Job 38

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

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

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

Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?

3 Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.

Gird up thy loins like a man! I will ask thee, and answer thou 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? Declare, if thou hast understanding!

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

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

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

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 brake forth, [as if] it had issued out of the womb;

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

9 When I made the cloud the garment thereof, and thick darkness a swaddlingband for it,

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

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

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

11 And said, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further; and here shall thy proud waves be stayed?

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

12 Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days [began, and] caused the dayspring 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 ends of the earth, and the wicked be shaken 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 [all things] stand forth as a garment:

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

15 And from the wicked their light is withholden, and the high arm is broken.

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

16 Hast thou entered into the springs of the sea? or hast thou 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 unto thee? or hast thou 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 Hast thou comprehended the breadth of the earth? declare, if thou knowest it all.

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

19 Where is the way to the dwelling of light, and as for darkness, where is the place thereof;

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

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

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

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

Surely thou knowest; for thou wast then born! 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,

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 light parted, or the east wind scattered upon the earth?

What is the way to where light is distributed, And the east wind spread abroad upon the earth?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

When they couch 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, [and] wander for lack of meat?

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