Job 38
1 But the Lord, responding to Job from a whirlwind, said:
Then spake Jehovah to Job out of the whirlwind, and said:
2 Who is this that wraps sentences in unskilled words?
Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?
3 Gird your waist like a man. I will question you, and you must answer me.
Gird up thy loins like a man! I will ask thee, and answer thou me!
4 Where were you, when I set the foundations of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding.
Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if thou hast understanding!
5 Who set its measurements, if you know, or who stretched a line over it?
Who fixed its dimensions, that thou shouldst know it! Or who stretched out the line upon it?
6 Upon what have its bases been grounded, and who set forth its cornerstone,
Upon what were its foundations fixed? And who laid its corner-stone,
7 when the morning stars praised me together, and all the sons of God made a joyful noise?
When the morning stars sang together, And all the sons of God shouted for joy?
8 Who enclosed the sea with doors, when it broke forth as if issuing from the womb,
And who shut up the sea with doors, When it burst forth as from the womb?
9 when I stationed a cloud as its garment and wrapped it in a mist as if swaddling an infant?
When I made the clouds its mantle, And thick darkness its swaddling-band;
10 I encircled it with my limits, and I positioned its bars and doors.
When I appointed for it my bound, And fixed for it bars and doors;
11 And I said: “This far you will approach, and you will proceed no further, and here you will break your swelling waves.”
And said, Thus far shalt thou come, and no farther, And here shall thy proud waves be stayed!
12 Did you, after your birth, command the birth of the sun and show the sunrise its place?
Hast thou, in thy life, given charge to the morning, Or caused the day-spring to know its place,
13 And did you hold the extremities of the earth, shaking them, and have you shaken the impious out of it?
That it should lay hold of the ends of the earth, And shake the wicked out of it?
14 The seal will be restored like clay, and it will remain in place like a garment.
It is changed as clay by the seal; And all things stand forth as in rich apparel.
15 From the impious, the light will be taken away, and the exalted arm will be broken.
But from the wicked their light is withheld, And the high-raised arm is broken.
16 Have you entered the depths of the sea, and have you taken a walk in the uttermost parts of the abyss?
Hast thou visited the springs of the sea, And walked through the recesses of the deep?
17 Have the gates of death been opened to you, and have you seen the doors of darkness?
Have the gates of death been disclosed to thee, And hast thou seen the gates of the shadow of death?
18 Have you considered the breadth of the earth? If you know all things, reveal them to me.
Hast thou surveyed the breadth of the earth? Declare, if thou knowest it all!
19 Which is the way that holds the light, and which is the place of darkness?
Where is the way to the abode of light? And darkness—where is its dwelling-place?
20 In this way, you might lead each thing to its final place, and understand the paths of its house.
That thou shouldst lead it to its boundary, And that thou shouldst know the paths to its mansion!
21 So then, did you know when you were to be born? And did you know the number of your days?
Surely thou knowest; for thou wast then born! And the number of thy years is great!
22 Have you been admitted into the storehouses of the snows, and have you gazed upon the stockpile of the brimstone,
Hast thou visited the storehouses of the snow, Or seen the treasuries of the hail,
23 which I have prepared for the time of the enemy, for the day of the battle and the war?
Which I have reserved against the time of trouble, —Against the day of battle and war?
24 In what way is the light scattered, and the heat distributed, over the earth?
What is the way to where light is distributed, And the east wind spread abroad upon the earth?
25 Who gave a course to the rainstorms, and a path to the resounding thunder,
Who hath prepared channels for the rain, And a path for the thunder-flash,
26 so that it would rain on the earth far from man, in the wilderness where no mortal lingers,
To give rain to the land without an inhabitant, To the wilderness wherein is no man;
27 so that it would fill impassable and desolate places, and would bring forth green plants?
To satisfy the desolate and waste ground, And cause the tender herb to spring forth?
28 Who is the father of rain, or who conceived the drops of dew?
Hath the rain a father? Or who hath begotten the drops of the dew?
29 From whose womb did the ice proceed, and who created the frost from the air?
Out of whose womb came the ice? And who hath gendered the hoar-frost of heaven?
30 The waters are hardened to become like stone, and the surface of the abyss freezes over.
The waters are hid as under stone, And the face of the deep becometh solid.
31 Will you have the strength to join together the sparkling stars of the Pleiades, or are you able to disperse the circling of Arcturus?
Canst thou fasten the bands of the Pleiades, Or loosen the chains of Orion?
32 Can you bring forth the morning star, in its time, and make the evening star rise over the sons of the earth?
Canst thou lead forth the Signs in their season, Or guide the Bear with her sons?
33 Do you know the order of heaven, and can you explain its rules here on the earth?
Knowest thou the ordinances of the heavens? Hast thou appointed their dominion over the earth?
34 Can you lift up your voice to the clouds, so that an onslaught of waters will cover you?
Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, So that abundance of waters will cover thee?
35 Can you send forth lightning bolts, and will they go, and on returning, say to you: “Here we are?”
Canst thou send forth lightnings, so that they will go, And say to thee, “Here we are”?
36 Who placed discernment in the guts of man, or who gave the rooster intelligence?
Who hath put understanding in the reins, And given intelligence to the mind?
37 Who can describe the rules of the heavens, or who can put to rest the harmony of heaven?
Who numbereth the clouds in wisdom? And who poureth out the bottles of heaven,
38 When was the dust cast to become the earth, and when were its clods fastened together?
When the dust floweth into a molten mass, And the clods cleave fast together?
39 Will you seize prey for the lioness, and will you sustain the lives of her young,
Canst thou hunt prey for the lioness, Or satisfy the hunger of the young lions,
40 as they rest in their dens or lie in wait in pits?
When they couch in their dens, And lie in wait in the thicket?
41 Who provides the raven with its meal, when her chicks cry out to God, as they wander around because they have no food?
Who provideth for the raven his food, When his young ones cry unto God, While they wander about without food?
