Job 38

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

1And Jehovah answered Job out of the whirlwind and said,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

5Who set the measures thereof — if thou knowest? or who stretched a line upon it?

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

6Whereupon were the foundations thereof sunken? or who laid its corner-stone,

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

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

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

8And who shut up the sea with doors, when it burst forth, issuing out of the womb?

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

9When I made the cloud its garment, and thick darkness a swaddling band for it;

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

10When I cut out for it my boundary, and set bars and doors,

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

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

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

12Hast thou since thy days commanded the morning? hast thou caused the dawn to know its place,

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

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

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

14It is changed like the signet-clay; and [all things] stand forth as in a garment:

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

15And from the wicked their light is withholden, and the uplifted arm is broken.

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

16Hast thou entered as far as the springs of the sea? and hast thou walked in the recesses of the deep?

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

17Have the gates of death been revealed unto thee? and hast thou seen the gates of the shadow of death?

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

18Hath thine understanding compassed the breadths of the earth? Declare if thou knowest it all.

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

19Where is the way to where light dwelleth? and the darkness, where is its place,

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

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

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

21Thou knowest, for thou wast then born, and the number of thy days is great!

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

22Hast thou entered into the storehouses of the snow, and hast thou seen the treasuries of the hail,

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

23Which I have reserved for the time of distress, for the day of battle and war?

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

24By what way is the light parted, [and] the east wind scattered upon the earth?

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

25Who hath divided a channel for the rain-flood, and a way for the thunder's flash;

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

26To cause it to rain on the earth, where no one is; on the wilderness wherein there is not a man;

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

27To satisfy the desolate and waste [ground], and to cause the sprout of the grass to spring forth?

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

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

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

29Out of whose womb cometh the ice? and the hoary frost of heaven, who bringeth it forth?

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

30When the waters lie hidden as in stone, and the face of the deep holdeth fast together.

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

31Canst thou fasten the bands of the Pleiades, or loosen the cords of Orion?

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

32Dost thou bring forth the constellations each in its season? or dost thou guide the Bear with her sons?

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

33Knowest thou the ordinances of the heavens? dost thou determine their rule over the earth?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

37Who numbereth the clouds with wisdom? or who poureth out the bottles of the heavens,

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

38When the dust runneth as into a molten mass, and the clods cleave fast together?

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

39Dost thou hunt the prey for the lioness, and dost thou satisfy the appetite of the young lions,

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

40When they crouch in [their] dens, [and] abide in the thicket to lie in wait?

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

41Who provideth for the raven his food, when his young ones cry untoGod, [and] they wander for lack of meat?