Job 38
1 Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind,
Then did the Lord address Job out of the storm-wind, and said,
2 “Who is this who darkens counsel by words without knowledge?
Who is this that casteth darkness [on my] counsel by words without knowledge?
3 Brace yourself like a man, for I will question you, then you answer me!
Do but gird up like a mighty man thy loins: and I will ask thee, and do thou inform 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? tell it, if thou hast any understanding [of it].
5 Who determined its measures, if you know? Or who stretched the line on it?
Who fixed her measurements, if thou knowest it? or who stretched the measuring-line over her?
6 What were its foundations fastened on? Or who laid its cornerstone,
Upon what are her foundation-pillars placed at rest? or who laid her corner-stone:
7 when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
When altogether sang the morning stars in gladness, and shouted for joy all the sons of God?
8 “Or who shut up the sea with doors, when it broke out of the womb,
And who closed up with doors the sea, when, issuing forth, it came out of the deep bosom of the earth?
9 when I made clouds its garment, and wrapped it in thick darkness,
When I made the clouds its garment, and thick fog its swaddling-cloth,
10 marked out for it my bound, set bars and doors,
And when I decreed for it my law, and set [for it] bars and doors,
11 and said, ‘You may come here, but no further. Your proud waves shall be stopped here’?
And said, Thus far mayest thou come, but no farther; and here shall be stayed [thy strength] in the pride of thy waves?
12 “Have you commanded the morning in your days, and caused the dawn to know its place,
Didst thou ever, in all thy days, command the morning; didst thou ever assign the morning-dawn its place:
13 that it might take hold of the ends of the earth, and shake the wicked out of it?
That it might lay hold of the ends of the earth, so that the wicked might be shaken out therefrom?
14 It is changed as clay under the seal, and presented as a garment.
She is changed as the sealing-clay: and [all things] stand as though newly clad.
15 From the wicked, their light is withheld. The high arm is broken.
And from the wicked is their light withdrawn, and the high-raised arm is broken.
16 “Have you entered into the springs of the sea? Or have you walked in the recesses of the deep?
Didst thou ever penetrate as far as the springs of the sea? or wander through the bottom of the deep?
17 Have the gates of death been revealed to you? Or have you seen the gates of the shadow of death?
Were the gates of death ever laid open unto thee? or canst thou see the doors of the shadow of death?
18 Have you comprehended the earth in its width? Declare, if you know it all.
Hast thou a clear understanding of the breadth of the earth? Tell it, 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 spot where] the 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 mightest take each to its boundary, and that thou mightest mark the pathways to its house?
21 Surely you know, for you were born then, and the number of your days is great!
Thou [surely] knowest it; because 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,
Didst thou ever enter into the treasuries of the snow? or canst thou see 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 fight and battle?
24 By what way is the lightning distributed, or the east wind scattered on the earth?
Where is the way [to the spot where] the light divideth itself, [where] the east wind is scattered over the earth?
25 Who has cut a channel for the flood water, or the path for the thunderstorm,
Who hath divided off watercourses for the overflowing rain, and a way for the lightning [that is followed by] 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 bring rain on a land, void of men; on a wilderness wherein no son of earth [is found];
27 to satisfy the waste and desolate ground, to cause the tender grass to grow?
To satisfy waste and desolate lands; and to promote the growth of the tender grass?
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 the 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 forth the ice? and the hoary frost of heaven—who giveth birth to it?
30 The waters become hard like stone, when the surface of the deep is frozen.
[When] like a stone the waters are congealed, and the face of the deep is bound in fetters?
31 “Can you bind the cluster of the Pleiades, or loosen the cords of Orion?
Canst thou bind together the chains of the Pleiades, or loosen 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 bring forth the constellations of the zodiac, each in its season? or canst thou guide the Bear with its young?
33 Do you know the laws of the heavens? Can you establish its dominion over the earth?
Knowest thou the laws of heaven? or dost thou appoint its rule on the earth?
34 “Can you lift up your voice to the clouds, that abundance of waters may cover you?
Canst thou lift up to the clouds thy voice, that the 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 out lightnings, that they may go, and say unto thee, Here are we?
36 Who has put wisdom in the inward parts? Or who has given understanding to the mind?
Who hath put wisdom in the dark clouds? or who hath given understanding to the bright meteors?
37 Who can count the clouds by wisdom? Or who can pour out the containers of the sky,
Who ordaineth the skies with wisdom? or who emptieth out the bottles of heaven.
38 when the dust runs into a mass, and the clods of earth stick together?
When the dust is poured out as molten metal, and the clods are made to cleave fast together?
39 “Can you hunt the prey for the lioness, or satisfy the appetite of the young lions,
Dost thou hunt for the lioness her prey? and suppliest thou the food for the young lions,
40 when they crouch in their dens, and lie in wait in the thicket?
When they are couched in their lairs, rest in the thicket, lying 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 provision? when his young ones cry unto God, and wander about for lack of food?
