Job 38
1 Then spake Jehovah to Job out of the whirlwind, and said:
Then did the Lord address Job out of the storm-wind, and said,
2 Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?
Who is this that casteth darkness [on my] counsel by words without knowledge?
3 Gird up thy loins like a man! I will ask thee, and answer thou me!
Do but gird up like a mighty man thy loins: and I will ask thee, and do thou inform me.
4 Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if thou hast understanding!
Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? tell it, if thou hast any understanding [of it].
5 Who fixed its dimensions, that thou shouldst know it! Or who stretched out the line upon it?
Who fixed her measurements, if thou knowest it? or who stretched the measuring-line over her?
6 Upon what were its foundations fixed? And who laid its corner-stone,
Upon what are her foundation-pillars placed at rest? or who laid her corner-stone:
7 When the morning stars sang together, And all the sons of God shouted for joy?
When altogether sang the morning stars in gladness, and shouted for joy all the sons of God?
8 And who shut up the sea with doors, When it burst forth as from the womb?
And who closed up with doors the sea, when, issuing forth, it came out of the deep bosom of the earth?
9 When I made the clouds its mantle, And thick darkness its swaddling-band;
When I made the clouds its garment, and thick fog its swaddling-cloth,
10 When I appointed for it my bound, And fixed for it bars and doors;
And when I decreed for it my law, and set [for it] bars and doors,
11 And said, Thus far shalt thou come, and no farther, And here shall thy proud waves be stayed!
And said, Thus far mayest thou come, but no farther; and here shall be stayed [thy strength] in the pride of thy waves?
12 Hast thou, in thy life, given charge to the morning, Or caused the day-spring to know its place,
Didst thou ever, in all thy days, command the morning; didst thou ever assign the morning-dawn its place:
13 That it should lay hold of the ends of the earth, And shake the wicked out of it?
That it might lay hold of the ends of the earth, so that the wicked might be shaken out therefrom?
14 It is changed as clay by the seal; And all things stand forth as in rich apparel.
She is changed as the sealing-clay: and [all things] stand as though newly clad.
15 But from the wicked their light is withheld, And the high-raised arm is broken.
And from the wicked is their light withdrawn, and the high-raised arm is broken.
16 Hast thou visited the springs of the sea, And walked through the recesses of the deep?
Didst thou ever penetrate as far as the springs of the sea? or wander through the bottom of the deep?
17 Have the gates of death been disclosed to thee, And hast thou seen the gates of the shadow of death?
Were the gates of death ever laid open unto thee? or canst thou see the doors of the shadow of death?
18 Hast thou surveyed the breadth of the earth? Declare, if thou knowest it all!
Hast thou a clear understanding of the breadth of the earth? Tell it, if thou knowest it all.
19 Where is the way to the abode of light? And darkness—where is its dwelling-place?
Where is the way [to the spot where] the light dwelleth? and the 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 thou mightest take each to its boundary, and that thou mightest mark the pathways to its house?
21 Surely thou knowest; for thou wast then born! And the number of thy years is great!
Thou [surely] knowest it; because thou wast then born, and the number of thy days is great!
22 Hast thou visited the storehouses of the snow, Or seen the treasuries of the hail,
Didst thou ever enter into the treasuries of the snow? or canst thou see 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 for the time of distress, for the day of fight and battle?
24 What is the way to where light is distributed, And the east wind spread abroad upon the earth?
Where is the way [to the spot where] the light divideth itself, [where] the east wind is scattered over the earth?
25 Who hath prepared channels for the rain, And a path for the thunder-flash,
Who hath divided off watercourses for the overflowing rain, and a way for the lightning [that is followed by] thunders,
26 To give rain to the land without an inhabitant, To the wilderness wherein is no man;
To bring rain on a land, void of men; on a wilderness wherein no son of earth [is found];
27 To satisfy the desolate and waste ground, And cause the tender herb to spring forth?
To satisfy waste and desolate lands; and to promote the growth of the tender grass?
28 Hath the rain a father? Or who hath begotten the drops of the dew?
Hath the rain a father? or who hath begotten the drops of the dew?
29 Out of whose womb came the ice? And who hath gendered the hoar-frost of heaven?
Out of whose womb cometh forth the ice? and the hoary frost of heaven—who giveth birth to it?
30 The waters are hid as under stone, And the face of the deep becometh solid.
[When] like a stone the waters are congealed, and the face of the deep is bound in fetters?
31 Canst thou fasten the bands of the Pleiades, Or loosen the chains of Orion?
Canst thou bind together the chains of the Pleiades, or loosen the bands of Orion?
32 Canst thou lead forth the Signs in their season, Or guide the Bear with her sons?
Canst thou bring forth the constellations of the zodiac, each in its season? or canst thou guide the Bear with its young?
33 Knowest thou the ordinances of the heavens? Hast thou appointed their dominion over the earth?
Knowest thou the laws of heaven? or dost thou appoint its rule on the earth?
34 Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, So that abundance of waters will cover thee?
Canst thou lift up to the clouds thy voice, that the abundance of waters may cover thee?
35 Canst thou send forth lightnings, so that they will go, And say to thee, “Here we are”?
Canst thou send out lightnings, that they may go, and say unto thee, Here are we?
36 Who hath put understanding in the reins, And given intelligence to the mind?
Who hath put wisdom in the dark clouds? or who hath given understanding to the bright meteors?
37 Who numbereth the clouds in wisdom? And who poureth out the bottles of heaven,
Who ordaineth the skies with wisdom? or who emptieth out the bottles of heaven.
38 When the dust floweth into a molten mass, And the clods cleave fast together?
When the dust is poured out as molten metal, and the clods are made to cleave fast together?
39 Canst thou hunt prey for the lioness, Or satisfy the hunger of the young lions,
Dost thou hunt for the lioness her prey? and suppliest thou the food for the young lions,
40 When they couch in their dens, And lie in wait in the thicket?
When they are couched in their lairs, rest in the thicket, lying in wait?
41 Who provideth for the raven his food, When his young ones cry unto God, While they wander about without food?
Who provideth for the raven his provision? when his young ones cry unto God, and wander about for lack of food?
