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Job 38

38 Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said,

2 Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?

3 Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me.

4 Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.

5 Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it?

6 Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof;

7 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 brake forth, as if it had issued out of the womb?

9 When I made the cloud the garment thereof, and thick darkness a swaddlingband for it,

10 And brake up for it my decreed place, and set bars and doors,

11 And said, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further: and here shall thy proud waves be stayed?

12 Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days; and caused the dayspring to know his place;

13 That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, that the wicked might be shaken out of it?

14 It is turned as clay to the seal; and they stand as a garment.

15 And from the wicked their light is withholden, and the high arm shall be broken.

16 Hast thou entered into the springs of the sea? or hast thou walked in the search of the depth?

17 Have the gates of death been opened unto thee? or hast thou seen the doors of the shadow of death?

18 Hast thou perceived the breadth of the earth? declare if thou knowest it all.

19 Where is the way where light dwelleth? and as for darkness, where is the place thereof,

20 That thou shouldest take it to the bound thereof, and that thou shouldest know the paths to the house thereof?

21 Knowest thou it, because thou wast then born? or because the number of thy days is great?

22 Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow? or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail,

23 Which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war?

24 By what way is the light parted, which scattereth the east wind upon the earth?

25 Who hath divided a watercourse for the overflowing of waters, or a way for the lightning of thunder;

26 To cause it to rain on the earth, where no man is; on the wilderness, wherein there is no man;

27 To satisfy the desolate and waste ground; and to cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth?

28 Hath the rain a father? or who hath begotten the drops of dew?

29 Out of whose womb came the ice? and the hoary frost of heaven, who hath gendered it?

30 The waters are hid as with a stone, and the face of the deep is frozen.

31 Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion?

32 Canst thou bring forth Mazzaroth in his season? or canst thou guide Arcturus with his sons?

33 Knowest thou the ordinances of heaven? canst thou set the dominion thereof in the earth?

34 Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, that abundance of waters may cover thee?

35 Canst thou send lightnings, that they may go and say unto thee, Here we are?

36 Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts? or who hath given understanding to the heart?

37 Who can number the clouds in wisdom? or who can stay the bottles of heaven,

38 When the dust groweth into hardness, and the clods cleave fast together?

39 Wilt thou hunt the prey for the lion? or fill the appetite of the young lions,

40 When they couch in their dens, and abide in the covert to lie in wait?

41 Who provideth for the raven his food? when his young ones cry unto God, they wander for lack of meat.

God Speaks to Job

38 Then the Lord spoke to Job from a whirlwind and said,

2 “Who is this ignorant person
saying these foolish things? [ a ]
3 Prepare yourself for an attack!
Get ready to answer the questions I will ask you.

4 “Where were you when I made the earth?
If you are so smart, answer me.
5 And who decided how big the earth should be?
Who measured it with a measuring line?
6 What is the earth resting on?
Who put the first stone in its place
7 when the morning stars sang together
and the angels [ b ] shouted with joy?

8 “Who closed the flood gates
as the sea gushed from the womb?
9 Who covered it with clouds
and wrapped it in darkness?
10 I set the limits for the sea
and put it behind locked gates.
11 I said to the sea, ‘You can come this far, but no farther.
This is where your proud waves will stop.’

12 “Did you ever in your life command the morning to begin
or the day to dawn?
13 Did you ever tell the morning light to grab the earth
and shake those who are evil out of their hiding places?
14 The morning light makes the hills
and valleys easy to see.
When the daylight comes to the earth,
the shapes of these places stand out like the folds of a coat.
They take shape like soft clay
that is pressed with a stamp.
15 Evil people don’t like the daylight.
When it shines bright, it keeps them from doing the bad things they do.

16 “Have you ever gone to the deepest parts of the sea?
Have you ever walked on the ocean bottom?
17 Has anyone shown you the gates to the world of the dead?
Have you ever seen those gates that lead to the dark place of death?
18 Do you really understand how big the earth is?
Tell me, if you know all this.

