Job 38
1 Then Yahweh responded to Job, out of a storm, and said: —
And Jehovah answered Job out of the whirlwind and said,
2 Who is it that darkeneth counsel, by words, without knowledge?
Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?
3 Gird, I pray thee—like a strong man—thy loins, that I may ask thee, and inform thou me:
Gird up now thy loins like a man; and I will demand of thee, and inform thou me.
4 Where wast thou, when I founded the earth? Tell, if thou knowest understanding!
Where wast thou when I founded the earth? Declare, if thou hast understanding.
5 Who set the measurements thereof, if thou knowest? Or who stretched out over it a line?
Who set the measures thereof — if thou knowest? or who stretched a line upon it?
6 Whereon were the pedestals thereof sunk? Or who laid the corner stone thereof; —
Whereupon were the foundations thereof sunken? or 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 in, with double doors, the sea, when, bursting out of the womb, it came forth;
And who shut up the sea with doors, when it burst forth, issuing out of the womb?
9 When I put a cloud as the garment thereof, and a thick cloud as the swaddling-band thereof;
When I made the cloud its garment, and thick darkness a swaddling band for it;
10 And brake off for it my boundary, and fixed a bar and double doors;
When I cut out for it my boundary, and set bars and doors,
11 And said—Hitherto, shalt thou come, and no further, —and, here, shalt thou set a limit to the majesty of thy waves?
And said, Hitherto shalt thou come and no further, and here shall thy proud waves be stayed?
12 Since thy days [began] hast thou commanded the morning? or caused the dawn to know its place;
Hast thou since thy days commanded the morning? hast thou caused the dawn to know its place,
13 That it might lay hold of the wings of the earth, and the lawless be shaken out of it?
That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, and the wicked might be shaken out of it?
14 It transformeth itself like the clay of a seal, so that things stand forth like one arrayed;
It is changed like the signet-clay; and [all things] stand forth as in a garment:
15 That their light may be withdrawn from the lawless, and, the lofty arm, be shivered.
And from the wicked their light is withholden, and the uplifted arm is broken.
16 Hast thou entered as far as the springs of the sea? Or, through the secret recesses of the resounding deep, hast thou wandered?
Hast thou entered as far as the springs of the sea? and hast thou walked in the recesses of the deep?
17 Have the gates of death been disclosed to thee? And, the gates of the death-shade, couldst thou descry?
Have the gates of death been revealed unto thee? and hast thou seen the gates of the shadow of death?
18 Hast thou well considered, even the breadths of the earth? Tell—if thou knowest it all!
Hath thine understanding compassed the breadths of the earth? Declare if thou knowest it all.
19 Where then is the way, the light shall abide? And, the darkness, where then is its place?
Where is the way to where light dwelleth? and the darkness, where is its place,
20 That thou mayest conduct it unto the bound thereof, and that thou mayest perceive the paths to its house.
That thou shouldest take it to its bound, and that thou shouldest know the paths to its house?
21 Thou knowest, for, then, hadst thou been born! And, in number, thy days are many!
Thou knowest, for thou wast then born, and the number of thy days is great!
22 Hast thou entered into the treasuries of the snow? And, the treasuries of the hail, couldst thou see?
Hast thou entered into the storehouses of the snow, and hast thou seen the treasuries of the hail,
23 Which I have reserved for a time of distress, for the day of conflict and of war?
Which I have reserved for the time of distress, for the day of battle and war?
24 Where then is the way the lightning is parted? The east wind spreadeth itself abroad over the earth.
By what way is the light parted, [and] the east wind scattered upon the earth?
25 Who hath cloven—for the torrent—a channel? Or a way for the lightning of thunders;
Who hath divided a channel for the rain-flood, and a way for the thunder's flash;
26 To give rain over the no-man’s land, the desert, where no son of earth is;
To cause it to rain on the earth, where no one is; on the wilderness wherein there is not a man;
27 To satisfy the wild and the wilderness, to cause to spring forth the meadow of young grass?
To satisfy the desolate and waste [ground], and to cause the sprout of the grass to spring forth?
28 Hath the rain a father? Or who hath begotten the drops of dew?
Hath the rain a father? or who begetteth the drops of dew?
29 Out of whose womb, came forth the ice? And, the hoar-frost of the heavens, who hath given it birth?
Out of whose womb cometh the ice? and the hoary frost of heaven, who bringeth it forth?
30 Like a stone, are the waters congealed, and, the face of the roaring deep, becometh firm!
When the waters lie hidden as in stone, and the face of the deep holdeth fast together.
31 Canst thou bind the fetters of the Pleiades? Or, the bands of Orion, canst thou unloose?
Canst thou fasten the bands of the Pleiades, or loosen the cords of Orion?
32 Canst thou bring forth the signs of the Zodiac each in its season? Or, the Bear and her Young, canst thou lead?
Dost thou bring forth the constellations each in its season? or dost thou guide the Bear with her sons?
33 Knowest thou, the statutes of the heavens? Or didst thou appoint his dominion over the earth?
Knowest thou the ordinances of the heavens? dost thou determine their rule over the earth?
34 Canst thou lift up, to the thick cloud, thy voice, and the overflow of waters cover thee?
Dost thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, that floods of waters may cover thee?
35 Canst thou send forth the lightnings, so that they go, and say to thee, Behold us?
Dost thou send forth lightnings that they may go, and say unto thee, Here we are?
36 Who hath put—into cloud-forms—wisdom? Or who hath given—to the meteor—understanding?
Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts? or who hath given understanding to the mind?
37 Who can count the thin clouds, in wisdom? And, the bottles of the heavens, who can empty out;
Who numbereth the clouds with wisdom? or who poureth out the bottles of the heavens,
38 When the dust is cast into a clod, and the lumps are bound together?
When the dust runneth as into a molten mass, and the clods cleave fast together?
39 Wilt thou hunt—for the Lioness—prey? Or, the craving of the Strong Lion, wilt thou satisfy;
Dost thou hunt the prey for the lioness, and dost thou satisfy the appetite of the young lions,
40 When they settle down in dens, abide in covert, for lying in wait?
When they crouch in [their] dens, [and] abide in the thicket to lie in wait?
41 Who prepareth for the Raven his nourishment, —when his young ones—unto GOD—cry out, [when] they wander for lack of food?
Who provideth for the raven his food, when his young ones cry unto God, [and] they wander for lack of meat?
