耶和華回答約伯

38 那時,耶和華從旋風中回答約伯說:
「是誰用無知的話蒙蔽我的旨意?
你要像勇士一樣束腰備戰,
我來提問,你來回答。

「我立大地根基的時候,你在哪裡?
你若那麼聰明,請告訴我。
你可知道誰為大地定的尺寸?
誰用準繩把它丈量?
是什麼支撐大地的根基?
誰為它安放的基石?
當時晨星齊聲歌唱,
眾天使都發出歡呼。

「大海從母胎奔騰而出時,
誰為它劃定界限?
是我為大海披上雲彩,
為它裹上厚厚的幽暗。
10 是我為它劃定界限,
並安上門和閂,
11 說,『你到此為止,不可越界;
你狂傲的波濤要停在這裡。』

12 「你生平可曾向晨曦發號施令,
為黎明的曙光指定崗位,
13 使陽光普照大地,
抖出藏匿的惡人?
14 日光使大地改觀,如泥上蓋印,
萬物如衣服般顯出顏色。
15 惡人得不到光明,
強橫的臂膀必折斷。
16 你可曾到過大海的源頭,
走過深淵的底部?
17 死亡之門可曾向你顯露?
你可曾見過幽冥之門?
18 你知道大地有多廣闊嗎?
你若知道,就告訴我吧。

19 「哪條路通往光明的居所?
哪裡是黑暗的住處?
20 你能把它們帶回原處嗎?
你認識通往其居所的路嗎?
21 你肯定知道,
因為那時你已出生,
你的壽數又很長久!

22 「你曾到過雪庫,
或見過雹倉嗎?
23 那是我為降災之時,
為爭戰之日而預備的。
24 光從哪條路散開?
東風從哪條路吹向大地?
25 誰為豪雨開水道,
為雷電闢路徑,
26 使雨水降在杳無人煙之地,
降在無人居住的曠野,
27 以滋潤荒涼不毛之地,
使土地長出青草?
28 雨水有父親嗎?
誰生的露珠?
29 冰出自誰的胎?
誰生的天上的霜?
30 水變得堅硬如石,
深淵表面凝結成冰。

31 「你能繫住昴星的結,
解開參星的帶嗎?
32 你能按季節領出星座,
引導北斗及其眾星嗎?
33 你知道天的定律嗎?
你能使地服從天律嗎?
34 你能號令雲彩,
使傾盆大雨覆蓋你嗎?
35 你能命閃電發出,
讓它聽候調遣嗎?
36 誰將智慧放在人胸中?
誰使人內心有聰明?
37-38 塵土結成硬團,
土塊黏在一起時,
誰能憑智慧數算雲彩?
誰能傾倒天上的水囊?

39-40 「獅子臥在洞中,
壯獅埋伏在隱秘處,
你能為牠們獵取食物,
使牠們飽餐嗎?
41 烏鴉的幼雛餓得飛來飛去,
向上帝哀鳴時,
誰供應烏鴉食物?

Yahweh Answers Job

38 Then Yahweh (A)answered Job out of the [a]whirlwind and said,

“Who is this that (B)darkens counsel
By words without knowledge?
Now (C)gird up your loins like a man,
And (D)I will ask you, and you make Me know!
Where were you (E)when I laid the foundation of the earth?
Tell Me, if you know understanding,
Who set its (F)measurements? Since you know.
Or who stretched the line on it?
On what (G)were its bases sunk?
Or who laid its cornerstone,
When the morning stars sang together
And all the (H)sons of God shouted for joy?

“Or who (I)enclosed the sea with doors
When, bursting forth, it went out from the womb,
When I made a cloud its garment
And dense gloom its swaddling band,
10 And I [b](J)placed boundaries on it
And set a bolt and doors,
11 And I said, ‘Thus far you shall come, but no farther;
And here shall your proud waves stop’?

Yahweh Answers Job, “Have You?”

12 “Have you [c]ever in your life commanded the morning,
And caused the dawn to know its place,
13 That it might seize (K)the ends of the earth,
And (L)the wicked be shaken out of it?
14 It is changed like clay under the seal;
And they stand forth like clothing.
15 (M)From the wicked their light is withheld,
And the arm (N)raised high is broken.

16 “Have you entered into (O)the springs of the sea
Or walked [d]in the recesses of the deep?
17 Have the gates of death been revealed to you,
Or have you seen the gates of the (P)shadow of death?
18 Have you carefully considered the [e]expanse of (Q)the earth?
Tell Me, if you know all this.

19 “Where is the way to where the light dwells?
And darkness, where is its place,
20 That you may take it to (R)its territory
And that you may discern the paths to its [f]home?
21 You know, for (S)you were born then,
And the number of your days is great!

22 Have you entered the storehouses (T)of the snow,
Or have you seen the storehouses of the (U)hail,
23 Which I have reserved for the time of distress,
For the day of war and battle?
24 Where is the way that (V)the light is divided,
Or the east wind scattered on the earth?

25 “Who has cleft a conduit for the flood,
Or a way for the thunderbolt,
26 To bring (W)rain on a land without [g]people,
On a desert without a man in it,
27 To (X)satisfy the waste and desolate land
And to make the growth of grass to sprout?
28 Has (Y)the rain a father?
Or who has begotten the drops of dew?
29 From whose womb has come the (Z)ice?
And the frost of heaven, who has given it birth?
30 Water [h]becomes hard like stone,
And the surface of the deep [i]is interlocked.