19 “Where does light come from?
Where does darkness come from?
20 Can you take them back to where they belong?
Do you know how to get there?
21 Surely you know these things, since you are so old and wise.
You were alive when I made them, weren’t you? [ c ]

22 “Have you ever gone into the storerooms
where I keep the snow and the hail?
23 I save them there for times of trouble,
for the times of war and battle.
24 Have you ever gone to the place where the sun comes up,
where it makes the east wind blow all over the earth? [ d ]
25 Who dug ditches in the sky for the heavy rain?
Who made a path for the thunderstorm?
26 Who makes it rain even in desert places
where no one lives?
27 The rain gives that dry empty land all the water it needs,
and grass begins to grow.
28 Does the rain have a father?
Who produces the drops of dew?
29 Does ice have a mother?
Who gives birth to the frost?
30 That’s when the water freezes as hard as a rock.
Even the deep sea freezes over!

31 “Can you tie up the Pleiades [ e ] ?
Can you unfasten the belt of Orion [ f ] ?
32 Can you bring out the other constellations [ g ] at the right times?
Can you lead out the Bear [ h ] with its cubs?
33 Do you know the laws that control the sky?
Can you put each star in its place above the earth? [ i ]

34 “Can you shout at the clouds
and command them to cover you with rain?
35 Can you give a command to the lightning?
Will it come to you and say, ‘Here we are; what do you want, sir?’
Will it go wherever you want it to go?

36 “Who makes people wise?
Who puts wisdom deep inside them?
37 Who is wise enough to count the clouds
and tip them over to pour out their rain?
38 The rain makes the dust become mud,
and the clumps of dirt stick together.

39 “Do you find food for the lions?
Do you feed their hungry babies?
40 No, they hide in their caves
or wait in the grass, ready to attack their prey.
41 Who feeds the ravens when their babies cry out to God
and wander around without food?

Footnotes

  1. Job 38:2 Or “Who is this person darkening advice with ignorant words.”
  2. Job 38:7 angels Literally, “sons of God.”
  3. Job 38:21 This is sarcasm—saying something in a way that everyone understands it is not really true.
  4. Job 38:24 Or “Where is the place that the fog disperses and the place where the east wind scatters it all over the earth?”
  5. Job 38:31 Pleiades A famous group of stars. It is often called, “The Seven Sisters.”
  6. Job 38:31 Orion A famous group of stars. It looks like a hunter or powerful soldier.
  7. Job 38:32 constellations Groups of stars in the night sky. Here, this probably means the twelve constellations of the Zodiac. They seem to pass through the sky so that a new constellation is in a certain part of the sky each month.
  8. Job 38:32 Bear A famous group of stars. It looks like a bear. It is often called, “the Big Dipper.” Near it is a smaller constellation that looks like a small bear. It is often called, “the Little Dipper.”
  9. Job 38:33 Can you … earth Or “Can you put it in charge over the earth?”

38 Then Jehovah answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said,

2 Who is this that darkeneth counsel
By words without knowledge?
3 Gird up now thy loins like a man;
For I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.
4 Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth?
Declare, [ a ] if thou hast understanding.
5 Who determined the measures thereof, [ b ] if thou knowest?
Or who stretched the line upon it?
6 Whereupon were the [ c ] foundations thereof [ d ] fastened?
Or who laid the corner-stone thereof,
7 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 brake forth, [ e ] as if it had issued out of the womb;
9 When I made clouds the garment thereof,
And thick darkness a swaddling-band for it,
10 And [ f ] marked out for it my bound,
And set bars and doors,
11 And said, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further;
And here shall thy proud waves be stayed?

12 Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days began ,
And caused the dayspring to know its place;
13 That it might take hold of the ends of the earth,
And the wicked be shaken out of it?
14 It is changed as clay under the seal;
And all things stand forth [ g ] as a garment:
15 And from the wicked their light is withholden,
And the high arm is broken.

16 Hast thou entered into the springs of the sea?
Or hast thou walked in the [ h ] recesses of the deep?
17 Have the gates of death been revealed unto thee?
Or hast thou seen the gates of the shadow of death?
18 Hast thou comprehended the earth in its breadth?
Declare, if thou knowest it all.

