Job 38
1 And after Elius had ceased from speaking, the Lord spoke to Job through the whirlwind and clouds, [saying],
Then spake Jehovah to 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 darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?
3 Gird your loins like a man; and I will ask you, and do you answer me.
Gird up thy loins like a man! I will ask thee, and answer thou me!
4 Where was you when I founded the earth? tell me now, if you have knowledge,
Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if thou hast understanding!
5 who set the measures of it, if you know? or who stretched a line upon it?
Who fixed its dimensions, that thou shouldst know it! Or who stretched out the line upon it?
6 On what are its rings fastened? and who is he that laid the corner-stone upon it?
Upon what were its foundations fixed? And who laid its corner-stone,
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.
And who shut up the sea with doors, When it burst forth as from the womb?
9 And I made a cloud its clothing, and swathed it in mist.
When I made the clouds its mantle, And thick darkness its swaddling-band;
10 And I set bounds to it, surrounding it with bars and gates.
When I appointed for it my bound, And fixed for it 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, Thus far shalt thou come, and no farther, And here shall thy 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;
Hast thou, in thy life, given charge to the morning, Or caused the day-spring to know its place,
13 to lay hold of the extremities of the earth, to cast out the ungodly out of it?
That it should lay hold of the ends of the earth, And shake the wicked 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 changed as clay by the seal; And all things stand forth as in rich apparel.
15 And have you removed light from the ungodly, and crushed the arm of the proud?
But from the wicked their light is withheld, And the high-raised arm is broken.
16 Or have you gone to the source of the sea, and walked in the tracks of the deep?
Hast thou visited the springs of the sea, And walked through the recesses of the deep?
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 disclosed to thee, And hast thou seen the gates 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?
Hast thou surveyed the breadth of the earth? Declare, if thou knowest 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 to the abode of light? And darkness—where is its dwelling-place?
20 If you could bring me to their [utmost] boundaries, and if also you know their paths;
That thou shouldst lead it to its boundary, And that thou shouldst know the paths to its mansion!
21 I know then that you were born at that time, and the number of your years is great.
Surely thou knowest; for thou wast then born! And the number of thy years is great!
22 But have you gone to the treasures of snow? and have you seen the treasures of hail?
Hast thou visited the storehouses of the snow, Or seen the treasuries 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?
What is the way to where light is distributed, And the east wind spread abroad upon the earth?
25 And who prepared a course for the violent rain, and a way for the thunders;
Who hath prepared channels for the rain, And a path for the thunder-flash,
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 give rain to the land without an inhabitant, To the wilderness wherein is no man;
27 and cause it to send forth a crop of green herbs?
To satisfy the desolate and waste ground, And cause the tender herb to spring forth?
28 Who is the rain's father? and who has generated the drops of dew?
Hath the rain a father? Or who hath begotten the drops of the 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 who hath gendered the hoar-frost of heaven?
30 which descends like flowing water? who has terrified the face of the ungodly?
The waters are hid as under stone, And the face of the deep becometh solid.
31 And do you understand the band of Pleias, and have you opened the barrier of Orion?
Canst thou fasten the bands of the Pleiades, Or loosen the chains of Orion?
32 Or will you reveal Mazuroth in his season, and the evening star with his rays? Will you guide them?
Canst thou lead forth the Signs in their season, Or guide the Bear with her sons?
33 And know you the changes of heaven, or the events which take place together under heaven?
Knowest thou the ordinances of the heavens? Hast thou appointed their dominion over the earth?
34 And will you call a cloud with your voice, and will it obey you with a violent shower of much rain?
Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, So that abundance of waters will cover thee?
35 And will you send lightnings, and they shall go? and shall they say to you, What is [your pleasure]?
Canst thou send forth lightnings, so that they will go, And say to thee, “Here we are”?
36 And who has given to women skill in weaving, or knowledge of embroidery?
Who hath put understanding in the reins, And given intelligence to the mind?
37 And who is he that numbers the clouds in wisdom, and has bowed the heaven [down] to the earth?
Who numbereth the clouds in wisdom? And who poureth out 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 floweth into a molten mass, And the clods cleave fast together?
39 And will you hunt a prey for the lions? and satisfy the desires of the serpents?
Canst thou hunt prey for the lioness, Or satisfy the hunger 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 lie in wait in the thicket?
41 And who has prepared food for the raven? for its young ones wander and cry to the Lord, in search of food.
Who provideth for the raven his food, When his young ones cry unto God, While they wander about without food?
