Job 38
1 Then did the Lord address Job out of the storm-wind, and said,
Then Yahweh called to Job out of a fierce storm and said,
2 Who is this that casteth darkness [on my] counsel by words without knowledge?
“Who is this who brings darkness to plans by means of words without knowledge?
3 Do but gird up like a mighty man thy loins: and I will ask thee, and do thou inform me.
Now gird up your loins like a man for I will ask you questions, and you must answer me.
4 Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? tell it, if thou hast any understanding [of it].
Where were you when I laid the earth's foundations? Tell me, if you have so much understanding.
5 Who fixed her measurements, if thou knowest it? or who stretched the measuring-line over her?
Who determined its dimensions? Tell me, if you know. Who stretched the measuring line over it?
6 Upon what are her foundation-pillars placed at rest? or who laid her corner-stone:
On what were its foundations laid? Who laid its cornerstone
7 When altogether sang the morning stars in gladness, and shouted for joy all the sons of God?
when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
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 burst out, as if it had come out of the womb—
9 When I made the clouds its garment, and thick fog its swaddling-cloth,
when I made clouds its clothing, and thick darkness its swaddling bands?
10 And when I decreed for it my law, and set [for it] bars and doors,
That was when I marked out for the sea my boundary, and when I placed its 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 when I said to it, 'You may come this far, but no farther; here is where I will put a boundary to the pride of your waves.'
12 Didst thou ever, in all thy days, command the morning; didst thou ever assign the morning-dawn its place:
Have you given orders to the morning, or caused the dawn to know its place,
13 That it might lay hold of the ends of the earth, so that the wicked might be shaken out therefrom?
so that it might take hold of the edges of the earth and shake the wicked out of it?
14 She is changed as the sealing-clay: and [all things] stand as though newly clad.
The earth is changed in appearance like clay changes under a seal; all things on it stand out clearly like the folds of a piece of clothing.
15 And from the wicked is their light withdrawn, and the high-raised arm is broken.
From wicked people their 'light' is taken away; their uplifted arm is broken.
16 Didst thou ever penetrate as far as the springs of the sea? or wander through the bottom of the deep?
Have you gone to the sources of the waters of the sea? Have you 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 revealed to you? Have you seen the gates of the shadow of death?
18 Hast thou a clear understanding of the breadth of the earth? Tell it, if thou knowest it all.
Have you understood the earth in its expanse? Tell me, if you know it all.
19 Where is the way [to the spot where] the light dwelleth? and the darkness—where is its place,
Where is the way to the resting place of light— as for darkness, where is its place?
20 That thou mightest take each to its boundary, and that thou mightest mark the pathways to its house?
Can you lead light and darkness to their places of work? Can you find the way back to their houses for them?
21 Thou [surely] knowest it; because thou wast then born, and the number of thy days is great!
Undoubtedly you know, for you were born then; the number of your days is so large!
22 Didst thou ever enter into the treasuries of the snow? or canst thou see the treasuries of the hail,
Have you entered the storehouses for the snow, or have you seen the storehouses for the hail,
23 Which I have reserved for the time of distress, for the day of fight and battle?
these things that I have kept for times of trouble, for days 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?
What is the path to where the lightning bolts are distributed or to where the winds are scattered from the east over the earth?
25 Who hath divided off watercourses for the overflowing rain, and a way for the lightning [that is followed by] thunders,
Who has created the channels for the floods of rain, or who has made a path for the thunder,
26 To bring rain on a land, void of men; on a wilderness wherein no son of earth [is found];
to cause it to rain on lands where no person exists, and on the wilderness, in which there is no one,
27 To satisfy waste and desolate lands; and to promote the growth of the tender grass?
to satisfy the devastated and desolate places, and to make the ground sprout with grass?
28 Hath the rain a father? or who hath begotten the drops of the dew?
Does the rain have a father, or, who fathers 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 did the ice come? Who bore the white frost out of the sky?
30 [When] like a stone the waters are congealed, and the face of the deep is bound in fetters?
The waters hide themselves and become like stone; the surface of the deep becomes frozen.
31 Canst thou bind together the chains of the Pleiades, or loosen the bands of Orion?
Can you fasten chains on the Pleiades, or undo the cords of Orion?
32 Canst thou bring forth the constellations of the zodiac, each in its season? or canst thou guide the Bear with its young?
Can you lead the constellations to appear at their proper times? Can you guide the Bear with its children?
33 Knowest thou the laws of heaven? or dost thou appoint its rule on the earth?
Do you know the regulations of the sky? Could you set in place the sky's rule over the earth?
34 Canst thou lift up to the clouds thy voice, that the abundance of waters may cover thee?
Can you raise your voice up to the clouds, so that an abundance of rainwater may cover you?
35 Canst thou send out lightnings, that they may go, and say unto thee, Here are we?
Can you send out bolts of lightning that they may go out, that they say to you, 'Here we are'?
36 Who hath put wisdom in the dark clouds? or who hath given understanding to the bright meteors?
Who has put wisdom in the clouds or has given understanding to the mists?
37 Who ordaineth the skies with wisdom? or who emptieth out the bottles of heaven.
Who can number the clouds by his skill? Who can pour out the water skins of the sky
38 When the dust is poured out as molten metal, and the clods are made to cleave fast together?
when the dust runs into a hard mass and the clods of earth clump tightly together?
39 Dost thou hunt for the lioness her prey? and suppliest thou the food for the young lions,
Can you hunt down a victim for a lioness or satisfy the appetite of her young lion cubs
40 When they are couched in their lairs, rest in the thicket, lying in wait?
when they are crouching in their dens and sheltering in hiding to lie in wait?
41 Who provideth for the raven his provision? when his young ones cry unto God, and wander about for lack of food?
Who provides victims for the ravens when their young ones cry out to God and stagger about for lack of food?
