Job 38
1But the Lord, responding to Job from a whirlwind, said:
2Who is this that wraps sentences in unskilled words?
3Gird your waist like a man. I will question you, and you must answer me.
4Where were you, when I set the foundations of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding.
5Who set its measurements, if you know, or who stretched a line over it?
6Upon what have its bases been grounded, and who set forth its cornerstone,
7when the morning stars praised me together, and all the sons of God made a joyful noise?
8Who enclosed the sea with doors, when it broke forth as if issuing from the womb,
9when I stationed a cloud as its garment and wrapped it in a mist as if swaddling an infant?
10I encircled it with my limits, and I positioned its bars and doors.
11And I said: “This far you will approach, and you will proceed no further, and here you will break your swelling waves.”
12Did you, after your birth, command the birth of the sun and show the sunrise its place?
13And did you hold the extremities of the earth, shaking them, and have you shaken the impious out of it?
14The seal will be restored like clay, and it will remain in place like a garment.
15From the impious, the light will be taken away, and the exalted arm will be broken.
16Have you entered the depths of the sea, and have you taken a walk in the uttermost parts of the abyss?
17Have the gates of death been opened to you, and have you seen the doors of darkness?
18Have you considered the breadth of the earth? If you know all things, reveal them to me.
19Which is the way that holds the light, and which is the place of darkness?
20In this way, you might lead each thing to its final place, and understand the paths of its house.
21So then, did you know when you were to be born? And did you know the number of your days?
22Have you been admitted into the storehouses of the snows, and have you gazed upon the stockpile of the brimstone,
23which I have prepared for the time of the enemy, for the day of the battle and the war?
24In what way is the light scattered, and the heat distributed, over the earth?
25Who gave a course to the rainstorms, and a path to the resounding thunder,
26so that it would rain on the earth far from man, in the wilderness where no mortal lingers,
27so that it would fill impassable and desolate places, and would bring forth green plants?
28Who is the father of rain, or who conceived the drops of dew?
29From whose womb did the ice proceed, and who created the frost from the air?
30The waters are hardened to become like stone, and the surface of the abyss freezes over.
31Will you have the strength to join together the sparkling stars of the Pleiades, or are you able to disperse the circling of Arcturus?
32Can you bring forth the morning star, in its time, and make the evening star rise over the sons of the earth?
33Do you know the order of heaven, and can you explain its rules here on the earth?
34Can you lift up your voice to the clouds, so that an onslaught of waters will cover you?
35Can you send forth lightning bolts, and will they go, and on returning, say to you: “Here we are?”
36Who placed discernment in the guts of man, or who gave the rooster intelligence?
37Who can describe the rules of the heavens, or who can put to rest the harmony of heaven?
38When was the dust cast to become the earth, and when were its clods fastened together?
39Will you seize prey for the lioness, and will you sustain the lives of her young,
40as they rest in their dens or lie in wait in pits?
41Who provides the raven with its meal, when her chicks cry out to God, as they wander around because they have no food?
1Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said,
2Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?
3Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me.
4Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.
5Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it?
6Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof;
7When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
8Or who shut up the sea with doors, when it brake forth, as if it had issued out of the womb?
9When I made the cloud the garment thereof, and thick darkness a swaddlingband for it,
10And brake up for it my decreed place, and set bars and doors,
11And said, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further: and here shall thy proud waves be stayed?
12Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days; and caused the dayspring to know his place;
13That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, that the wicked might be shaken out of it?
14It is turned as clay to the seal; and they stand as a garment.
15And from the wicked their light is withholden, and the high arm shall be broken.
16Hast thou entered into the springs of the sea? or hast thou walked in the search of the depth?
17Have the gates of death been opened unto thee? or hast thou seen the doors of the shadow of death?
18Hast thou perceived the breadth of the earth? declare if thou knowest it all.
19Where is the way where light dwelleth? and as for darkness, where is the place thereof,
20That thou shouldest take it to the bound thereof, and that thou shouldest know the paths to the house thereof?
21Knowest thou it, because thou wast then born? or because the number of thy days is great?
22Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow? or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail,
23Which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war?
24By what way is the light parted, which scattereth the east wind upon the earth?
25Who hath divided a watercourse for the overflowing of waters, or a way for the lightning of thunder;
26To cause it to rain on the earth, where no man is; on the wilderness, wherein there is no man;
27To satisfy the desolate and waste ground; and to cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth?
28Hath the rain a father? or who hath begotten the drops of dew?
29Out of whose womb came the ice? and the hoary frost of heaven, who hath gendered it?
30The waters are hid as with a stone, and the face of the deep is frozen.
31Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion?
32Canst thou bring forth Mazzaroth in his season? or canst thou guide Arcturus with his sons?
33Knowest thou the ordinances of heaven? canst thou set the dominion thereof in the earth?
34Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, that abundance of waters may cover thee?
35Canst thou send lightnings, that they may go, and say unto thee, Here we are?
36Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts? or who hath given understanding to the heart?
37Who can number the clouds in wisdom? or who can stay the bottles of heaven,
38When the dust groweth into hardness, and the clods cleave fast together?
39Wilt thou hunt the prey for the lion? or fill the appetite of the young lions,
40When they couch in their dens, and abide in the covert to lie in wait?
41Who provideth for the raven his food? when his young ones cry unto God, they wander for lack of meat.