Job 38

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

16Hast thou entered into the depths of the sea, and walked in the lowest parts 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 opened to thee, and hast thou seen the darksome doors?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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, or hast thou beheld the treasures of the hail:

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

23Which I have prepared for the time of the enemy, against 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 spread, and heat divided upon the earth?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

28Who is the father of rain? or who begot 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 came the ice? and the frost from heaven who hath gendered it?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

35Canst thou send lightnings, and will they go, and will they return and say to 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 heart of man? or who gave the cock understanding?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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