Job 38

1 Then Yahweh answered Job out of the whirlwind,

Then the LORD 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; for I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto Me.

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

Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if thou hast the understanding.

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

Who determined the measures thereof, if thou knowest? Or who stretched the line upon it?

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

Whereupon were the foundations thereof fastened? Or who laid the corner-stone thereof,

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,

Or who shut up the sea with doors, when it broke forth, and issued out of the womb;

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

When I made the cloud the garment thereof, and thick darkness a swaddlingband for it,

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

And prescribed for it My decree, and set bars and doors,

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

And said: 'Thus far shalt thou come, but 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 commanded the morning since thy days began, and caused the dayspring 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 be shaken out of it?

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

It is changed as clay under the seal; and they stand as a garment.

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

But from the wicked their light is withholden, and the high 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 into the springs of the sea? Or 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? Or 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.

Hast thou surveyed unto 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 the dwelling of light, and as for darkness, where is the place thereof;

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

That thou shouldest take it to the bound thereof, and that thou shouldest know the paths to the house thereof?

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

Thou knowest it, 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 the treasuries of the snow, or 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 against the time of trouble, against 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, or 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 cleft a channel for the waterflood, or a way for the lightning of the thunder;

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 a land where no man is, on the wilderness, wherein there is no 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 bud of the tender herb to spring forth?

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

Hath the rain a father? Or who hath begotten 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 came the ice? And the hoar-frost of heaven, who hath gendered it?

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

The waters are congealed like stone, and the face of the deep is frozen.

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

Canst thou bind the chains of the Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion?

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

Canst thou lead forth the Mazzaroth in their season? Or canst 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? Canst thou establish the dominion thereof in the earth?

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

Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, that abundance of waters may cover thee?

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

Canst 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 can number the clouds by wisdom? Or who can pour out the bottles of heaven,

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

When the dust runneth into a mass, and the clods cleave fast together?

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

Wilt thou hunt the prey for the lioness? Or satisfy the appetite of the young lions,

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

When they couch in their dens, and abide in the covert 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 prey, when his young ones cry unto God, and wander for lack of food?