Job 38

1 Then Jehovah answered Job out of the whirlwind,

And after Elius had ceased from speaking, the Lord spoke to Job through the whirlwind and clouds, [saying],

2 "Who is this who darkens counsel by words without knowledge?

Who is this that hides counsel from me, and confines words in [his] heart, and thinks to conceal [them] from me?

3 Brace yourself like a man, for I will question you, then you answer me.

Gird thy loins like a man; and I will ask thee, and do thou answer me.

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

Where wast thou when I founded the earth? tell me now, if thou hast knowledge,

5 Who determined its measures, if you know? Or who stretched the line on it?

who set the measures of it, if thou knowest? or who stretched a line upon it?

6 Whereupon were its foundations fastened? Or who laid its cornerstone,

On what are its rings fastened? and who is he that laid the corner-stone upon it?

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

When the stars were made, all my angels praised me with a loud voice.

8 "Or who shut up the sea with doors, when it broke forth from the womb,

And I shut up the sea with gates, when it rushed out, coming forth out its mother's womb.

9 when I made clouds its garment, and wrapped it in thick darkness,

And I made a cloud its clothing, and swathed it in mist.

10 marked out for it my bound, set bars and doors,

And I set bounds to it, surrounding it with bars and gates.

11 and said, 'Here you may come, but no further. Here your proud waves shall be stayed?'

And I said to it, Hitherto shalt thou come, but thou shalt not go beyond, but thy waves shall be confined within thee.

12 "Have you commanded the morning in your days, and caused the dawn to know its place;

Or did I order the morning light in thy time; and [did] the morning star [then first] see his appointed place;

13 that it might take hold of the farthest parts of the earth, and shake the wicked out of it?

to lay hold of the extremities of the earth, to cast out the ungodly out of it?

14 It is changed as clay under the seal, and stands forth as a garment.

Or didst thou take clay of the ground, and form a living creature, and set it with the power of speech upon the earth?

15 From the wicked, their light is withheld. The high arm is broken.

And hast thou removed light from the ungodly, and crushed the arm of the proud?

16 "Have you entered into the springs of the sea? Or have you walked in the recesses of the deep?

Or hast thou gone to the source of the sea, and walked in the tracks of the deep?

17 Have the gates of death been revealed to you? Or have you seen the gates of the shadow of death?

And do the gates of death open to thee for fear; and did the porters of hell quake when they saw thee? (questioned)

18 Have you comprehended the earth in its breadth? Declare, if you know it all.

And hast thou been instructed in the breadth of the [whole earth] under heaven? tell me now, what is the extent of it?

19 "What is the way to the dwelling of light? As for darkness, where is its place,

And in what kind of a land does the light dwell? and of what kind is the place of darkness?

20 that you should take it to its bound, that you should discern the paths to its house?

If thou couldest bring me to their [utmost] boundaries, and if also thou knowest their paths;

21 Surely you know, for you were born then, and the number of your days is great.

I know then that thou wert born at that time, and the number of thy years is great.

22 Have you entered the treasuries of the snow, or have you seen the treasures of the hail,

But hast thou gone to the treasures of snow? and hast thou seen the treasures of hail?

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

And is there a store [of them], for thee against the time of [thine] enemies, for the day of wars and battle?

24 By what way is the lightning distributed, or the east wind scattered on the earth?

And whence proceeds the frost? or [whence] is the south wind dispersed over the [whole world] under heaven?

25 Who has cut a channel for the flood water, or the path for the thunderstorm;

And who prepared a course for the violent rain, and a way for the thunders;

26 To cause it to rain on a land where no man is; on the wilderness, in which there is no man;

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],

27 to satisfy the waste and desolate ground, to cause the tender grass to spring forth?

and cause it to send forth a crop of green herbs?

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

Who is the rain's father? and who has generated the drops of dew?

29 Out of whose womb came the ice? The gray frost of the sky, who has given birth to it?

And out of whose womb comes the ice? and who has produced the frost in the sky,

30 The waters become hard like stone, when the surface of the deep is frozen.

which descends like flowing water? who has terrified the face of the ungodly?

31 "Can you fasten the chains of Kimah, or loosen the cords of Kesil?

And dost thou understand the band of Pleias, and hast thou opened the barrier of Orion?

32 Can you lead forth the Mazzaroth in their season? Or can you lead Aysh with her children?

Or wilt thou reveal Mazuroth in his season, and the evening star with his rays? Wilt thou guide them?

33 Do you know the laws of the heavens? Can you establish its dominion over the earth?

And knowest thou the changes of heaven, or the events which take place together under heaven?

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

And wilt thou call a cloud with thy voice, and will it obey thee with a violent shower of much rain?

35 Can you send forth lightnings, that they may go? Do they report to you, 'Here we are?'

And wilt thou send lightnings, and they shall go? and shall they say to thee, What is [thy pleasure]?

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

And who has given to women skill in weaving, or knowledge of embroidery?

37 Who can number the clouds by wisdom? Or who can pour out the bottles of the sky,

And who is he that numbers the clouds in wisdom, and has bowed the heaven [down] to the earth?

38 when the dust runs into a mass, and the clods of earth stick together?

For it is spread out as dusty earth, and I have cemented it as one hewn stone to another.

39 "Can you hunt the prey for the lioness, or satisfy the appetite of the young lions,

And wilt thou hunt a prey for the lions? and satisfy the desires of the serpents?

40 when they crouch in their dens, and lie in wait in the thicket?

For they fear in their lairs, and lying in wait couch in the woods.

41 Who provides for the raven his prey, when his young ones cry to God, and wander for lack of food?

And who has prepared food for the raven? for its young ones wander and cry to the Lord, in search of food.