Job 38
1 Then Jehovah answered Job out of the whirlwind,
Then spake Jehovah to Job out of the whirlwind, and said:
2 "Who is this who darkens counsel by words without knowledge?
Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?
3 Brace yourself like a man, for I will question you, then you answer me.
Gird up thy loins like a man! I will ask thee, and answer thou me!
4 "Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if you have understanding.
Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if thou hast understanding!
5 Who determined its measures, if you know? Or who stretched the line on it?
Who fixed its dimensions, that thou shouldst know it! Or who stretched out the line upon it?
6 Whereupon were its foundations fastened? Or who laid its cornerstone,
Upon what were its foundations fixed? And who laid its corner-stone,
7 when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
When the morning stars sang together, And all the sons of God shouted for joy?
8 "Or who shut up the sea with doors, when it broke forth from the womb,
And who shut up the sea with doors, When it burst forth as from the womb?
9 when I made clouds its garment, and wrapped it in thick darkness,
When I made the clouds its mantle, And thick darkness its swaddling-band;
10 marked out for it my bound, set bars and doors,
When I appointed for it my bound, And fixed for it bars and doors;
11 and said, 'Here you may come, but no further. Here your proud waves shall be stayed?'
And said, Thus far shalt thou come, and no farther, And here shall thy proud waves be stayed!
12 "Have you commanded the morning in your days, and caused the dawn to know its place;
Hast thou, in thy life, given charge to the morning, Or caused the day-spring to know its place,
13 that it might take hold of the farthest parts of the earth, and shake the wicked out of it?
That it should lay hold of the ends of the earth, And shake the wicked out of it?
14 It is changed as clay under the seal, and stands forth as a garment.
It is changed as clay by the seal; And all things stand forth as in rich apparel.
15 From the wicked, their light is withheld. The high arm is broken.
But from the wicked their light is withheld, And the high-raised arm is broken.
16 "Have you entered into the springs of the sea? Or have you walked in the recesses of the deep?
Hast thou visited the springs of the sea, And walked through the recesses of the deep?
17 Have the gates of death been revealed to you? Or have you seen the gates of the shadow of death?
Have the gates of death been disclosed to thee, And hast thou seen the gates of the shadow of death?
18 Have you comprehended the earth in its breadth? Declare, if you know it all.
Hast thou surveyed the breadth of the earth? Declare, if thou knowest it all!
19 "What is the way to the dwelling of light? As for darkness, where is its place,
Where is the way to the abode of light? And darkness—where is its dwelling-place?
20 that you should take it to its bound, that you should discern the paths to its house?
That thou shouldst lead it to its boundary, And that thou shouldst know the paths to its mansion!
21 Surely you know, for you were born then, and the number of your days is great.
Surely thou knowest; for thou wast then born! 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,
Hast thou visited the storehouses of the snow, Or seen the treasuries of the hail,
23 which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war?
Which I have reserved against the time of trouble, —Against the day of battle and war?
24 By what way is the lightning distributed, or the east wind scattered on the earth?
What is the way to where light is distributed, And the east wind spread abroad upon the earth?
25 Who has cut a channel for the flood water, or the path for the thunderstorm;
Who hath prepared channels for the rain, And a path for the thunder-flash,
26 To cause it to rain on a land where no man is; on the wilderness, in which there is no man;
To give rain to the land without an inhabitant, To the wilderness wherein is no man;
27 to satisfy the waste and desolate ground, to cause the tender grass to spring forth?
To satisfy the desolate and waste ground, And cause the tender herb to spring forth?
28 Does the rain have a father? Or who fathers the drops of dew?
Hath the rain a father? Or who hath begotten the drops of the dew?
29 Out of whose womb came the ice? The gray frost of the sky, who has given birth to it?
Out of whose womb came the ice? And who hath gendered the hoar-frost of heaven?
30 The waters become hard like stone, when the surface of the deep is frozen.
The waters are hid as under stone, And the face of the deep becometh solid.
31 "Can you fasten the chains of Kimah, or loosen the cords of Kesil?
Canst thou fasten the bands of the Pleiades, Or loosen the chains of Orion?
32 Can you lead forth the Mazzaroth in their season? Or can you lead Aysh with her children?
Canst thou lead forth the Signs in their season, Or guide the Bear with her sons?
33 Do you know the laws of the heavens? Can you establish its dominion over the earth?
Knowest thou the ordinances of the heavens? Hast thou appointed their dominion over the earth?
34 "Can you lift up your voice to the clouds, That abundance of waters may cover you?
Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, So that abundance of waters will cover thee?
35 Can you send forth lightnings, that they may go? Do they report to you, 'Here we are?'
Canst thou send forth lightnings, so that they will go, And say to thee, “Here we are”?
36 Who has put wisdom in the inward parts? Or who has given understanding to the mind?
Who hath put understanding in the reins, And given intelligence to the mind?
37 Who can number the clouds by wisdom? Or who can pour out the bottles of the sky,
Who numbereth the clouds in wisdom? And who poureth out the bottles of heaven,
38 when the dust runs into a mass, and the clods of earth stick together?
When the dust floweth into a molten mass, And the clods cleave fast together?
39 "Can you hunt the prey for the lioness, or satisfy the appetite of the young lions,
Canst thou hunt prey for the lioness, Or satisfy the hunger of the young lions,
40 when they crouch in their dens, and lie in wait in the thicket?
When they couch in their dens, And lie in wait in the thicket?
41 Who provides for the raven his prey, when his young ones cry to God, and wander for lack of food?
Who provideth for the raven his food, When his young ones cry unto God, While they wander about without food?