19 Where is the way to the dwelling of light?
And as for darkness, where is the place thereof,
20 That thou shouldest take it to the bound thereof,
And that thou shouldest discern the paths to the house thereof?
21 Doubtless , thou knowest, for thou wast then born,
And the number of thy days is great!
22 Hast thou entered the treasuries of the snow,
Or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail,
23 Which I have reserved against the time of trouble,
Against the day of battle and war?
24 [ i ] By what way is the light parted,
Or the east wind scattered upon the earth?

25 Who hath cleft a channel for the waterflood,
Or the way for the lightning of the thunder;
26 To cause it to rain on a land where no man is;
On the wilderness, wherein there is no man;
27 To satisfy the waste and desolate ground ,
And to cause the [ j ] tender grass to spring forth?
28 Hath the rain a father?
Or who hath begotten the drops of dew?
29 Out of whose womb came the ice?
And the hoary frost of heaven, who hath [ k ] gendered it?
30 The waters [ l ] hide themselves and become like stone,
And the face of the deep [ m ] is frozen.

31 Canst thou bind the [ n ] cluster of the Pleiades,
Or loose the bands of Orion?
32 Canst thou lead forth [ o ] the Mazzaroth in their season?
Or canst thou guide the Bear with her [ p ] train?
33 Knowest thou the ordinances of the heavens?
Canst thou establish the dominion thereof in the earth?

34 Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds,
That abundance of waters may cover thee?
35 Canst thou send forth lightnings, that they may go,
And say unto thee, Here we are?
36 Who hath put wisdom in the [ q ] inward parts?
Or who hath given understanding to the [ r ] mind?
37 Who can number the clouds by wisdom?
Or who can [ s ] pour out the bottles of heaven,
38 When the dust runneth into a mass,
And the clods cleave fast together?

39 Canst thou hunt the prey for the lioness,
Or satisfy the appetite of the young lions,
40 When they couch in their dens,
And abide in the covert to lie in wait?
41 Who provideth for the raven his prey,
When his young ones cry unto God,
And wander for lack of food?

Footnotes

  1. Job 38:4 Hebrew if thou knowest understanding .
  2. Job 38:5 Or, seeing
  3. Job 38:6 Hebrew sockets .
  4. Job 38:6 Hebrew made to sink .
  5. Job 38:8 Or, and issued
  6. Job 38:10 Hebrew brake .
  7. Job 38:14 Or, as in a garment
  8. Job 38:16 Or, search
  9. Job 38:24 Or, Which is the way to the place where the light is etc.
  10. Job 38:27 Or, greensward
  11. Job 38:29 Or, given it birth
  12. Job 38:30 Or, are congealed like stone
  13. Job 38:30 Hebrew cohereth .
  14. Job 38:31 Or, chain Or, sweet influences
  15. Job 38:32 Or, the signs of the Zodiac
  16. Job 38:32 Hebrew sons .
  17. Job 38:36 Or, dark clouds
  18. Job 38:36 Or, meteor
  19. Job 38:37 Hebrew cause to lie down .

38 Then Yahweh answered Job out of the whirlwind,

2 “Who is this who darkens counsel
by words without knowledge?
3 Brace yourself like a man,
for I will question you, then you answer me!

4 “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?
Declare, if you have understanding.
5 Who determined its measures, if you know?
Or who stretched the line on it?
6 What were its foundations fastened on?
Or who laid its cornerstone,
7 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 out of the womb,
9 when I made clouds its garment,
and wrapped it in thick darkness,
10 marked out for it my bound,
set bars and doors,
11 and said, ‘You may come here, but no further.
Your proud waves shall be stopped here’?

12 “Have you commanded the morning in your days,
and caused the dawn to know its place,
13 that it might take hold of the ends of the earth,
and shake the wicked out of it?
14 It is changed as clay under the seal,
and presented as a garment.
15 From the wicked, their light is withheld.
The high arm is broken.

