Job 38
1 Then Yahweh called to Job out of a fierce storm and said,
Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind,
2 “Who is this who brings darkness to plans by means of words without knowledge?
“Who is this who darkens counsel by words without knowledge?
3 Now gird up your loins like a man for I will ask you questions, and you must answer me.
Brace yourself like a man, for I will question you, then you answer me!
4 Where were you when I laid the earth's foundations? Tell me, if you have so much understanding.
“Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if you have understanding.
5 Who determined its dimensions? Tell me, if you know. Who stretched the measuring line over it?
Who determined its measures, if you know? Or who stretched the line on it?
6 On what were its foundations laid? Who laid its cornerstone
What were its foundations fastened on? Or who laid its cornerstone,
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 Who shut up the sea with doors when it burst out, as if it had come out of the womb—
“Or who shut up the sea with doors, when it broke out of the womb,
9 when I made clouds its clothing, and thick darkness its swaddling bands?
when I made clouds its garment, and wrapped it in thick darkness,
10 That was when I marked out for the sea my boundary, and when I placed its bars and doors,
marked out for it my bound, set bars and doors,
11 and when I said to it, 'You may come this far, but no farther; here is where I will put a boundary to the pride of your waves.'
and said, ‘You may come here, but no further. Your proud waves shall be stopped here’?
12 Have you given orders to the morning, or caused the dawn to know its place,
“Have you commanded the morning in your days, and caused the dawn to know its place,
13 so that it might take hold of the edges of the earth and shake the wicked out of it?
that it might take hold of the ends of the earth, and shake the wicked out of it?
14 The earth is changed in appearance like clay changes under a seal; all things on it stand out clearly like the folds of a piece of clothing.
It is changed as clay under the seal, and presented as a garment.
15 From wicked people their 'light' is taken away; their uplifted arm is broken.
From the wicked, their light is withheld. The high arm is broken.
16 Have you gone to the sources of the waters of the sea? Have you walked in the lowest parts of the deep?
“Have you entered into the springs of the sea? Or have you walked in the recesses of the deep?
17 Have the gates of death been revealed to you? Have you seen the gates of the shadow of death?
Have the gates of death been revealed to you? Or have you seen the gates of the shadow of death?
18 Have you understood the earth in its expanse? Tell me, if you know it all.
Have you comprehended the earth in its width? Declare, if you know it all.
19 Where is the way to the resting place of light— as for darkness, where is its place?
“What is the way to the dwelling of light? As for darkness, where is its place,
20 Can you lead light and darkness to their places of work? Can you find the way back to their houses for them?
that you should take it to its bound, that you should discern the paths to its house?
21 Undoubtedly you know, for you were born then; the number of your days is so large!
Surely you know, for you were born then, and the number of your days is great!
22 Have you entered the storehouses for the snow, or have you seen the storehouses for the hail,
Have you entered the storehouses of the snow, or have you seen the storehouses of the hail,
23 these things that I have kept for times of trouble, for days of battle and war?
which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war?
24 What is the path to where the lightning bolts are distributed or to where the winds are scattered from the east over the earth?
By what way is the lightning distributed, or the east wind scattered on the earth?
25 Who has created the channels for the floods of rain, or who has made a path for the thunder,
Who has cut a channel for the flood water, or the path for the thunderstorm,
26 to cause it to rain on lands where no person exists, and on the wilderness, in which there is no one,
to cause it to rain on a land where there is no man, on the wilderness, in which there is no man,
27 to satisfy the devastated and desolate places, and to make the ground sprout with grass?
to satisfy the waste and desolate ground, to cause the tender grass to grow?
28 Does the rain have a father, or, who fathers the drops of dew?
Does the rain have a father? Or who fathers the drops of dew?
29 Out of whose womb did the ice come? Who bore the white frost out of the sky?
Whose womb did the ice come out of? Who has given birth to the gray frost of the sky?
30 The waters hide themselves and become like stone; the surface of the deep becomes frozen.
The waters become hard like stone, when the surface of the deep is frozen.
31 Can you fasten chains on the Pleiades, or undo the cords of Orion?
“Can you bind the cluster of the Pleiades, or loosen the cords of Orion?
32 Can you lead the constellations to appear at their proper times? Can you guide the Bear with its children?
Can you lead the constellations out in their season? Or can you guide the Bear with her cubs?
33 Do you know the regulations of the sky? Could you set in place the sky's rule over the earth?
Do you know the laws of the heavens? Can you establish its dominion over the earth?
34 Can you raise your voice up to the clouds, so that an abundance of rainwater may cover you?
“Can you lift up your voice to the clouds, that abundance of waters may cover you?
35 Can you send out bolts of lightning that they may go out, that they say to you, 'Here we are'?
Can you send out lightnings, that they may go? Do they report to you, ‘Here we are’?
36 Who has put wisdom in the clouds or has given understanding to the mists?
Who has put wisdom in the inward parts? Or who has given understanding to the mind?
37 Who can number the clouds by his skill? Who can pour out the water skins of the sky
Who can count the clouds by wisdom? Or who can pour out the containers of the sky,
38 when the dust runs into a hard mass and the clods of earth clump tightly together?
when the dust runs into a mass, and the clods of earth stick together?
39 Can you hunt down a victim for a lioness or satisfy the appetite of her young lion cubs
“Can you hunt the prey for the lioness, or satisfy the appetite of the young lions,
40 when they are crouching in their dens and sheltering in hiding to lie in wait?
when they crouch in their dens, and lie in wait in the thicket?
41 Who provides victims for the ravens when their young ones cry out to God and stagger about for lack of food?
Who provides for the raven his prey, when his young ones cry to God, and wander for lack of food?
