Jobs 38
1 Og Herren svara Job or stormen og sagde:
Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind,
2 «Kven er det som gjer rådgjerd myrk med ord som reint er utan skyn?
“Who is this who questions my wisdom by talking so ignorantly?
3 Spenn som ein mann ditt belte på, gjev meg på mine spursmål svar.
Prepare yourself, be strong, for I am going to question you, and you must answer me.
4 Kvar var du då eg grunna jordi? Seg fram, i fall du greida hev!
Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have such knowledge!
5 Kven sette måli - veit du det? - Og spana målsnor yver henne?
Who decided its dimensions? Don't you know? Who stretched out a measuring line?
6 Kvar vart pelaran’ sette ned? Kven la vel hennar hyrnestein,
What do its foundations rest upon? Who laid its cornerstone,
7 med alle morgonstjernor kvad, gudssønerne av gleda song?
when the stars of the morning sang together and all the angels shouted for joy.
8 Kven stengde havet inn med dører, då det braut ut or moderfang?
Who laid down the boundaries of the sea when it was born?
9 Då eg det skyer gav til klæde og myrkeskodd til sveip åt det
Who clothed it with clouds, and wrapped it in a blanket of deep darkness?
10 då eg for det ei grensa sette og trygga ho med port og bom
I set its limits, marking its borders.
11 og sagde: «Hit og ikkje lenger! Di byrge bylgja stogge her!»
I said, ‘You may come here, but no farther. Here is where your proud waves stop.’
12 Baud du vel dagsprett nokon gong? Gav du morgonroden stad,
During your lifetime, have you ever ordered the morning to begin?
13 so femner kringum ytste jordi, so syndaran’ vart riste av?
Have you ever told the dawn where to appear that it might take hold of the corners of the earth and shake the wicked out?
14 Då tek ho form som leir for segl, og all stend greinlegt som ein klædnad.
The earth is changed like clay under a seal; its features stand out like a crumpled garment.
15 Då misser gudlause sitt ljos, den arm som lyfte seg, vert knekt.
The ‘light’ of the wicked is taken away from them; their acts of violence are stopped.
16 Kom du til havsens kjeldor fram, hev du på avgrunns-botnen gjenge?
Have you entered the sources of the sea? Have you explored their hidden depths?
17 Hev daude-portarn’ vist seg for deg? Ja, såg du daudeskuggens portar?
Have you been shown where the gates of death are? Have you seen the gates of utter darkness?
18 Og hev du vel jordviddi set? Kjenner du alt i hop, seg fram!
Do you know how far the earth extends? Tell me if you know all this!
19 Kvar finn ein veg dit ljoset bur? Og kvar hev myrkret heimen sin?
In which direction does light live? Where does darkness dwell?
20 So du kann henta deim til grensa og vita veg til deira hus.
Can you take them home? Do you know the way to where they live?
21 Du veit det, du vart fødd den gong, og dagetalet ditt er stort.
Of course you know, because you were already born then! You've lived so long!
22 Kom du dit snøen uppspard ligg? Og såg du forrådshus for haglet,
Have you been to where the snow is kept? Have you seen where the hail is held?
23 som eg til trengsle-tidi gøymer, til dagarne med kamp og krig?
I have stored them up for the time of trouble, for the day of war and battle.
24 Kva veg tru ljoset deiler seg, austanvinden spreider seg på jordi?
Do you know the way to where light comes from, or to where the east wind blows over the earth?
25 Kven laga renna vel for regnet og brøytte veg for torestrålen,
Who cuts a channel for the rain to flow? Who creates a path for the thunderbolt?
26 so væta kjem til aude land, til øydemark der ingen bur,
Who brings rain to an uninhabited land, to a desert where nobody lives,
27 til kveikjing for den nakne heid, so gras kann gro der fyrr var bert?
to water a parched wasteland to make the green grass grow?
28 Skal tru um regnet hev ein far? Kven avlar vel doggdroparne?
Does the rain have a father? Who was the father of the dewdrops?
29 Kva moderliv kom isen or? Kven avla rim i himmelrømd,
Who was the mother of ice? Does the frost of the air have a mother?
30 når vatnet hardnar liksom stein, når havflata stivnar til?
Water turns into rock-hard ice; its surface freezes solid.
31 Bind du vel bandet um Sjustjerna? Løyser du lekkjet av Orion?
Can you tie together the stars of the Pleiades? Can you loosen the belt of the Orion constellation?
32 Set du rett tid for dyreringen? Og driv du Bjørnen og hans ungar?
Can you guide the stars of Mazzaroth at the right time? Can you direct the Great Bear constellation and its other stars?
33 Kjenner du himmelleverne? Gav du han yver jordi magt?
Do you know the laws of the heavens? Can you apply them to the earth?
34 Kann røysti di til skyi nå, so vatnet fløymer yver deg?
Can you shout to the clouds and command them to pour rain down on you?
35 Byd du vel ljoni fara ut, so dei deg svarar: «Her er me?»
Can you send out bolts of lightning and direct them, so that they can answer you saying, ‘Here we are’?
36 Kven la i myrke skyer visdom? Kven gav forstand til hildringi?
Who has placed wisdom inside people? Who has given understanding to the mind?
37 Kven tel med visdom skyerne? Kven tømer himmelfati ut,
Who is clever enough to count the clouds? Who can turn heaven's water jars on their sides
38 når turre mold vert samanrend, jordklumpar kleimer seg i hop?
when the dust has baked into a solid mass?
39 Gjeng du for løva etter rov og gjev ungløvor deira mette,
Can you hunt prey for the lion? Can you feed the lion cubs
40 medan dei gøymer seg i holor og ligg på lur i busk og kjørr?
as they crouch down in their dens and lie in wait in the bushes?
41 Kven yter ramnen føda hans, når upp til Gud hans ungar ropar og flakkar kringum utan mat?
Who provides food for the raven when its young cry out to God, weak from starvation?
