Job 38
1 Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind,
And Jehovah answered Job out of the whirlwind and said,
2 “Who is this who darkens counsel by words without knowledge?
Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?
3 Brace yourself like a man, for I will question you, then you 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 foundations of the earth? Declare, if you have understanding.
Where wast thou when I founded the earth? Declare, if thou hast understanding.
5 Who determined its measures, if you know? Or who stretched the line on it?
Who set the measures thereof — if thou knowest? or who stretched a line upon it?
6 What were its foundations fastened on? Or 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 “Or who shut up the sea with doors, when it broke 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 garment, and wrapped it in thick darkness,
When I made the cloud its garment, and thick darkness a swaddling band for it;
10 marked out for it my bound, set bars and doors,
When I cut out for it my boundary, and set bars and doors,
11 and said, ‘You may come here, but no further. Your proud waves shall be stopped here’?
And said, Hitherto shalt thou come and no further, and here shall thy proud waves be stayed?
12 “Have you commanded the morning in your days, and 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 that it might take hold of the ends 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 It is changed as clay under the seal, and presented as a garment.
It is changed like the signet-clay; and [all things] stand forth as in a garment:
15 From the wicked, their light is withheld. The high arm is broken.
And from the wicked their light is withholden, and the uplifted arm is broken.
16 “Have you entered into the springs of the sea? Or have you walked in the recesses 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? Or 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 comprehended the earth in its width? Declare, if you know it all.
Hath thine understanding compassed the breadths of the earth? Declare if thou knowest it all.
19 “What is the way to the dwelling 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 that you should take it to its bound, that you should discern the paths to its house?
That thou shouldest take it to its bound, and that thou shouldest know the paths to its house?
21 Surely you know, for you were born then, and the number of your days is great!
Thou knowest, for thou wast then born, and the number of thy days is great!
22 Have you entered the storehouses of the snow, or have you seen the storehouses of the hail,
Hast thou entered into the storehouses of the snow, and hast thou 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 for the time of distress, for the day of battle and war?
24 By what way is the lightning distributed, or the east wind scattered on the earth?
By what way is the light parted, [and] the east wind scattered upon the earth?
25 Who has cut a channel for the flood water, or the path for the thunderstorm,
Who hath divided a channel for the rain-flood, and a way for the thunder's flash;
26 to cause it to rain on a land where there is no man, on the wilderness, in which there is no man,
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 waste and desolate ground, to cause the tender grass to grow?
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 Whose womb did the ice come out of? Who has given birth to the gray frost of the sky?
Out of whose womb cometh the ice? and the hoary frost of heaven, who bringeth it forth?
30 The waters become hard like stone, when the surface of the deep is frozen.
When the waters lie hidden as in stone, and the face of the deep holdeth fast together.
31 “Can you bind the cluster of the Pleiades, or loosen the cords of Orion?
Canst thou fasten the bands of the Pleiades, or loosen the cords of Orion?
32 Can you lead the constellations out in their season? Or can you guide the Bear with her cubs?
Dost thou bring forth the constellations each in its season? or dost thou guide the Bear with her sons?
33 Do you know the laws of the heavens? Can you establish its dominion over the earth?
Knowest thou the ordinances of the heavens? dost thou determine their rule over the earth?
34 “Can you lift up your voice to the clouds, that abundance of waters may cover you?
Dost thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, that floods of waters may cover thee?
35 Can you send out lightnings, that they may go? Do they report 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 inward parts? Or who has given understanding to the mind?
Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts? or who hath given understanding to the mind?
37 Who can count the clouds by wisdom? Or who can pour out the containers 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 mass, and the clods of earth stick together?
When the dust runneth as into a molten mass, and the clods cleave fast together?
39 “Can you hunt the prey for the lioness, or satisfy the appetite of the young lions,
Dost thou hunt the prey for the lioness, and dost thou satisfy the appetite of the young lions,
40 when they crouch in their dens, and lie in wait in the thicket?
When they crouch in [their] dens, [and] abide in the thicket to lie in wait?
41 Who provides for the raven his prey, when his young ones cry to God, and wander 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?
