איוב 38

1 וַיַּֽעַן־יְהֹוָה אֶת־אִיּוֹב (מנהסערה) [מִן ׀ הַסְּעָרָה] וַיֹּאמַֽר׃

And Jehovah answereth Job out of the whirlwind, and saith: —

2 מִי זֶה ׀ מַחְשִׁיךְ עֵצָה בְמִלִּין בְּֽלִי־דָֽעַת׃

Who [is] this — darkening counsel, By words without knowledge?

3 אֱזׇר־נָא כְגֶבֶר חֲלָצֶיךָ וְאֶשְׁאָלְךָ וְהוֹדִיעֵֽנִי׃

Gird, I pray thee, as a man, thy loins, And I ask thee, and cause thou Me to know.

4 אֵיפֹה הָיִיתָ בְּיׇסְדִי־אָרֶץ הַגֵּד אִם־יָדַעְתָּ בִינָֽה׃

Where wast thou when I founded earth? Declare, if thou hast known understanding.

5 מִי־שָׂם מְמַדֶּיהָ כִּי תֵדָע אוֹ מִֽי־נָטָה עָלֶיהָ קָּֽו׃

Who placed its measures — if thou knowest? Or who hath stretched out upon it a line?

6 עַל־מָה אֲדָנֶיהָ הׇטְבָּעוּ אוֹ מִי־יָרָה אֶבֶן פִּנָּתָֽהּ׃

On what have its sockets been sunk? Or who hath cast its corner-stone?

7 בְּרׇן־יַחַד כּוֹכְבֵי בֹקֶר וַיָּרִיעוּ כׇּל־בְּנֵי אֱלֹהִֽים׃

In the singing together of stars of morning, And all sons of God shout for joy,

8 וַיָּסֶךְ בִּדְלָתַיִם יָם בְּגִיחוֹ מֵרֶחֶם יֵצֵֽא׃

And He shutteth up with doors the sea, In its coming forth, from the womb it goeth out.

9 בְּשׂוּמִי עָנָן לְבֻשׁוֹ וַעֲרָפֶל חֲתֻלָּתֽוֹ׃

In My making a cloud its clothing, And thick darkness its swaddling band,

10 וָאֶשְׁבֹּר עָלָיו חֻקִּי וָאָשִׂים בְּרִיחַ וּדְלָתָֽיִם׃

And I measure over it My statute, And place bar and doors,

11 וָאֹמַר עַד־פֹּה תָבוֹא וְלֹא תֹסִיף וּפֹא־יָשִׁית בִּגְאוֹן גַּלֶּֽיךָ׃

And say, 'Hitherto come thou, and add not, And a command is placed On the pride of thy billows.'

12 הֲֽמִיָּמֶיךָ צִוִּיתָ בֹּקֶר (ידעתה שחר) [יִדַּעְתָּ הַשַּׁחַר] מְקֹמֽוֹ׃

Hast thou commanded morning since thy days? Causest thou the dawn to know its place?

13 לֶאֱחֹז בְּכַנְפוֹת הָאָרֶץ וְיִנָּעֲרוּ רְשָׁ עִ ים מִמֶּֽנָּה׃

To take hold on the skirts of the earth, And the wicked are shaken out of it,

14 תִּתְהַפֵּךְ כְּחֹמֶר חוֹתָם וְיִֽתְיַצְּבוּ כְּמוֹ לְבֽוּשׁ׃

It turneth itself as clay of a seal And they station themselves as clothed.

15 וְיִמָּנַע מֵרְשָׁ עִ ים אוֹרָם וּזְרוֹעַ רָמָה תִּשָּׁבֵֽר׃

And withheld from the wicked is their light, And the arm lifted up is broken.

16 הֲבָאתָ עַד־נִבְכֵי־יָם וּבְחֵקֶר תְּהוֹם הִתְהַלָּֽכְתָּ׃

Hast thou come in to springs of the sea? And in searching the deep Hast thou walked up and down?

17 הֲנִגְלוּ לְךָ שַׁעֲרֵי־מָוֶת וְשַׁעֲרֵי צַלְמָוֶת תִּרְאֶֽה׃

Revealed to thee were the gates of death? And the gates of death-shade dost thou see?

18 הִתְבֹּנַנְתָּ עַד־רַחֲבֵי־אָרֶץ הַגֵּד אִם־יָדַעְתָּ כֻלָּֽהּ׃

Thou hast understanding, Even unto the broad places of earth! Declare — if thou hast known it all.

19 אֵי־זֶה הַדֶּרֶךְ יִשְׁכׇּן־אוֹר וְחֹשֶׁךְ אֵי־זֶה מְקֹמֽוֹ׃

Where [is] this — the way light dwelleth? And darkness, where [is] this — its place?

20 כִּי תִקָּחֶנּוּ אֶל־גְּבוּלוֹ וְכִי־תָבִין נְתִיבוֹת בֵּיתֽוֹ׃

That thou dost take it unto its boundary, And that thou dost understand The paths of its house.

