Job 38

1 Then spake Jehovah to Job out of the whirlwind, and said:

Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind,

2 Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?

“Who is this who darkens counsel by words without knowledge?

3 Gird up thy loins like a man! I will ask thee, and answer thou me!

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

4 Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if thou hast understanding!

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

5 Who fixed its dimensions, that thou shouldst know it! Or who stretched out the line upon it?

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

6 Upon what were its foundations fixed? And who laid its corner-stone,

What were its foundations fastened on? Or who laid its cornerstone,

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 And who shut up the sea with doors, When it burst forth as from the womb?

“Or who shut up the sea with doors, when it broke out of the womb,

9 When I made the clouds its mantle, And thick darkness its swaddling-band;

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

10 When I appointed for it my bound, And fixed for it bars and doors;

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

11 And said, Thus far shalt thou come, and no farther, And here shall thy proud waves be stayed!

and said, ‘You may come here, but no further. Your proud waves shall be stopped here’?

12 Hast thou, in thy life, given charge to the morning, Or caused the day-spring to know its place,

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

13 That it should lay hold of the ends of the earth, And shake the wicked out of it?

that it might take hold of the ends of the earth, and shake the wicked out of it?

14 It is changed as clay by the seal; And all things stand forth as in rich apparel.

It is changed as clay under the seal, and presented as a garment.

15 But from the wicked their light is withheld, And the high-raised arm is broken.

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

16 Hast thou visited the springs of the sea, And walked through the recesses of the deep?

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

17 Have the gates of death been disclosed to thee, And hast thou seen the gates of the shadow of death?

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

18 Hast thou surveyed the breadth of the earth? Declare, if thou knowest it all!

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

19 Where is the way to the abode of light? And darkness—where is its dwelling-place?

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

20 That thou shouldst lead it to its boundary, And that thou shouldst know the paths to its mansion!

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

21 Surely thou knowest; for thou wast then born! And the number of thy years is great!

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

22 Hast thou visited the storehouses of the snow, Or seen the treasuries of the hail,

Have you entered the storehouses of the snow, or have you seen the storehouses 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 What is the way to where light is distributed, And the east wind spread abroad upon the earth?

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

25 Who hath prepared channels for the rain, And a path for the thunder-flash,

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

26 To give rain to the land without an inhabitant, To the wilderness wherein is no man;

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

27 To satisfy the desolate and waste ground, And cause the tender herb to spring forth?

to satisfy the waste and desolate ground, to cause the tender grass to grow?

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 came the ice? And who hath gendered the hoar-frost of heaven?

Whose womb did the ice come out of? Who has given birth to the gray frost of the sky?

30 The waters are hid as under stone, And the face of the deep becometh solid.

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

31 Canst thou fasten the bands of the Pleiades, Or loosen the chains of Orion?

“Can you bind the cluster of the Pleiades, or loosen the cords of Orion?

32 Canst thou lead forth the Signs in their season, Or guide the Bear with her sons?

Can you lead the constellations out in their season? Or can you guide the Bear with her cubs?

33 Knowest thou the ordinances of the heavens? Hast thou appointed their dominion over the earth?

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

34 Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, So that abundance of waters will cover thee?

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

35 Canst thou send forth lightnings, so that they will go, And say to thee, “Here we are”?

Can you send out lightnings, that they may go? Do they report to you, ‘Here we are’?

36 Who hath put understanding in the reins, And given intelligence to the mind?

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

37 Who numbereth the clouds in wisdom? And who poureth out the bottles of heaven,

Who can count the clouds by wisdom? Or who can pour out the containers of the sky,

38 When the dust floweth into a molten mass, And the clods cleave fast together?

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

39 Canst thou hunt prey for the lioness, Or satisfy the hunger of the young lions,

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

40 When they couch in their dens, And lie in wait in the thicket?

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

41 Who provideth for the raven his food, When his young ones cry unto God, While they wander about without food?

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