16 “Have you entered into the springs of the sea?
Or have you walked in the recesses of the deep?
17 Have the gates of death been revealed to you?
Or have you seen the gates of the shadow of death?
18 Have you comprehended the earth in its width?
Declare, if you know it all.

19 “What is the way to the dwelling 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?
21 Surely you know, for you were born then,
and the number of your days is great!
22 Have you entered the treasuries of the snow,
or have you seen the treasures of the hail,
23 which I have reserved against the time of trouble,
against the day of battle and war?
24 By what way is the lightning distributed,
or the east wind scattered on the earth?

25 Who has cut a channel for the flood water,
or the path for the thunder storm,
26 to cause it to rain on a land where there is no man,
on the wilderness, in which there is no man,
27 to satisfy the waste and desolate ground,
to cause the tender grass to grow?
28 Does the rain have a father?
Or who fathers the drops of dew?
29 Whose womb did the ice come out of?
Who has given birth to the gray frost of the sky?
30 The waters become hard like stone,
when the surface of the deep is frozen.

31 “Can you bind the cluster of the Pleiades,
or loosen the cords of Orion?
32 Can you lead the constellations out in their season?
Or can you guide the Bear with her cubs?
33 Do you know the laws of the heavens?
Can you establish its dominion over the earth?

34 “Can you lift up your voice to the clouds,
That abundance of waters may cover you?
35 Can you send out lightnings, that they may go?
Do they report to you, ‘Here we are’?
36 Who has put wisdom in the inward parts?
Or who has given understanding to the mind?
37 Who can count the clouds by wisdom?
Or who can pour out the containers of the sky,
38 when the dust runs into a mass,
and the clods of earth stick together?

39 “Can you hunt the prey for the lioness,
or satisfy the appetite of the young lions,
40 when they crouch in their dens,
and lie in wait in the thicket?
41 Who provides for the raven his prey,
when his young ones cry to God,
and wander for lack of food?

38 And Jehovah answereth Job out of the whirlwind, and saith: --

2 Who [is] this -- darkening counsel, By words without knowledge?

3 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 earth? Declare, if thou hast known understanding.

