Job 38
1 Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind,
Then Yahweh called to Job out of a fierce storm and said,
2 "Who is this who darkens counsel by words without knowledge?
“Who is this who brings darkness to plans by means of words without knowledge?
3 Brace yourself like a man, for I will question you, then you answer me.
Now gird up your loins like a man for I will ask you questions, and you must answer me.
4 "Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if you have understanding.
Where were you when I laid the earth's foundations? Tell me, if you have so much understanding.
5 Who determined its measures, if you know? Or who stretched the line on it?
Who determined its dimensions? Tell me, if you know. Who stretched the measuring line over it?
6 Whereupon were its foundations fastened? Or who laid its cornerstone,
On what were its foundations laid? Who laid its cornerstone
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 "Or who shut up the sea with doors, when it broke forth from the womb,
Who shut up the sea with doors when it burst out, as if it had come out of the womb—
9 when I made clouds its garment, and wrapped it in thick darkness,
when I made clouds its clothing, and thick darkness its swaddling bands?
10 marked out for it my bound, set bars and doors,
That was when I marked out for the sea my boundary, and when I placed its bars and doors,
11 and said, 'Here you may come, but no further. Here your proud waves shall be stayed?'
and when I said to it, 'You may come this far, but no farther; here is where I will put a boundary to the pride of your waves.'
12 "Have you commanded the morning in your days, and caused the dawn to know its place;
Have you given orders to the morning, or caused the dawn to know its place,
13 that it might take hold of the farthest parts of the earth, and shake the wicked out of it?
so that it might take hold of the edges of the earth and shake the wicked out of it?
14 It is changed as clay under the seal, and stands forth as a garment.
The earth is changed in appearance like clay changes under a seal; all things on it stand out clearly like the folds of a piece of clothing.
15 From the wicked, their light is withheld. The high arm is broken.
From wicked people their 'light' is taken away; their uplifted arm is broken.
16 "Have you entered into the springs of the sea? Or have you walked in the recesses of the deep?
Have you gone to the sources of the waters of the sea? Have you walked in the lowest parts of the deep?
17 Have the gates of death been revealed to you? Or have you seen the gates of the shadow of death?
Have the gates of death been revealed to you? Have you seen the gates of the shadow of death?
18 Have you comprehended the earth in its breadth? Declare, if you know it all.
Have you understood the earth in its expanse? Tell me, if you know it all.
19 "What is the way to the dwelling of light? As for darkness, where is its place,
Where is the way to the resting place of light— as for darkness, where is its place?
20 that you should take it to its bound, that you should discern the paths to its house?
Can you lead light and darkness to their places of work? Can you find the way back to their houses for them?
21 Surely you know, for you were born then, and the number of your days is great.
Undoubtedly you know, for you were born then; the number of your days is so large!
22 Have you entered the treasuries of the snow, or have you seen the treasures of the hail,
Have you entered the storehouses for the snow, or have you seen the storehouses for the hail,
23 which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war?
these things that I have kept for times of trouble, for days of battle and war?
24 By what way is the lightning distributed, or the east wind scattered on the earth?
What is the path to where the lightning bolts are distributed or to where the winds are scattered from the east over the earth?
25 Who has cut a channel for the flood water, or the path for the thunderstorm;
Who has created the channels for the floods of rain, or who has made a path for the thunder,
26 To cause it to rain on a land where no man is; on the wilderness, in which there is no man;
to cause it to rain on lands where no person exists, and on the wilderness, in which there is no one,
27 to satisfy the waste and desolate ground, to cause the tender grass to spring forth?
to satisfy the devastated and desolate places, and to make the ground sprout with grass?
28 Does the rain have a father? Or who fathers the drops of dew?
Does the rain have a father, or, who fathers the drops of dew?
29 Out of whose womb came the ice? The gray frost of the sky, who has given birth to it?
Out of whose womb did the ice come? Who bore the white frost out of the sky?
30 The waters become hard like stone, when the surface of the deep is frozen.
The waters hide themselves and become like stone; the surface of the deep becomes frozen.
31 "Can you fasten the chains of Kimah, or loosen the cords of Kesil?
Can you fasten chains on the Pleiades, or undo the cords of Orion?
32 Can you lead forth the Mazzaroth in their season? Or can you lead Aysh with her children?
Can you lead the constellations to appear at their proper times? Can you guide the Bear with its children?
33 Do you know the laws of the heavens? Can you establish its dominion over the earth?
Do you know the regulations of the sky? Could you set in place the sky's rule over the earth?
34 "Can you lift up your voice to the clouds, That abundance of waters may cover you?
Can you raise your voice up to the clouds, so that an abundance of rainwater may cover you?
35 Can you send forth lightnings, that they may go? Do they report to you, 'Here we are?'
Can you send out bolts of lightning that they may go out, that they say to you, 'Here we are'?
36 Who has put wisdom in the inward parts? Or who has given understanding to the mind?
Who has put wisdom in the clouds or has given understanding to the mists?
37 Who can number the clouds by wisdom? Or who can pour out the bottles of the sky,
Who can number the clouds by his skill? Who can pour out the water skins of the sky
38 when the dust runs into a mass, and the clods of earth stick together?
when the dust runs into a hard mass and the clods of earth clump tightly together?
39 "Can you hunt the prey for the lioness, or satisfy the appetite of the young lions,
Can you hunt down a victim for a lioness or satisfy the appetite of her young lion cubs
40 when they crouch in their dens, and lie in wait in the thicket?
when they are crouching in their dens and sheltering in hiding to lie in wait?
41 Who provides for the raven his prey, when his young ones cry to God, and wander for lack of food?
Who provides victims for the ravens when their young ones cry out to God and stagger about for lack of food?
