Job 38

1 Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind,

And after Elius had ceased from speaking, the Lord spoke to Job through the whirlwind and clouds, [saying],

2 “Who is this who darkens counsel by words without knowledge?

Who is this that hides counsel from me, and confines words in [his] heart, and thinks to conceal [them] from me?

3 Brace yourself like a man, for I will question you, then you answer me!

Gird your loins like a man; and I will ask you, and do you answer me.

4 “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if you have understanding.

Where was you when I founded the earth? tell me now, if you have knowledge,

5 Who determined its measures, if you know? Or who stretched the line on it?

who set the measures of it, if you know? or who stretched a line upon it?

6 What were its foundations fastened on? Or who laid its cornerstone,

On what are its rings fastened? and who is he that laid the corner-stone upon it?

7 when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

When the stars were made, all my angels praised me with a loud voice.

8 “Or who shut up the sea with doors, when it broke out of the womb,

And I shut up the sea with gates, when it rushed out, coming forth out its mother's womb.

9 when I made clouds its garment, and wrapped it in thick darkness,

And I made a cloud its clothing, and swathed it in mist.

10 marked out for it my bound, set bars and doors,

And I set bounds to it, surrounding it with bars and gates.

11 and said, ‘You may come here, but no further. Your proud waves shall be stopped here’?

And I said to it, Hitherto shall you come, but you shall not go beyond, but your waves shall be confined within you.

12 “Have you commanded the morning in your days, and caused the dawn to know its place,

Or did I order the morning light in your time; and [did] the morning star [then first] see his appointed place;

13 that it might take hold of the ends of the earth, and shake the wicked out of it?

to lay hold of the extremities of the earth, to cast out the ungodly out of it?

14 It is changed as clay under the seal, and presented as a garment.

Or did you take clay of the ground, and form a living creature, and set it with the power of speech upon the earth?

15 From the wicked, their light is withheld. The high arm is broken.

And have you removed light from the ungodly, and crushed the arm of the proud?

16 “Have you entered into the springs of the sea? Or have you walked in the recesses of the deep?

Or have you gone to the source of the sea, and walked in the tracks of the deep?

17 Have the gates of death been revealed to you? Or have you seen the gates of the shadow of death?

And do the gates of death open to you for fear; and did the porters of hell quake when they saw you? (questioned)

18 Have you comprehended the earth in its width? Declare, if you know it all.

And have you been instructed in the breadth of the [whole earth] under heaven? tell me now, what is the extent of it?

19 “What is the way to the dwelling of light? As for darkness, where is its place,

And in what kind of a land does the light dwell? and of what kind is the place of darkness?

20 that you should take it to its bound, that you should discern the paths to its house?

If you could bring me to their [utmost] boundaries, and if also you know their paths;

21 Surely you know, for you were born then, and the number of your days is great!

I know then that you were born at that time, and the number of your years is great.

22 Have you entered the storehouses of the snow, or have you seen the storehouses of the hail,

But have you gone to the treasures of snow? and have you seen the treasures of hail?

23 which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war?

And is there a store [of them], for you against the time of [your] enemies, for the day of wars and battle?

24 By what way is the lightning distributed, or the east wind scattered on the earth?

And whence proceeds the frost? or [whence] is the south wind dispersed over the [whole world] under heaven?

25 Who has cut a channel for the flood water, or the path for the thunderstorm,

And who prepared a course for the violent rain, and a way for the thunders;

26 to cause it to rain on a land where there is no man, on the wilderness, in which there is no man,

to rain upon the land where [there is] no man, the wilderness, where there is not a man in it; so as to feed the untrodden and uninhabited [land],

27 to satisfy the waste and desolate ground, to cause the tender grass to grow?

and cause it to send forth a crop of green herbs?

28 Does the rain have a father? Or who fathers the drops of dew?

Who is the rain's father? and who has generated the drops of dew?

29 Whose womb did the ice come out of? Who has given birth to the grey frost of the sky?

And out of whose womb comes the ice? and who has produced the frost in the sky,

30 The waters become hard like stone, when the surface of the deep is frozen.

which descends like flowing water? who has terrified the face of the ungodly?

31 “Can you bind the cluster of the Pleiades, or loosen the cords of Orion?

And do you understand the band of Pleias, and have you opened the barrier of Orion?

32 Can you lead the constellations out in their season? Or can you guide the Bear with her cubs?

Or will you reveal Mazuroth in his season, and the evening star with his rays? Will you guide them?

33 Do you know the laws of the heavens? Can you establish its dominion over the earth?

And know you the changes of heaven, or the events which take place together under heaven?

34 “Can you lift up your voice to the clouds, that abundance of waters may cover you?

And will you call a cloud with your voice, and will it obey you with a violent shower of much rain?

35 Can you send out lightnings, that they may go? Do they report to you, ‘Here we are’?

And will you send lightnings, and they shall go? and shall they say to you, What is [your pleasure]?

36 Who has put wisdom in the inward parts? Or who has given understanding to the mind?

And who has given to women skill in weaving, or knowledge of embroidery?

37 Who can count the clouds by wisdom? Or who can pour out the containers of the sky,

And who is he that numbers the clouds in wisdom, and has bowed the heaven [down] to the earth?

38 when the dust runs into a mass, and the clods of earth stick together?

For it is spread out as dusty earth, and I have cemented it as one hewn stone to another.

39 “Can you hunt the prey for the lioness, or satisfy the appetite of the young lions,

And will you hunt a prey for the lions? and satisfy the desires of the serpents?

40 when they crouch in their dens, and lie in wait in the thicket?

For they fear in their lairs, and lying in wait couch in the woods.

41 Who provides for the raven his prey, when his young ones cry to God, and wander for lack of food?

And who has prepared food for the raven? for its young ones wander and cry to the Lord, in search of food.