Job 38

1 And YHWH answers Job out of the whirlwind and says:

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

2 “Who [is] this—darkening counsel, By words without knowledge?

Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?

3 Now gird your loins as a man, And I ask you, and you cause Me to know.

Gird up now your loins like a man; for I will demand of you, and answer you me.

4 Where were you when I founded the earth? Declare, if you have known understanding.

Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if you have understanding.

5 Who placed its measures—if you know? Or who has stretched out a line on it?

Who has laid the measures thereof, if you know? or who has stretched the line upon it?

6 On what have its sockets been sunk? Or who has cast its cornerstone—

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

7 In the singing together of [the] stars of morning, When all [the] sons of God shout for joy?

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

8 And He shuts up the sea with doors, In its coming forth, it goes out from the womb.

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

9 In My making a cloud its clothing, And thick darkness its swaddling band,

When I made the cloud the garment thereof, and thick darkness a swaddling band for it,

10 And I measure My statute over it, And place bar and doors,

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

11 And say, To here you come, and no more, And a command is placed On the pride of your billows.

And said, Until now shall you come, but no further: and here shall your proud waves be stayed?

12 Have you commanded morning since your days? Do you cause the dawn to know its place?

Have you commanded the morning since your days; and caused the dayspring to know his place;

13 To take hold on the skirts of the earth, And the wicked are shaken out of it,

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

14 It turns itself as clay of a seal And they station themselves as clothed.

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

15 And their light is withheld from the wicked, And the arm lifted up is broken.

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

16 Have you come to springs of the sea? And in searching the deep Have you walked up and down?

Have you entered into the springs of the sea? or have you walked in the search of the depth?

17 Were the gates of death revealed to you? And do you see the gates of death-shade?

Have the gates of death been opened unto you? or have you seen the doors of the shadow of death?

18 You have understanding, Even to the broad places of earth! Declare—if you have known it all.

Have you perceived the breadth of the earth? declare if you know it all.

19 Where [is] this—the way light dwells? And darkness, where [is] this—its place?

Where is the way where light dwells? and as for darkness, where is the place thereof,

20 That you take it to its boundary, And that you understand the paths of its house.

That you should take it to the bound thereof, and that you should know the paths to the house thereof?

21 You have known—for then you are born, And the number of your days [are] many!

Know you it, because you were then born? or because the number of your days is great?

22 Have you come to the treasure of snow? Indeed, do you see the treasures of hail,

Have you entered into the treasures of the snow? or have you seen the treasures of the hail,

23 That I have kept back for a time of distress, For a day of conflict and battle?

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

24 Where [is] this, the way light is apportioned? It scatters an east wind over the earth.

By what way is the light parted, which scatters the east wind upon the earth?

25 Who has divided a conduit for the flood? And a way for the lightning of the voices?

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

26 To cause [it] to rain on a land [with] no man, A wilderness [with] no man in it.

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

27 To satisfy a desolate and ruined place, And to cause to shoot up The produce of the tender grass?

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

28 Does the rain have a father? Or who has begotten the drops of dew?

Has the rain a father? or who has begotten the drops of dew?

29 From whose belly came forth the ice? And the hoarfrost of the heavens, Who has begotten it?

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

30 Waters are hidden as a stone, And the face of the deep is captured.

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

31 Do you bind the chains of the Pleiades? Or do you open the cords of Orion?

Can you bind the sweet influences of Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion?

32 Do you bring out the twelve signs in [their] season? And do you comfort the Great Bear over her sons?

Can you bring forth Mazzaroth in his season? or can you guide Arcturus with his sons?

33 Have you known the statutes of the heavens? Or do you appoint Its dominion in the earth?

Know you the ordinances of heaven? can you set the dominion thereof in the earth?

34 Do you lift up your voice to the cloud, And abundance of water covers you?

Can you lift up your voice to the clouds, that abundance of waters may cover you?

35 Do you send out lightnings, and they go And say to you, Behold us?

Can you send lightnings, that they may go and say unto you, Here we are?

36 Who has put wisdom in the inward parts? Or who has given understanding to the covered part?

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

37 Who numbers the clouds by wisdom? And the bottles of the heavens, Who causes to lie down,

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

38 In the hardening of dust into hardness, And clods cleave together?

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

39 Do you hunt prey for a lion? And fulfill the desire of young lions?

Will you hunt the prey for the lion? or fill the appetite of the young lions,

40 When they bow down in dens—Abide in a thicket for a covert?

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

41 Who prepares for a raven his provision, When his young ones cry to God? They wander without food.”

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