Job 38
1 Then Yahweh responded to Job, out of a storm, and said: —
Then did the Lord address Job out of the storm-wind, and said,
2 Who is it that darkeneth counsel, by words, without knowledge?
Who is this that casteth darkness [on my] 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:
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 founded the earth? Tell, if thou knowest understanding!
Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? tell it, if thou hast any understanding [of it].
5 Who set the measurements thereof, if thou knowest? Or who stretched out over it a line?
Who fixed her measurements, if thou knowest it? or who stretched the measuring-line over her?
6 Whereon were the pedestals thereof sunk? Or who laid the corner stone thereof; —
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 Or [who] shut in, with double doors, the sea, when, bursting out of the womb, it came forth;
And who closed up with doors the sea, when, issuing forth, it came out of the deep bosom of the earth?
9 When I put a cloud as the garment thereof, and a thick cloud as the swaddling-band thereof;
When I made the clouds its garment, and thick fog its swaddling-cloth,
10 And brake off for it my boundary, and fixed a bar and double doors;
And when I decreed for it my law, and set [for it] 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, Thus far mayest thou come, but no farther; and here shall be stayed [thy strength] in the pride of thy waves?
12 Since thy days [began] hast thou commanded the morning? or caused the dawn 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 might lay hold of the wings of the earth, and the lawless be shaken 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 transformeth itself like the clay of a seal, so that things stand forth like one arrayed;
She is changed as the sealing-clay: and [all things] stand as though newly clad.
15 That their light may be withdrawn from the lawless, and, the lofty arm, be shivered.
And from the wicked is their light withdrawn, and the high-raised 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?
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, the gates of the death-shade, couldst thou descry?
Were the gates of death ever laid open unto thee? or canst thou see the doors of the shadow of death?
18 Hast thou well considered, even the breadths of the earth? Tell—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 then is the way, the light shall abide? And, the darkness, where then is its place?
Where is the way [to the spot where] the 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 mightest take each to its boundary, and that thou mightest mark the pathways to its house?
21 Thou knowest, for, then, hadst thou been born! And, in number, thy days are many!
Thou [surely] knowest it; because 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?
Didst thou ever enter into the treasuries of the snow? or canst thou see 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 fight and battle?
24 Where then is the way the lightning is parted? The east wind spreadeth itself abroad over 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 cloven—for the torrent—a channel? Or a way for the lightning of thunders;
Who hath divided off watercourses for the overflowing rain, and a way for the lightning [that is followed by] thunders,
26 To give rain over the no-man’s land, the desert, where no son of earth is;
To bring rain on a land, void of men; on a wilderness wherein no son of earth [is found];
27 To satisfy the wild and the wilderness, to cause to spring forth the meadow of young grass?
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 dew?
Hath the rain a father? or who hath begotten the drops of the 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 forth the ice? and the hoary frost of heaven—who giveth birth to it?
30 Like a stone, are the waters congealed, and, the face of the roaring deep, becometh firm!
[When] like a stone the waters are congealed, and the face of the deep is bound in fetters?
31 Canst thou bind the fetters of the Pleiades? Or, the bands of Orion, canst thou unloose?
Canst thou bind together the chains of the Pleiades, or loosen the bands 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?
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 statutes of the heavens? Or didst thou appoint his dominion over the earth?
Knowest thou the laws of heaven? or dost thou appoint its rule on the earth?
34 Canst thou lift up, to the thick cloud, thy voice, and the overflow of waters cover thee?
Canst thou lift up to the clouds thy voice, that the abundance of waters may cover thee?
35 Canst thou send forth the lightnings, so that they go, and say to thee, Behold us?
Canst thou send out lightnings, that they may go, and say unto thee, Here are we?
36 Who hath put—into cloud-forms—wisdom? Or who hath given—to the meteor—understanding?
Who hath put wisdom in the dark clouds? or who hath given understanding to the bright meteors?
37 Who can count the thin clouds, in wisdom? And, the bottles of the heavens, who can empty out;
Who ordaineth the skies with wisdom? or who emptieth out the bottles of heaven.
38 When the dust is cast into a clod, and the lumps are bound together?
When the dust is poured out as molten metal, and the clods are made to cleave fast together?
39 Wilt thou hunt—for the Lioness—prey? Or, the craving of the Strong Lion, wilt thou satisfy;
Dost thou hunt for the lioness her prey? and suppliest thou the food for the young lions,
40 When they settle down in dens, abide in covert, for lying in wait?
When they are couched in their lairs, rest in the thicket, lying 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 provision? when his young ones cry unto God, and wander about for lack of food?
