Job 38
1 And Jehovah answered Job out of the whirlwind and said,
Then Yahweh responded to Job, out of a storm, and said: —
2 Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?
Who is it that darkeneth counsel, by words, without knowledge?
3 Gird up now thy loins like a man; and I will demand of thee, and inform thou me.
Gird, I pray thee—like a strong man—thy loins, that I may ask thee, and inform thou me:
4 Where wast thou when I founded the earth? Declare, if thou hast understanding.
Where wast thou, when I founded the earth? Tell, if thou knowest understanding!
5 Who set the measures thereof — if thou knowest? or who stretched a line upon it?
Who set the measurements thereof, if thou knowest? Or who stretched out over it a line?
6 Whereupon were the foundations thereof sunken? or who laid its corner-stone,
Whereon were the pedestals thereof sunk? Or who laid the corner stone thereof; —
7 When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
8 And who shut up the sea with doors, when it burst forth, issuing out of the womb?
Or [who] shut in, with double doors, the sea, when, bursting out of the womb, it came forth;
9 When I made the cloud its garment, and thick darkness a swaddling band for it;
When I put a cloud as the garment thereof, and a thick cloud as the swaddling-band thereof;
10 When I cut out for it my boundary, and set bars and doors,
And brake off for it my boundary, and fixed a bar and double doors;
11 And said, Hitherto shalt thou come and no further, and here shall thy proud waves be stayed?
And said—Hitherto, shalt thou come, and no further, —and, here, shalt thou set a limit to the majesty of thy waves?
12 Hast thou since thy days commanded the morning? hast thou caused the dawn to know its place,
Since thy days [began] hast thou commanded the morning? or caused the dawn to know its place;
13 That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, and the wicked might be shaken out of it?
That it might lay hold of the wings of the earth, and the lawless be shaken out of it?
14 It is changed like the signet-clay; and [all things] stand forth as in a garment:
It transformeth itself like the clay of a seal, so that things stand forth like one arrayed;
15 And from the wicked their light is withholden, and the uplifted arm is broken.
That their light may be withdrawn from the lawless, and, the lofty arm, be shivered.
16 Hast thou entered as far as the springs of the sea? and hast thou walked in the recesses of the deep?
Hast thou entered as far as the springs of the sea? Or, through the secret recesses of the resounding deep, hast thou wandered?
17 Have the gates of death been revealed unto thee? and hast thou seen the gates of the shadow of death?
Have the gates of death been disclosed to thee? And, the gates of the death-shade, couldst thou descry?
18 Hath thine understanding compassed the breadths of the earth? Declare if thou knowest it all.
Hast thou well considered, even the breadths of the earth? Tell—if thou knowest it all!
19 Where is the way to where light dwelleth? and the darkness, where is its place,
Where then is the way, the light shall abide? And, the darkness, where then is its place?
20 That thou shouldest take it to its bound, and that thou shouldest know the paths to its house?
That thou mayest conduct it unto the bound thereof, and that thou mayest perceive the paths to its house.
21 Thou knowest, for thou wast then born, and the number of thy days is great!
Thou knowest, for, then, hadst thou been born! And, in number, thy days are many!
22 Hast thou entered into the storehouses of the snow, and hast thou seen the treasuries of the hail,
Hast thou entered into the treasuries of the snow? And, the treasuries of the hail, couldst thou see?
23 Which I have reserved for the time of distress, for the day of battle and war?
Which I have reserved for a time of distress, for the day of conflict and of war?
24 By what way is the light parted, [and] the east wind scattered upon the earth?
Where then is the way the lightning is parted? The east wind spreadeth itself abroad over the earth.
25 Who hath divided a channel for the rain-flood, and a way for the thunder's flash;
Who hath cloven—for the torrent—a channel? Or a way for the lightning of thunders;
26 To cause it to rain on the earth, where no one is; on the wilderness wherein there is not a man;
To give rain over the no-man’s land, the desert, where no son of earth is;
27 To satisfy the desolate and waste [ground], and to cause the sprout of the grass to spring forth?
To satisfy the wild and the wilderness, to cause to spring forth the meadow of young grass?
28 Hath the rain a father? or who begetteth the drops of dew?
Hath the rain a father? Or who hath begotten the drops of dew?
29 Out of whose womb cometh the ice? and the hoary frost of heaven, who bringeth it forth?
Out of whose womb, came forth the ice? And, the hoar-frost of the heavens, who hath given it birth?
30 When the waters lie hidden as in stone, and the face of the deep holdeth fast together.
Like a stone, are the waters congealed, and, the face of the roaring deep, becometh firm!
31 Canst thou fasten the bands of the Pleiades, or loosen the cords of Orion?
Canst thou bind the fetters of the Pleiades? Or, the bands of Orion, canst thou unloose?
32 Dost thou bring forth the constellations each in its season? or dost thou guide the Bear with her sons?
Canst thou bring forth the signs of the Zodiac each in its season? Or, the Bear and her Young, canst thou lead?
33 Knowest thou the ordinances of the heavens? dost thou determine their rule over the earth?
Knowest thou, the statutes of the heavens? Or didst thou appoint his dominion over the earth?
34 Dost thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, that floods of waters may cover thee?
Canst thou lift up, to the thick cloud, thy voice, and the overflow of waters cover thee?
35 Dost thou send forth lightnings that they may go, and say unto thee, Here we are?
Canst thou send forth the lightnings, so that they go, and say to thee, Behold us?
36 Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts? or who hath given understanding to the mind?
Who hath put—into cloud-forms—wisdom? Or who hath given—to the meteor—understanding?
37 Who numbereth the clouds with wisdom? or who poureth out the bottles of the heavens,
Who can count the thin clouds, in wisdom? And, the bottles of the heavens, who can empty out;
38 When the dust runneth as into a molten mass, and the clods cleave fast together?
When the dust is cast into a clod, and the lumps are bound together?
39 Dost thou hunt the prey for the lioness, and dost thou satisfy the appetite of the young lions,
Wilt thou hunt—for the Lioness—prey? Or, the craving of the Strong Lion, wilt thou satisfy;
40 When they crouch in [their] dens, [and] abide in the thicket to lie in wait?
When they settle down in dens, abide in covert, for lying in wait?
41 Who provideth for the raven his food, when his young ones cry unto God, [and] they wander for lack of meat?
Who prepareth for the Raven his nourishment, —when his young ones—unto GOD—cry out, [when] they wander for lack of food?