5 Who placed its measures -- if thou knowest? Or who hath stretched out upon it a line?

6 On what have its sockets been sunk? Or who hath cast its corner-stone?

7 In the singing together of stars of morning, And all sons of God shout for joy,

8 And He shutteth up with doors the sea, In its coming forth, from the womb it goeth out.

9 In My making a cloud its clothing, And thick darkness its swaddling band,

10 And I measure over it My statute, And place bar and doors,

11 And say, `Hitherto come thou, and add not, And a command is placed On the pride of thy billows.'

12 Hast thou commanded morning since thy days? Causest thou the dawn to know its place?

13 To take hold on the skirts of the earth, And the wicked are shaken out of it,

14 It turneth itself as clay of a seal And they station themselves as clothed.

15 And withheld from the wicked is their light, And the arm lifted up is broken.

16 Hast thou come in to springs of the sea? And in searching the deep Hast thou walked up and down?

17 Revealed to thee were the gates of death? And the gates of death-shade dost thou see?

18 Thou hast understanding, Even unto the broad places of earth! Declare -- if thou hast known it all.

19 Where [is] this -- the way light dwelleth? And darkness, where [is] this -- its place?

20 That thou dost take it unto its boundary, And that thou dost understand The paths of its house.

21 Thou hast known -- for then thou art born And the number of thy days [are] many!

22 Hast thou come in unto the treasure of snow? Yea, the treasures of hail dost thou see?

23 That I have kept back for a time of distress, For a day of conflict and battle.

24 Where [is] this, the way light is apportioned? It scattereth an east wind over the earth.

25 Who hath divided for the flood a conduit? And a way for the lightning of the voices?

26 To cause [it] to rain on a land -- no man, A wilderness -- no man in it.

27 To satisfy a desolate and waste place, And to cause to shoot up The produce of the tender grass?

28 Hath the rain a father? Or who hath begotten the drops of dew?

29 From whose belly came forth the ice? And the hoar-frost of the heavens, Who hath begotten it?

30 As a stone waters are hidden, And the face of the deep is captured.

31 Dost thou bind sweet influences of Kimah? Or the attractions of Kesil dost thou open?

32 Dost thou bring out Mazzaroth in its season? And Aysh for her sons dost thou comfort?

33 Hast thou known the statutes of heaven? Or dost thou appoint Its dominion in the earth?

34 Dost thou lift up to the cloud thy voice, And abundance of water doth cover thee?

35 Dost thou send out lightnings, and they go And say unto thee, `Behold us?'

36 Who hath put in the inward parts wisdom? Or who hath given To the covered part understanding?

37 Who doth number the clouds by wisdom? And the bottles of the heavens, Who doth cause to lie down,

38 In the hardening of dust into hardness, And clods cleave together?

39 Dost thou hunt for a lion prey? And the desire of young lions fulfil?

40 When they bow down in dens -- Abide in a thicket for a covert?

41 Who doth prepare for a raven his provision, When his young ones cry unto God? They wander without food.

38 Then the Lord answered Job out of a whirlwind, and said:

2 Who is this that wrappeth up sentences in unskillful words?

3 Gird up thy loins like a man: I will ask thee, and answer thou me.

4 Where wast thou when I laid up the foundations of the earth? tell me if thou hast understanding.

5 Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it?

6 Upon what are its bases grounded? or who laid the corner stone thereof,

7 When the morning stars praised me together, and all the sons of God made a joyful melody?

8 Who shut up the sea with doors, when it broke forth as issuing out of the womb:

9 When I made a cloud the garment thereof, and wrapped it in a mist as in swaddling bands?

10 I set my bounds around it, and made it bars and doors:

11 And I said: Hitherto thou shalt come, and shalt go no further, and here thou shalt break thy swelling waves.

12 Didst thou since thy birth command the morning, and shew the dawning of the day its place?

13 And didst thou hold the extremities of the earth shaking them, and hast thou shaken the ungodly out of it?

14 The seal shall be restored as clay, and shall stand as a garment:

15 From the wicked their light shall be taken away, and the high arm shall be broken.

16 Hast thou entered into the depths of the sea, and walked in the lowest parts of the deep?

17 Have the gates of death been opened to thee, and hast thou seen the darksome doors?

18 Hast thou considered the breadth of the earth? tell me, if thou knowest all things?

19 Where is the way where light dwelleth, and where is the place of darkness:

20 That thou mayst bring every thing to its own bounds, and understand the paths of the house thereof.

21 Didst thou know then that thou shouldst be born? and didst thou know the number of thy days?

22 Hast thou entered into the storehouses of the snow, or has thou beheld the treasures of the hail:

23 Which I have prepared for the time of the enemy, against the day of battle and war?

24 By what way is the light spread, and heat divided upon the earth?

25 Who gave a course to violent showers, or a way for noisy thunder:

26 That it should rain on the earth without man in the wilderness, where no mortal dwelleth:

27 That it should fill the desert and desolate land, and should bring forth green grass?

28 Who is the father of rain? or who begot the drops of dew?

29 Out of whose womb came the ice; and the frost from heaven who hath gendered it?

30 The waters are hardened like a stone, and the surface of the deep is congealed.

31 Shalt thou be able to join together the shining stars the Pleiades, or canst thou stop the turning about of Arcturus?

32 Canst thou bring forth the day star in its time, and make the evening star to rise upon the children of the earth?

33 Dost thou know the order of heaven, and canst thou set down the reason thereof on the earth?

34 Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, that an abundance of waters may cover thee?

35 Canst thou send lightnings, and will they go, and will they return and say to thee: Here we are?

36 Who hath put wisdom in the heart of man? or who gave the cock understanding?

37 Who can declare the order of the heavens, or who can make the harmony of heaven to sleep?

38 When was the dust poured on the earth, and the clods fastened together?

39 Wilt thou take the prey for the lioness, and satisfy the appetite of her whelps,

40 When they couch in the dens and lie in wait in holes?

41 Who provideth food for the raven, when her young ones cry to God, wandering about, because they have no meat?

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