Job 38
1 Then Yahweh called to Job out of a fierce storm and said,
And Jehovah answered Job out of the whirlwind and said,
2 “Who is this who brings darkness to plans by means of words without knowledge?
Who is this that darkeneth 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.
Gird up now thy loins like a man; and I will demand of thee, and inform thou me.
4 Where were you when I laid the earth's foundations? Tell me, if you have so much understanding.
Where wast thou when I founded the earth? Declare, if thou hast understanding.
5 Who determined its dimensions? Tell me, if you know. Who stretched the measuring line over it?
Who set the measures thereof — if thou knowest? or who stretched a line upon it?
6 On what were its foundations laid? Who laid its cornerstone
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 Who shut up the sea with doors when it burst out, as if it had come out of the womb—
And who shut up the sea with doors, when it burst forth, issuing out of the womb?
9 when I made clouds its clothing, and thick darkness its swaddling bands?
When I made the cloud its garment, and thick darkness a swaddling band for it;
10 That was when I marked out for the sea my boundary, and when I placed its bars and doors,
When I cut out for it my boundary, and 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, Hitherto shalt thou come and no further, and here shall thy proud waves be stayed?
12 Have you given orders to 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 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 the wicked might be shaken 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 like the signet-clay; and [all things] stand forth as in a garment:
15 From wicked people their 'light' is taken away; their uplifted arm is broken.
And from the wicked their light is withholden, and the uplifted 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?
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 revealed to you? Have you seen the gates of the shadow of death?
Have the gates of death been revealed unto thee? and hast thou seen the gates of the shadow of death?
18 Have you understood the earth in its expanse? Tell me, if you know it all.
Hath thine understanding compassed the breadths of the earth? Declare if thou knowest it all.
19 Where is the way to the resting place of light— as for darkness, where is its place?
Where is the way to where light dwelleth? and the 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 thou shouldest take it to its bound, and that thou shouldest know the paths to its house?
21 Undoubtedly you know, for you were born then; the number of your days is so large!
Thou knowest, for thou wast then born, and the number of thy days is great!
22 Have you entered the storehouses for the snow, or have you seen the storehouses for the hail,
Hast thou entered into the storehouses of the snow, and hast thou seen the treasuries of the hail,
23 these things that I have kept for times of trouble, for days of battle and war?
Which I have reserved for the time of distress, for 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 light parted, [and] the east wind scattered upon the earth?
25 Who has created the channels for the floods of rain, or who has made a path for the thunder,
Who hath divided a channel for the rain-flood, and a way for the thunder's flash;
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 the earth, where no one is; on the wilderness wherein there is not a man;
27 to satisfy the devastated and desolate places, and to make the ground sprout with grass?
To satisfy the desolate and waste [ground], and to cause the sprout of the grass to spring forth?
28 Does the rain have a father, or, who fathers the drops of dew?
Hath the rain a father? or who begetteth the drops of dew?
29 Out of whose womb did the ice come? Who bore the white frost out of the sky?
Out of whose womb cometh the ice? and the hoary frost of heaven, who bringeth it forth?
30 The waters hide themselves and become like stone; the surface of the deep becomes frozen.
When the waters lie hidden as in stone, and the face of the deep holdeth fast together.
31 Can you fasten chains on the Pleiades, or undo the cords of Orion?
Canst thou fasten the bands 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?
Dost thou bring forth the constellations each in its season? or dost thou guide the Bear with her sons?
33 Do you know the regulations of the sky? Could you set in place the sky's rule over the earth?
Knowest thou the ordinances of the heavens? dost thou determine their rule over the earth?
34 Can you raise your voice up to the clouds, so that an abundance of rainwater may cover you?
Dost thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, that floods of waters may cover thee?
35 Can you send out bolts of lightning that they may go out, that they say to you, 'Here we are'?
Dost thou send forth lightnings that they may go, and say unto thee, Here we are?
36 Who has put wisdom in the clouds or has given understanding to the mists?
Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts? or who hath 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 numbereth the clouds with wisdom? or who poureth out the bottles of the heavens,
38 when the dust runs into a hard mass and the clods of earth clump tightly together?
When the dust runneth as into a molten mass, and the clods cleave fast together?
39 Can you hunt down a victim for a lioness or satisfy the appetite of her young lion cubs
Dost thou hunt the prey for the lioness, and dost thou 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] abide in the thicket to lie in wait?
41 Who provides victims for the ravens when their young ones cry out to God and stagger about 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?
