< Job 38 >

1 Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind,
Then answered the Lord vnto Iob out of the whirle winde, and said,
2 “Who is this who darkens counsel by words without knowledge?
Who is this that darkeneth the counsell by wordes without knowledge?
3 Brace yourself like a man, for I will question you, then you answer me!
Girde vp nowe thy loynes like a man: I will demande of thee and declare thou vnto me.
4 “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if you have understanding.
Where wast thou when I layd the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast vnderstanding,
5 Who determined its measures, if you know? Or who stretched the line on it?
Who hath layde the measures thereof, if thou knowest, or who hath stretched the line ouer it:
6 What were its foundations fastened on? Or who laid its cornerstone,
Whereupon are the foundations thereof set: or who layed the corner stone thereof:
7 when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
When the starres of the morning praysed me together, and all the children of God reioyced:
8 “Or who shut up the sea with doors, when it broke out of the womb,
Or who hath shut vp the Sea with doores, when it yssued and came foorth as out of the wombe:
9 when I made clouds its garment, and wrapped it in thick darkness,
When I made the cloudes as a couering thereof, and darkenesse as the swadeling bands thereof:
10 marked out for it my bound, set bars and doors,
When I stablished my commandement vpon it, and set barres and doores,
11 and said, ‘You may come here, but no further. Your proud waves shall be stopped here’?
And said, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no farther, and here shall it stay thy proude waues.
12 “Have you commanded the morning in your days, and caused the dawn to know its place,
Hast thou commanded the morning since thy dayes? hast thou caused the morning to knowe his 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 corners of the earth, and that the wicked might be shaken out of it?
14 It is changed as clay under the seal, and presented as a garment.
It is turned as clay to facion, and all stand vp as a garment.
15 From the wicked, their light is withheld. The high arm is broken.
And from the wicked their light shall be taken away, and the hie arme shalbe broken.
16 “Have you entered into the springs of the sea? Or have you walked in the recesses of the deep?
Hast thou entred into the bottomes of the sea? or hast thou walked to seeke out the depth?
17 Have the gates of death been revealed to you? Or have you seen the gates of the shadow of death?
Haue the gates of death bene opened vnto thee? or hast thou seene the gates of the shadowe of death?
18 Have you comprehended the earth in its width? Declare, if you know it all.
Hast thou perceiued the breadth of the earth? tell if thou knowest all this.
19 “What is the way to the dwelling of light? As for darkness, where is its place,
Where is the way where light dwelleth? and where is the place of darkenesse,
20 that you should take it to its bound, that you should discern the paths to its house?
That thou shouldest receiue it in the boundes thereof, and that thou shouldest knowe the paths to the house thereof?
21 Surely you know, for you were born then, and the number of your days is great!
Knewest thou it, because thou wast then borne, and because the nomber of thy dayes is great?
22 Have you entered the storehouses of the snow, or have you seen the storehouses of the hail,
Hast thou entred into the treasures of the snow? or hast thou seene the treasures of ye haile,
23 which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war?
Which I haue hid against the time of trouble, against the day of warre and battell?
24 By what way is the lightning distributed, or the east wind scattered on the earth?
By what way is the light parted, which scattereth the East winde vpon the earth?
25 Who has cut a channel for the flood water, or the path for the thunderstorm,
Who hath deuided the spowtes for the raine? or the way for the lightning of ye 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 cause it to raine on the earth where no man is, and in the wildernes where there is no man?
27 to satisfy the waste and desolate ground, to cause the tender grass to grow?
To fulfil the wilde and waste place, and to cause the bud of the herbe to spring forth?
28 Does the rain have a father? Or who fathers the drops of dew?
Who is the father of the rayne? or who hath begotten the droppes of the dewe?
29 Whose womb did the ice come out of? Who has given birth to the grey frost of the sky?
Out of whose wombe came the yee? who hath ingendred the frost of the heauen?
30 The waters become hard like stone, when the surface of the deep is frozen.
The waters are hid as with a stone: and the face of the depth is frosen.
31 “Can you bind the cluster of the Pleiades, or loosen the cords of Orion?
Canst thou restraine the sweete influences of the Pleiades? or loose the bandes of Orion?
32 Can you lead the constellations out in their season? Or can you guide the Bear with her cubs?
Canst thou bring foorth Mazzaroth in their time? canst thou also guide Arcturus with his sonnes?
33 Do you know the laws of the heavens? Can you establish its dominion over the earth?
Knowest thou the course of heauen, or canst thou set the rule thereof in the earth?
34 “Can you lift up your voice to the clouds, that abundance of waters may cover you?
Canst thou lift vp thy voice to the cloudes that the aboundance of water may couer thee?
35 Can you send out lightnings, that they may go? Do they report to you, ‘Here we are’?
Canst thou sende the lightenings that they may walke, and say vnto thee, Loe, heere we are?
36 Who has put wisdom in the inward parts? Or who has given understanding to the mind?
Who hath put wisedome in the reines? or who hath giuen the heart vnderstanding?
37 Who can count the clouds by wisdom? Or who can pour out the containers of the sky,
Who can nomber cloudes by wisedome? or who can cause to cease the bottels of heaue,
38 when the dust runs into a mass, and the clods of earth stick together?
When the earth groweth into hardnesse, and the clottes are fast together?
39 “Can you hunt the prey for the lioness, or satisfy the appetite of the young lions,
Wilt thou hunt the pray for the lyon? or fill the appetite of the lyons whelpes,
40 when they crouch in their dens, and lie in wait in the thicket?
When they couch in their places, and remaine in the couert to lye in waite?
41 Who provides for the raven his prey, when his young ones cry to God, and wander for lack of food?
Who prepareth for the rauen his meate, when his birdes crie vnto God, wandering for lacke of meate?

< Job 38 >