers the clouds in wisdom, and has bowed the heaven [down] to the earth?
Who can number the clouds in wisdom? or who can stay the bottles of heaven,
38 For it is spread out as dusty earth, and I have cemented it as one hewn stone to another.
When the dust grows into hardness, and the clods cleave fast together?
39 And will you hunt a prey for the lions? and satisfy the desires of the serpents?
Will you hunt the prey for the lion? or fill the appetite of the young lions,
40 For they fear in their lairs, and lying in wait couch in the woods.
When they couch in their dens, and abide in the covert to lie in wait?
41 And who has prepared food for the raven? for its young ones wander and cry to the Lord, in search of food.
Who provides for the raven his food? when his young ones cry unto God, they wander for lack of food.
