Job 38

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

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

2 Who is this that darkeneth 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 Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.

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

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

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

5 Who determined the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who stretched the line upon it?

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

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

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 brake forth, [as if] it had issued out of 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 the cloud the garment thereof, and thick darkness a swaddlingband for it,

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

10 And prescribed for it my decree, and set bars and doors,

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

11 And said, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further; and here shall thy proud waves 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 Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days [began, and] caused the dayspring 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 ends of the earth, and the wicked be shaken 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 [all things] stand 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 And from the wicked their light is withholden, and the high arm is broken.

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

16 Hast thou entered into the springs of the sea? or hast thou 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 unto thee? or hast thou 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 Hast thou comprehended the breadth of the earth? declare, if thou knowest 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 Where is the way to the dwelling of light, and as for darkness, where is the place thereof;

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

20 That thou shouldest take it to the bound thereof, and that thou shouldest discern the paths to the house thereof?

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

21 [Doubtless], thou knowest, for thou wast then born, and the number of thy days is great!

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

22 Hast thou entered the treasuries of the snow, or hast thou seen the treasuries 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 light parted, or the east wind scattered upon the earth?

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

25 Who hath cleft a channel for the waterflood, or a way for the lightning of the thunder;

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, wherein 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]; and to cause the tender grass to spring forth?

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

28 Hath the rain a father? or who hath begotten 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? and the hoary frost of heaven, who hath gendered it?

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

30 The waters are hidden as [with] stone, and the face of the deep is frozen.

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

31 Canst thou bind the cluster of the Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion?

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

32 Canst thou lead forth the Mazzaroth in their season? or canst thou guide the Bear with her train?

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

33 Knowest thou the ordinances of the heavens? canst thou establish the dominion thereof in the earth?

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

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

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

35 Canst thou send forth lightnings, that they may go, and say unto thee, Here we are?

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

36 Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts? or who hath 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 heaven,

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

38 When the dust runneth into a mass, and the clods cleave fast together?

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

39 Wilt thou 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 couch in their dens, [and] abide in the covert to lie in wait?

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

41 Who provideth for the raven his food, when his young ones cry unto God, [and] wander for lack of meat?

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