Job 38
1 And after Elius had ceased from speaking, the Lord spoke to Job through the whirlwind and clouds, [saying],
And Jehovah answereth Job out of the whirlwind, and saith: —
2 Who is this that hides counsel from me, and confines words in [his] heart, and thinks to conceal [them] from me?
Who [is] this — darkening counsel, By words without knowledge?
3 Gird thy loins like a man; and I will ask thee, and do thou answer me.
Gird, I pray thee, as a man, thy loins, And I ask thee, and cause thou Me to know.
4 Where wast thou when I founded the earth? tell me now, if thou hast knowledge,
Where wast thou when I founded earth? Declare, if thou hast known understanding.
5 who set the measures of it, if thou knowest? or who stretched a line upon it?
Who placed its measures — if thou knowest? Or who hath stretched out upon it a line?
6 On what are its rings fastened? and who is he that laid the corner-stone upon it?
On what have its sockets been sunk? Or who hath cast its corner-stone?
7 When the stars were made, all my angels praised me with a loud voice.
In the singing together of stars of morning, And all sons of God shout for joy,
8 And I shut up the sea with gates, when it rushed out, coming forth out its mother's womb.
And He shutteth up with doors the sea, In its coming forth, from the womb it goeth out.
9 And I made a cloud its clothing, and swathed it in mist.
In My making a cloud its clothing, And thick darkness its swaddling band,
10 And I set bounds to it, surrounding it with bars and gates.
And I measure over it My statute, And place bar and doors,
11 And I said to it, Hitherto shalt thou come, but thou shalt not go beyond, but thy waves shall be confined within thee.
And say, 'Hitherto come thou, and add not, And a command is placed On the pride of thy billows.'
12 Or did I order the morning light in thy time; and [did] the morning star [then first] see his appointed place;
Hast thou commanded morning since thy days? Causest thou the dawn to know its place?
13 to lay hold of the extremities of the earth, to cast out the ungodly out of it?
To take hold on the skirts of the earth, And the wicked are shaken out of it,
14 Or didst thou take clay of the ground, and form a living creature, and set it with the power of speech upon the earth?
It turneth itself as clay of a seal And they station themselves as clothed.
15 And hast thou removed light from the ungodly, and crushed the arm of the proud?
And withheld from the wicked is their light, And the arm lifted up is broken.
16 Or hast thou gone to the source of the sea, and walked in the tracks of the deep?
Hast thou come in to springs of the sea? And in searching the deep Hast thou walked up and down?
17 And do the gates of death open to thee for fear; and did the porters of hell quake when they saw thee? (questioned)
Revealed to thee were the gates of death? And the gates of death-shade dost thou see?
18 And hast thou been instructed in the breadth of the [whole earth] under heaven? tell me now, what is the extent of it?
Thou hast understanding, Even unto the broad places of earth! Declare — if thou hast known it all.
19 And in what kind of a land does the light dwell? and of what kind is the place of darkness?
Where [is] this — the way light dwelleth? And darkness, where [is] this — its place?
20 If thou couldest bring me to their [utmost] boundaries, and if also thou knowest their paths;
That thou dost take it unto its boundary, And that thou dost understand The paths of its house.
21 I know then that thou wert born at that time, and the number of thy years is great.
Thou hast known — for then thou art born And the number of thy days [are] many!
22 But hast thou gone to the treasures of snow? and hast thou seen the treasures of hail?
Hast thou come in unto the treasure of snow? Yea, the treasures of hail dost thou see?
23 And is there a store [of them], for thee against the time of [thine] enemies, for the day of wars and battle?
That I have kept back for a time of distress, For a day of conflict and battle.
24 And whence proceeds the frost? or [whence] is the south wind dispersed over the [whole world] under heaven?
Where [is] this, the way light is apportioned? It scattereth an east wind over the earth.
25 And who prepared a course for the violent rain, and a way for the thunders;
Who hath divided for the flood a conduit? And a way for the lightning of the voices?
26 to rain upon the land where [there is] no man, the wilderness, where there is not a man in it; so as to feed the untrodden and uninhabited [land],
To cause [it] to rain on a land — no man, A wilderness — no man in it.
27 and cause it to send forth a crop of green herbs?
To satisfy a desolate and waste place, And to cause to shoot up The produce of the tender grass?
28 Who is the rain's father? and who has generated the drops of dew?
Hath the rain a father? Or who hath begotten the drops of dew?
29 And out of whose womb comes the ice? and who has produced the frost in the sky,
From whose belly came forth the ice? And the hoar-frost of the heavens, Who hath begotten it?
30 which descends like flowing water? who has terrified the face of the ungodly?
As a stone waters are hidden, And the face of the deep is captured.
31 And dost thou understand the band of Pleias, and hast thou opened the barrier of Orion?
Dost thou bind sweet influences of Kimah? Or the attractions of Kesil dost thou open?
32 Or wilt thou reveal Mazuroth in his season, and the evening star with his rays? Wilt thou guide them?
Dost thou bring out Mazzaroth in its season? And Aysh for her sons dost thou comfort?
33 And knowest thou the changes of heaven, or the events which take place together under heaven?
Hast thou known the statutes of heaven? Or dost thou appoint Its dominion in the earth?
34 And wilt thou call a cloud with thy voice, and will it obey thee with a violent shower of much rain?
Dost thou lift up to the cloud thy voice, And abundance of water doth cover thee?
35 And wilt thou send lightnings, and they shall go? and shall they say to thee, What is [thy pleasure]?
Dost thou send out lightnings, and they go And say unto thee, 'Behold us?'
36 And who has given to women skill in weaving, or knowledge of embroidery?
Who hath put in the inward parts wisdom? Or who hath given To the covered part understanding?
37 And who is he that numbers the clouds in wisdom, and has bowed the heaven [down] to the earth?
Who doth number the clouds by wisdom? And the bottles of the heavens, Who doth cause to lie down,
38 For it is spread out as dusty earth, and I have cemented it as one hewn stone to another.
In the hardening of dust into hardness, And clods cleave together?
39 And wilt thou hunt a prey for the lions? and satisfy the desires of the serpents?
Dost thou hunt for a lion prey? And the desire of young lions fulfil?
40 For they fear in their lairs, and lying in wait couch in the woods.
When they bow down in dens — Abide in a thicket for a covert?
41 And who has prepared food for the raven? for its young ones wander and cry to the Lord, in search of food.
Who doth prepare for a raven his provision, When his young ones cry unto God? They wander without food.
