Job 38
1 Then did the Lord address Job out of the storm-wind, and said,
Then the Lord answered Job out of a whirlwind, and said:
2 Who is this that casteth darkness [on my] counsel by words without knowledge?
Who is this that wrappeth up sentences in unskillful words?
3 Do but gird up like a mighty man thy loins: and I will ask thee, and do thou inform me.
Gird up thy loins like a man: I will ask thee, and answer thou me.
4 Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? tell it, if thou hast any understanding [of it].
Where wast thou when I laid up the foundations of the earth? tell me if thou hast understanding.
5 Who fixed her measurements, if thou knowest it? or who stretched the measuring-line over her?
Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it?
6 Upon what are her foundation-pillars placed at rest? or who laid her corner-stone:
Upon what are its bases grounded? or who laid the corner stone thereof,
7 When altogether sang the morning stars in gladness, and shouted for joy all the sons of God?
When the morning stars praised me together, and all the sons of God made a joyful melody?
8 And who closed up with doors the sea, when, issuing forth, it came out of the deep bosom of the earth?
Who shut up the sea with doors, when it broke forth as issuing out of the womb:
9 When I made the clouds its garment, and thick fog its swaddling-cloth,
When I made a cloud the garment thereof, and wrapped it in a mist as in swaddling bands?
10 And when I decreed for it my law, and set [for it] bars and doors,
I set my bounds around it, and made it bars and doors:
11 And said, Thus far mayest thou come, but no farther; and here shall be stayed [thy strength] in the pride of thy waves?
And I said: Hitherto thou shalt come, and shalt go no further, and here thou shalt break thy swelling waves.
12 Didst thou ever, in all thy days, command the morning; didst thou ever assign the morning-dawn its place:
Didst thou since thy birth command the morning, and shew the dawning of the day its place?
13 That it might lay hold of the ends of the earth, so that the wicked might be shaken out therefrom?
And didst thou hold the extremities of the earth shaking them, and hast thou shaken the ungodly out of it?
14 She is changed as the sealing-clay: and [all things] stand as though newly clad.
The seal shall be restored as clay, and shall stand as a garment:
15 And from the wicked is their light withdrawn, and the high-raised arm is broken.
From the wicked their light shall be taken away, and the high arm shall be broken.
16 Didst thou ever penetrate as far as the springs of the sea? or wander through the bottom of the deep?
Hast thou entered into the depths of the sea, and walked in the lowest parts of the deep?
17 Were the gates of death ever laid open unto thee? or canst thou see the doors of the shadow of death?
Have the gates of death been opened to thee, and hast thou seen the darksome doors?
18 Hast thou a clear understanding of the breadth of the earth? Tell it, if thou knowest it all.
Hast thou considered the breadth of the earth? tell me, if thou knowest all things?
19 Where is the way [to the spot where] the light dwelleth? and the darkness—where is its place,
Where is the way where light dwelleth, and where is the place of darkness:
20 That thou mightest take each to its boundary, and that thou mightest mark the pathways to its house?
That thou mayst bring every thing to its own bounds, and understand the paths of the house thereof.
21 Thou [surely] knowest it; because thou wast then born, and the number of thy days is great!
Didst thou know then that thou shouldst be born? and didst thou know the number of thy days?
22 Didst thou ever enter into the treasuries of the snow? or canst thou see the treasuries of the hail,
Hast thou entered into the storehouses of the snow, or has thou beheld the treasures of the hail:
23 Which I have reserved for the time of distress, for the day of fight and battle?
Which I have prepared for the time of the enemy, against the day of battle and war?
24 Where is the way [to the spot where] the light divideth itself, [where] the east wind is scattered over the earth?
By what way is the light spread, and heat divided upon the earth?
25 Who hath divided off watercourses for the overflowing rain, and a way for the lightning [that is followed by] thunders,
Who gave a course to violent showers, or a way for noisy thunder:
26 To bring rain on a land, void of men; on a wilderness wherein no son of earth [is found];
That it should rain on the earth without man in the wilderness, where no mortal dwelleth:
27 To satisfy waste and desolate lands; and to promote the growth of the tender grass?
That it should fill the desert and desolate land, and should bring forth green grass?
28 Hath the rain a father? or who hath begotten the drops of the dew?
Who is the father of rain? or who begot the drops of dew?
29 Out of whose womb cometh forth the ice? and the hoary frost of heaven—who giveth birth to it?
Out of whose womb came the ice; and the frost from heaven who hath gendered it?
30 [When] like a stone the waters are congealed, and the face of the deep is bound in fetters?
The waters are hardened like a stone, and the surface of the deep is congealed.
31 Canst thou bind together the chains of the Pleiades, or loosen the bands of Orion?
Shalt thou be able to join together the shining stars the Pleiades, or canst thou stop the turning about of Arcturus?
32 Canst thou bring forth the constellations of the zodiac, each in its season? or canst thou guide the Bear with its young?
Canst thou bring forth the day star in its time, and make the evening star to rise upon the children of the earth?
33 Knowest thou the laws of heaven? or dost thou appoint its rule on the earth?
Dost thou know the order of heaven, and canst thou set down the reason thereof on the earth?
34 Canst thou lift up to the clouds thy voice, that the abundance of waters may cover thee?
Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, that an abundance of waters may cover thee?
35 Canst thou send out lightnings, that they may go, and say unto thee, Here are we?
Canst thou send lightnings, and will they go, and will they return and say to thee: Here we are?
36 Who hath put wisdom in the dark clouds? or who hath given understanding to the bright meteors?
Who hath put wisdom in the heart of man? or who gave the cock understanding?
37 Who ordaineth the skies with wisdom? or who emptieth out the bottles of heaven.
Who can declare the order of the heavens, or who can make the harmony of heaven to sleep?
38 When the dust is poured out as molten metal, and the clods are made to cleave fast together?
When was the dust poured on the earth, and the clods fastened together?
39 Dost thou hunt for the lioness her prey? and suppliest thou the food for the young lions,
Wilt thou take the prey for the lioness, and satisfy the appetite of her whelps,
40 When they are couched in their lairs, rest in the thicket, lying in wait?
When they couch in the dens and lie in wait in holes?
41 Who provideth for the raven his provision? when his young ones cry unto God, and wander about for lack of food?
Who provideth food for the raven, when her young ones cry to God, wandering about, because they have no meat?
