Job 38

¹ 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.