Job 38
1 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, if thou hast understanding.
5 Who determined the measures thereof, if thou knowest? Or who stretched the line upon it?
6 Whereupon were 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 clouds the garment thereof, And thick darkness a swaddling-band for it,
10 And 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 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 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 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 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 gendered it?
30 The waters hide themselves and become like stone, And the face of the deep is frozen.
31 Canst thou bind the cluster of the Pleiades, Or loose the bands of Orion?
32 Canst thou lead forth the Mazzaroth in their season? Or canst thou guide the Bear with her 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 inward parts? Or who hath given understanding to the mind?
37 Who can number the clouds by wisdom? Or who can 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?
JOB 38
The [Lord] Speaks
From Out of a Storm
1 From out of a storm,
the [Lord] said to Job:
2 Why do you talk so much
when you know so little?
3 Now get ready to face me!
Can you answer
the questions I ask?
4 How did I lay the foundation
for the earth?
Were you there?
5 Doubtless you know who decided
its length and width.
6 What supports the foundation?
Who placed the cornerstone,
7 t while morning stars sang,
and angels rejoiced?
8 t When the ocean was born,
I set its boundaries
9 and wrapped it in blankets
of thickest fog.
10 Then I built a wall around it,
locked the gates,
11 and said,
“Your powerful waves stop here!
They can go no farther.”Did You Ever //Tell the Sun To Rise?
12 Did you ever tell the sun to rise?
And did it obey?
13 Did it take hold of the earth
and shake out the wicked
like dust from a rug?
14 Early dawn outlines the hills
like stitches on clothing
or sketches on clay.
15 But its light is too much
for those who are evil,
and their power is broken.
16 Job, have you ever walked
on the ocean floor?
17 Have you seen the gate
to the world of the dead?
18 And how large is the earth?
Tell me, if you know!
19 Where is the home of light,
and where does darkness live?
20 Can you lead them home?
21 I'm certain you must be able to,
since you were already born
when I created everything.
22 Have you been to the places
where I keep snow and hail,
23 until I use them to punish
and conquer nations?
24 From where does lightning leap,
or the east wind blow?
25 Who carves out a path
for thunderstorms?
Who sends torrents of rain
26 on empty deserts
where no one lives?
27 Rain that changes barren land
to meadows green with grass.
28 Who is the father of the dew
and of the rain?
29 Who gives birth to the sleet
and the frost
30 that fall in winter,
when streams and lakes
freeze solid as a rock?Can You Arrange Stars?
31 t Can you arrange stars in groups
such as Orion
and the Pleiades?
32 Do you control the stars
or set in place the Big Dipper
and the Little Dipper?
33 Do you know the laws
that govern the heavens,
and can you make them rule
the earth?
34 Can you order the clouds
to send a downpour,
35 or will lightning flash
at your command?
36 Did you teach birds to know
that rain or floods
are on their way?t
37 Can you count the clouds
or pour out their water
38 on the dry, lumpy soil?
39 When lions are hungry,
do you help them hunt?
40 Do you send an animal
into their den?
41 And when starving young ravens
cry out to me for food,
do you satisfy their hunger?