Job 38

1Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said,

1And the Lord made answer to Job out of the storm-wind, and said,

1And Jehovah answereth Job out of the whirlwind, and saith: --

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

2Who is this who makes the purpose of God dark by words without knowledge?

2Who <FI>is<Fi> this--darkening counsel, By words without knowledge?

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

3Get your strength together like a man of war; I will put questions to you, and you will give me the answers.

3Gird, I pray thee, as a man, thy loins, And I ask thee, and cause thou Me to know.

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

4Where were you when I put the earth on its base? Say, if you have knowledge.

4Where wast thou when I founded earth? Declare, if thou hast known understanding.

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

5By whom were its measures fixed? Say, if you have wisdom; or by whom was the line stretched out over it?

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

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

6On what were its pillars based, or who put down its angle-stone,

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

7When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

7When the morning stars made songs together, and all the sons of the gods gave cries of joy?

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

8Or who shut up the sea with doors, when it brake forth, as if it had issued out of the womb?

8Or where were you when the sea came to birth, pushing out from its secret place;

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

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

9When I made the cloud its robe, and put thick clouds as bands round it,

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

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

10Ordering a fixed limit for it, with locks and doors;

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

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

11And said, So far you may come, and no farther; and here the pride of your waves will be stopped?

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

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

12Have you, from your earliest days, given orders to the morning, or made the dawn conscious of its place;

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

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

13So that it might take a grip of the skirts of the earth, shaking all the evil-doers out of it?

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

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

14It is changed like wet earth under a stamp, and is coloured like a robe;

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

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

15And from the evil-doers their light is kept back, and the arm of pride is broken.

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

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

16Have you come into the springs of the sea, walking in the secret places of the deep?

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

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

17Have the doors of death been open to you, or have the door-keepers of the dark ever seen you?

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

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

18Have you taken note of the wide limits of the earth? Say, if you have knowledge of it all.

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

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

19Which is the way to the resting-place of the light, and where is the store-house of the dark;

19Where <FI>is<Fi> this--the way light dwelleth? And darkness, where <FI>is<Fi> this--its place?

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

20So that you might take it to its limit, guiding it to its house?

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

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

21No doubt you have knowledge of it, for then you had come to birth, and the number of your days is great.

21Thou hast known--for then thou art born And the number of thy days <FI>are<Fi> many!

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

22Have you come into the secret place of snow, or have you seen the store-houses of the ice-drops,

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

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

23Which I have kept for the time of trouble, for the day of war and fighting?

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

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

24Which is the way to the place where the wind is measured out, and the east wind sent out over the earth?

24Where <FI>is<Fi> this, the way light is apportioned? It scattereth an east wind over the earth.

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

25By whom has the way been cut for the flowing of the rain, and the flaming of the thunder;

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

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

26Causing rain to come on a land where no man is living, on the waste land which has no people;

26To cause <FI>it<Fi> to rain on a land--no man, A wilderness--no man in it.

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

27To give water to the land where there is waste and destruction, and to make the dry land green with young grass?

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

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

28Has the rain a father? or who gave birth to the drops of night mist?

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?

29Out of whose body came the ice? and who gave birth to the cold mist of heaven?

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

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

30The waters are joined together, hard as a stone, and the face of the deep is covered.

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

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

31Are the bands of the Pleiades fixed by you, or are the cords of Orion made loose?

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

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

32Do you make Mazzaroth come out in its right time, or are the Bear and its children guided by you?

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

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

33Have you knowledge of the laws of the heavens? did you give them rule over the earth?

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

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

34Is your voice sent up to the cloud, so that you may be covered by the weight of waters?

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

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

35Do you send out the thunder-flames, so that they may go, and say to you, Here we are?

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

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

36Who has put wisdom in the high clouds, or given knowledge to the lights of the north?

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

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

37By whose wisdom are the clouds numbered, or the water-skins of the heavens turned to the earth,

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

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

38When the earth becomes hard as metal, and is joined together in masses?

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

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

39Do you go after food for the she-lion, or get meat so that the young lions may have enough,

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

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

40When they are stretched out in their holes, and are waiting in the brushwood?

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

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

41Who gives in the evening the meat he is searching for, when his young ones are crying to God; when the young lions with loud noise go wandering after their food?

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