21 יָדַעְתָּ כִּי־אָז תִּוָּלֵד וּמִסְפַּר יָמֶיךָ רַבִּֽים׃

Thou hast known — for then thou art born And the number of thy days [are] many!

22 הֲבָאתָ אֶל־אֹצְרוֹת שָׁלֶג וְאוֹצְרוֹת בָּרָד תִּרְאֶֽה׃

Hast thou come in unto the treasure of snow? Yea, the treasures of hail dost thou see?

23 אֲשֶׁר־חָשַׂכְתִּי לְעֶת־צָר לְיוֹם קְרָב וּמִלְחָמָֽה׃

That I have kept back for a time of distress, For a day of conflict and battle.

24 אֵי־זֶה הַדֶּרֶךְ יֵחָלֶק אוֹר יָפֵץ קָדִים עֲלֵי־אָֽרֶץ׃

Where [is] this, the way light is apportioned? It scattereth an east wind over the earth.

25 מִֽי־פִלַּג לַשֶּׁטֶף תְּעָלָה וְדֶרֶךְ לַחֲזִיז קֹלֽוֹת׃

Who hath divided for the flood a conduit? And a way for the lightning of the voices?

26 לְהַמְטִיר עַל־אֶרֶץ לֹא־אִישׁ מִדְבָּר לֹא־אָדָם בּֽוֹ׃

To cause [it] to rain on a land — no man, A wilderness — no man in it.

27 לְהַשְׂבִּיעַ שֹׁאָה וּמְשֹׁאָה וּלְהַצְמִיחַ מֹצָא דֶֽשֶׁא׃

To satisfy a desolate and waste place, And to cause to shoot up The produce of the tender grass?

28 הֲיֵשׁ־לַמָּטָר אָב אוֹ מִי־הוֹלִיד אֶגְלֵי־טָֽל׃

Hath the rain a father? Or who hath begotten the drops of dew?

29 מִבֶּטֶן מִי יָצָא הַקָּרַח וּכְפֹר שָׁמַיִם מִי יְלָדֽוֹ׃

From whose belly came forth the ice? And the hoar-frost of the heavens, Who hath begotten it?

30 כָּאֶבֶן מַיִם יִתְחַבָּאוּ וּפְנֵי תְהוֹם יִתְלַכָּֽדוּ׃

As a stone waters are hidden, And the face of the deep is captured.

31 הַֽתְקַשֵּׁר מַעֲדַנּוֹת כִּימָה אֽוֹ־מֹשְׁכוֹת כְּסִיל תְּפַתֵּֽחַ׃

Dost thou bind sweet influences of Kimah? Or the attractions of Kesil dost thou open?

32 הֲתֹצִיא מַזָּרוֹת בְּעִתּוֹ וְעַיִשׁ עַל־בָּנֶיהָ תַנְחֵֽם׃

Dost thou bring out Mazzaroth in its season? And Aysh for her sons dost thou comfort?

33 הֲיָדַעְתָּ חֻקּוֹת שָׁמָיִם אִם־תָּשִׂים מִשְׁטָרוֹ בָאָֽרֶץ׃

Hast thou known the statutes of heaven? Or dost thou appoint Its dominion in the earth?

34 הֲתָרִים לָעָב קוֹלֶךָ וְֽשִׁפְעַת־מַיִם תְּכַסֶּֽךָּ׃

Dost thou lift up to the cloud thy voice, And abundance of water doth cover thee?

35 הַֽתְשַׁלַּח בְּרָקִים וְיֵלֵכוּ וְיֹֽאמְרוּ לְךָ הִנֵּֽנוּ׃

Dost thou send out lightnings, and they go And say unto thee, 'Behold us?'

36 מִי־שָׁת בַּטֻּחוֹת חׇכְמָה אוֹ מִֽי־נָתַן לַשֶּׂכְוִי בִינָֽה׃

Who hath put in the inward parts wisdom? Or who hath given To the covered part understanding?

37 מִֽי־יְסַפֵּר שְׁחָקִים בְּחׇכְמָה וְנִבְלֵי שָׁמַיִם מִי יַשְׁכִּֽיב׃

Who doth number the clouds by wisdom? And the bottles of the heavens, Who doth cause to lie down,

38 בְּצֶקֶת עָפָר לַמּוּצָק וּרְגָבִים יְדֻבָּֽקוּ׃

In the hardening of dust into hardness, And clods cleave together?

39 הֲתָצוּד לְלָבִיא טָרֶף וְחַיַּת כְּפִירִים תְּמַלֵּֽא׃

Dost thou hunt for a lion prey? And the desire of young lions fulfil?

40 כִּֽי־יָשֹׁחוּ בַמְּעוֹנוֹת יֵֽשְׁבוּ בַסֻּכָּה לְמוֹ־אָֽרֶב׃

When they bow down in dens — Abide in a thicket for a covert?

41 מִי יָכִין לָעֹרֵב צֵידוֹ כִּֽי־יְלָדָו אֶל־אֵל יְשַׁוֵּעוּ יִתְעוּ לִבְלִי־אֹֽכֶל׃

Who doth prepare for a raven his provision, When his young ones cry unto God? They wander without food.