Job 38
1 And Jehovah answereth Job out of the whirlwind, and saith: —
Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said:
2 Who [is] this — darkening counsel, By words without knowledge?
Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?
3 Gird, I pray thee, as a man, thy loins, And I ask thee, and cause thou Me to know.
Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto Me.
4 Where wast thou when I founded earth? Declare, if thou hast known understanding.
Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if thou hast the understanding.
5 Who placed its measures — if thou knowest? Or who hath stretched out upon it a line?
Who determined the measures thereof, if thou knowest? Or who stretched the line upon it?
6 On what have its sockets been sunk? Or who hath cast its corner-stone?
Whereupon were the foundations thereof fastened? Or who laid the corner-stone thereof,
7 In the singing together of stars of morning, And all sons of God shout for joy,
When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
8 And He shutteth up with doors the sea, In its coming forth, from the womb it goeth out.
Or who shut up the sea with doors, when it broke forth, and issued out of the womb;
9 In My making a cloud its clothing, And thick darkness its swaddling band,
When I made the cloud the garment thereof, and thick darkness a swaddlingband for it,
10 And I measure over it My statute, And place bar and doors,
And prescribed for it My decree, and set bars and doors,
11 And say, 'Hitherto come thou, and add not, And a command is placed On the pride of thy billows.'
And said: 'Thus far shalt thou come, but no further; and here shall thy proud waves be stayed'?
12 Hast thou commanded morning since thy days? Causest thou the dawn to know its place?
Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days began, and caused the dayspring to know its place;
13 To take hold on the skirts of the earth, And the wicked are shaken out of it,
That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, and the wicked be shaken out of it?
14 It turneth itself as clay of a seal And they station themselves as clothed.
It is changed as clay under the seal; and they stand as a garment.
15 And withheld from the wicked is their light, And the arm lifted up is broken.
But from the wicked their light is withholden, and the high arm is broken.
16 Hast thou come in to springs of the sea? And in searching the deep Hast thou walked up and down?
Hast thou entered into the springs of the sea? Or hast thou walked in the recesses of the deep?
17 Revealed to thee were the gates of death? And the gates of death-shade dost thou see?
Have the gates of death been revealed unto thee? Or hast thou seen the gates of the shadow of death?
18 Thou hast understanding, Even unto the broad places of earth! Declare — if thou hast known it all.
Hast thou surveyed unto the breadths of the earth? Declare, if thou knowest it all.
19 Where [is] this — the way light dwelleth? And darkness, where [is] this — its place?
Where is the way to the dwelling of light, and as for darkness, where is the place thereof;
20 That thou dost take it unto its boundary, And that thou dost understand The paths of its house.
That thou shouldest take it to the bound thereof, and that thou shouldest know the paths to the house thereof?
21 Thou hast known — for then thou art born And the number of thy days [are] many!
Thou knowest it, for thou wast then born, and the number of thy days is great!
22 Hast thou come in unto the treasure of snow? Yea, the treasures of hail dost thou see?
Hast thou entered the treasuries of the snow, or hast thou seen the treasuries of the hail,
23 That I have kept back for a time of distress, For a day of conflict and battle.
Which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war?
24 Where [is] this, the way light is apportioned? It scattereth an east wind over the earth.
By what way is the light parted, or the east wind scattered upon the earth?
25 Who hath divided for the flood a conduit? And a way for the lightning of the voices?
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 — no man, A wilderness — no man in it.
To cause it to rain on a land where no man is, on the wilderness, wherein there is no man;
27 To satisfy a desolate and waste place, And to cause to shoot up The produce of the tender grass?
To satisfy the desolate and waste ground, and to cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth?
28 Hath the rain a father? Or who hath begotten the drops of dew?
Hath the rain a father? Or who hath begotten the drops of dew?
29 From whose belly came forth the ice? And the hoar-frost of the heavens, Who hath begotten it?
Out of whose womb came the ice? And the hoar-frost of heaven, who hath gendered it?
30 As a stone waters are hidden, And the face of the deep is captured.
The waters are congealed like stone, and the face of the deep is frozen.
31 Dost thou bind sweet influences of Kimah? Or the attractions of Kesil dost thou open?
Canst thou bind the chains of the Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion?
32 Dost thou bring out Mazzaroth in its season? And Aysh for her sons dost thou comfort?
Canst thou lead forth the Mazzaroth in their season? Or canst thou guide the Bear with her sons?
33 Hast thou known the statutes of heaven? Or dost thou appoint Its dominion in the earth?
Knowest thou the ordinances of the heavens? Canst thou establish the dominion thereof in the earth?
34 Dost thou lift up to the cloud thy voice, And abundance of water doth cover thee?
Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, that abundance of waters may cover thee?
35 Dost thou send out lightnings, and they go And say unto thee, 'Behold us?'
Canst thou send forth lightnings, that they may go, and say unto thee: 'Here we are'?
36 Who hath put in the inward parts wisdom? Or who hath given To the covered part understanding?
Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts? Or who hath given understanding to the mind?
37 Who doth number the clouds by wisdom? And the bottles of the heavens, Who doth cause to lie down,
Who can number the clouds by wisdom? Or who can pour out the bottles of heaven,
38 In the hardening of dust into hardness, And clods cleave together?
When the dust runneth into a mass, and the clods cleave fast together?
39 Dost thou hunt for a lion prey? And the desire of young lions fulfil?
Wilt thou hunt the prey for the lioness? Or satisfy the appetite of the young lions,
40 When they bow down in dens — Abide in a thicket for a covert?
When they couch in their dens, and abide in the covert to lie in wait?
41 Who doth prepare for a raven his provision, When his young ones cry unto God? They wander without food.
Who provideth for the raven his prey, when his young ones cry unto God, and wander for lack of food?
