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 answer thou 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 hath laid the measures of it, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it?
Who fixed its dimensions, that thou shouldst know it! Or who stretched out the line upon it?
6 Upon what are the foundations of it fastened? or who laid its corner stone;
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 broke 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 a cloud its garment, and thick darkness a swaddling band for it,
When I made the clouds its mantle, And thick darkness its swaddling-band;
10 And broke up for it my decreed [place], 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; [and] caused the day-spring 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 earth, that the wicked might 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 turned as clay [to] the seal; and they stand 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 withheld, and the high arm shall be 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 search of the depth?
Hast thou visited the springs of the sea, And walked through the recesses of the deep?
17 Have the gates of death been opened to thee? or hast thou seen the doors of the shades 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 perceived 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 [where] light dwelleth? and [as for] darkness, where [is] its place,
Where is the way to the abode of light? And darkness—where is its dwelling-place?
20 That thou shouldest take it to its bound, and that thou shouldest know the paths [to] its house?
That thou shouldst lead it to its boundary, And that thou shouldst know the paths to its mansion!
21 Knowest thou [it], because thou wast then born? or [because] 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 into the treasures of the snow? or hast thou seen the treasures 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, [which] scattereth the east wind upon the earth?
What is the way to where light is distributed, And the east wind spread abroad upon the earth?
25 Who hath divided a watercourse for the overflowing of waters, or a way for the lightning of thunder;
Who hath prepared channels for the rain, And a path for the thunder-flash,
26 To cause it to rain on the earth, [where] no man [is]; [on] the wilderness in which [there is] no man;
To give rain to the land without an inhabitant, To the wilderness wherein is no man;
27 To satisfy the desolate and waste [ground]; and to cause the bud of the tender herb 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 the 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 hid as [with] a 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 sweet influences of Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion?
Canst thou fasten the bands of the Pleiades, Or loosen the chains of Orion?
32 Canst thou bring forth Mazzaroth in its season? or canst thou guide Arcturus with its sons?
Canst thou lead forth the Signs in their season, Or guide the Bear with her sons?
33 Knowest thou the ordinances of heaven? canst thou set its dominion on the earth?
Knowest thou the ordinances of the heavens? Hast thou appointed their dominion over the earth?
34 Canst thou lift 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 lightnings, that they may go, and say to 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 heart?
Who hath put understanding in the reins, And given intelligence to the mind?
37 Who can number the clouds in wisdom? or who can stay the bottles of heaven,
Who numbereth the clouds in wisdom? And who poureth out the bottles of heaven,
38 When the dust groweth into hardness, 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 lion? or fill 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 to God, they wander for want of food.
Who provideth for the raven his food, When his young ones cry unto God, While they wander about without food?
