Job 38
1 And Jehovah answereth Job out of the whirlwind, and saith: —
Then did the Lord address Job out of the storm-wind, and said,
2 Who [is] this — darkening counsel, By words without knowledge?
Who is this that casteth darkness [on my] 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.
Do but gird up like a mighty man thy loins: and I will ask thee, and do thou inform 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? tell it, if thou hast any understanding [of it].
5 Who placed its measures — if thou knowest? Or who hath stretched out upon it a line?
Who fixed her measurements, if thou knowest it? or who stretched the measuring-line over her?
6 On what have its sockets been sunk? Or who hath cast its corner-stone?
Upon what are her foundation-pillars placed at rest? or who laid her corner-stone:
7 In the singing together of stars of morning, And all sons of God shout for joy,
When altogether sang the morning stars in gladness, and shouted for joy all the sons of God?
8 And He shutteth up with doors the sea, In its coming forth, from the womb it goeth out.
And who closed up with doors the sea, when, issuing forth, it came out of the deep bosom of the earth?
9 In My making a cloud its clothing, And thick darkness its swaddling band,
When I made the clouds its garment, and thick fog its swaddling-cloth,
10 And I measure over it My statute, And place bar and doors,
And when I decreed for it my law, and set [for it] 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 mayest thou come, but no farther; and here shall be stayed [thy strength] in the pride of thy waves?
12 Hast thou commanded morning since thy days? Causest thou 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 To take hold on the skirts of the earth, And the wicked are shaken 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 turneth itself as clay of a seal And they station themselves as clothed.
She is changed as the sealing-clay: and [all things] stand as though newly clad.
15 And withheld from the wicked is their light, And the arm lifted up is broken.
And from the wicked is their light withdrawn, and the high-raised arm is broken.
16 Hast thou come in to springs of the sea? And in searching the deep Hast thou walked up and down?
Didst thou ever penetrate as far as the springs of the sea? or wander through the bottom of the deep?
17 Revealed to thee were the gates of death? And the gates of death-shade dost thou see?
Were the gates of death ever laid open unto thee? or canst thou see the doors 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 a clear understanding of the breadth of the earth? Tell it, 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 spot where] the light dwelleth? and the darkness—where is its place,
20 That thou dost take it unto its boundary, And that thou dost understand The paths of its house.
That thou mightest take each to its boundary, and that thou mightest mark the pathways to its house?
21 Thou hast known — for then thou art born And the number of thy days [are] many!
Thou [surely] knowest it; because 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?
Didst thou ever enter into the treasuries of the snow? or canst thou see 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 for the time of distress, for the day of fight and battle?
24 Where [is] this, the way light is apportioned? It scattereth an east wind over 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 hath divided for the flood a conduit? And a way for the lightning of the voices?
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 — no man, A wilderness — no man in it.
To bring rain on a land, void of men; on a wilderness wherein no son of earth [is found];
27 To satisfy a desolate and waste place, And to cause to shoot up The produce of the tender grass?
To satisfy waste and desolate lands; and to promote the growth of the tender grass?
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 the dew?
29 From whose belly came forth the ice? And the hoar-frost of the heavens, Who hath begotten it?
Out of whose womb cometh forth the ice? and the hoary frost of heaven—who giveth birth to it?
30 As a stone waters are hidden, And the face of the deep is captured.
[When] like a stone the waters are congealed, and the face of the deep is bound in fetters?
31 Dost thou bind sweet influences of Kimah? Or the attractions of Kesil dost thou open?
Canst thou bind together the chains of the Pleiades, or loosen the bands of Orion?
32 Dost thou bring out Mazzaroth in its season? And Aysh for her sons dost thou comfort?
Canst thou bring forth the constellations of the zodiac, each in its season? or canst thou guide the Bear with its young?
33 Hast thou known the statutes of heaven? Or dost thou appoint Its dominion in the earth?
Knowest thou the laws of heaven? or dost thou appoint its rule on the earth?
34 Dost thou lift up to the cloud thy voice, And abundance of water doth cover thee?
Canst thou lift up to the clouds thy voice, that the abundance of waters may cover thee?
35 Dost thou send out lightnings, and they go And say unto thee, 'Behold us?'
Canst thou send out lightnings, that they may go, and say unto thee, Here are we?
36 Who hath put in the inward parts wisdom? Or who hath given To the covered part understanding?
Who hath put wisdom in the dark clouds? or who hath given understanding to the bright meteors?
37 Who doth number the clouds by wisdom? And the bottles of the heavens, Who doth cause to lie down,
Who ordaineth the skies with wisdom? or who emptieth out the bottles of heaven.
38 In the hardening of dust into hardness, And clods cleave together?
When the dust is poured out as molten metal, and the clods are made to cleave fast together?
39 Dost thou hunt for a lion prey? And the desire of young lions fulfil?
Dost thou hunt for the lioness her prey? and suppliest thou the food for the young lions,
40 When they bow down in dens — Abide in a thicket for a covert?
When they are couched in their lairs, rest in the thicket, lying 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 provision? when his young ones cry unto God, and wander about for lack of food?