31 “Can you bind the chains of the (AA)Pleiades,
Or loose the cords of Orion?
32 Can you lead forth a [j]constellation in its season,
And guide the Bear with her [k]satellites?
33 Do you know the (AB)statutes of the heavens,
Or fix their rule over the earth?

34 “Can you raise your voice up to the clouds,
So that an (AC)abundance of water will cover you?
35 Can you (AD)send forth lightnings that they may go
And say to you, ‘Here we are’?
36 Who has (AE)given wisdom in the [l]innermost being
Or given (AF)understanding to the [m]mind?
37 Who can count the clouds by wisdom,
Or (AG)tip the water jars of the heavens,
38 When the dust hardens into a mass
And the clods stick together?

Yahweh Answers Job, “Where Were You?”

39 “Can you hunt the (AH)prey for the lion,
Or fulfill the appetite of the young lions,
40 When they (AI)crouch in their dens
And lie in wait in their lair?
41 Who prepares for (AJ)the raven its provision
When its young cry for help to God
And wander about without food?

Footnotes

  1. Job 38:1 Or storm
  2. Job 38:10 Lit broke My decree on it
  3. Job 38:12 Lit from your days
  4. Job 38:16 Or in search of
  5. Job 38:18 Or width
  6. Job 38:20 Lit house
  7. Job 38:26 Lit man
  8. Job 38:30 Lit hides itself
  9. Job 38:30 Or is frozen
  10. Job 38:32 Heb Mazzaroth
  11. Job 38:32 Lit sons
  12. Job 38:36 Or ibis
  13. Job 38:36 Or rooster

The Lord Reveals His Omnipotence to Job(A)

38 Then the Lord answered Job (B)out of the whirlwind, and said:

“Who(C) is this who darkens counsel
By (D)words without knowledge?
(E)Now [a]prepare yourself like a man;
I will question you, and you shall answer Me.

“Where(F) were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?
Tell Me, if you have understanding.
Who determined its measurements?
Surely you know!
Or who stretched the [b]line upon it?
To what were its foundations fastened?
Or who laid its cornerstone,
When the morning stars sang together,
And all (G)the sons of God shouted for joy?

“Or(H) who shut in the sea with doors,
When it burst forth and issued from the womb;
When I made the clouds its garment,
And thick darkness its swaddling band;
10 When (I)I fixed My limit for it,
And set bars and doors;
11 When I said,
‘This far you may come, but no farther,
And here your proud waves (J)must stop!’

12 “Have you (K)commanded the morning since your days began,
And caused the dawn to know its place,
13 That it might take hold of the ends of the earth,
And (L)the wicked be shaken out of it?
14 It takes on form like clay under a seal,
And stands out like a garment.
15 From the wicked their (M)light is withheld,
And (N)the [c]upraised arm is broken.

16 “Have you (O)entered the springs of the sea?
Or have you walked in search of the depths?
17 Have (P)the gates of death been [d]revealed to you?
Or have you seen the doors of the shadow of death?
18 Have you comprehended the breadth of the earth?
Tell Me, if you know all this.

19 “Where is the way to the dwelling of light?
And darkness, where is its place,
20 That you may take it to its territory,
That you may know the paths to its home?
21 Do you know it, because you were born then,
Or because the number of your days is great?

22 “Have you entered (Q)the treasury of snow,
Or have you seen the treasury of hail,
23 (R)Which I have reserved for the time of trouble,
For the day of battle and war?
24 By what way is light [e]diffused,
Or the east wind scattered over the earth?

25 “Who (S)has divided a channel for the overflowing water,
Or a path for the thunderbolt,
26 To cause it to rain on a land where there is no one,
A wilderness in which there is no man;
27 (T)To satisfy the desolate waste,
And cause to spring forth the growth of tender grass?
28 (U)Has the rain a father?
Or who has begotten the drops of dew?
29 From whose womb comes the ice?
And the (V)frost of heaven, who gives it birth?
30 The waters harden like stone,
And the surface of the deep is (W)frozen.[f]

31 “Can you bind the cluster of the (X)Pleiades,[g]
Or loose the belt of Orion?
32 Can you bring out [h]Mazzaroth in its season?
Or can you guide [i]the Great Bear with its cubs?
33 Do you know (Y)the ordinances of the heavens?
Can you set their dominion over the earth?

34 “Can you lift up your voice to the clouds,
That an abundance of water may cover you?
35 Can you send out lightnings, that they may go,
And say to you, ‘Here we are!’?
36 (Z)Who has put wisdom in [j]the mind?
Or who has given understanding to the heart?
37 Who can number the clouds by wisdom?
Or who can pour out the bottles of heaven,
38 When the dust hardens in clumps,
And the clods cling together?

39 “Can(AA) you hunt the prey for the lion,
Or satisfy the appetite of the young lions,
40 When they crouch in their dens,
Or lurk in their lairs to lie in wait?
41 (AB)Who provides food for the raven,
When its young ones cry to God,
And wander about for lack of food?

Footnotes

  1. Job 38:3 Lit. gird up your loins like
  2. Job 38:5 measuring line
  3. Job 38:15 Lit. high
  4. Job 38:17 Lit. opened
  5. Job 38:24 Lit. divided
  6. Job 38:30 Lit. imprisoned
  7. Job 38:31 Or the Seven Stars
  8. Job 38:32 Lit. Constellations
  9. Job 38:32 Or Arcturus
  10. Job 38:36 Lit. the inward parts

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

Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

10 And brake up for it my decreed place, 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; and caused the dayspring to know his place;

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

22 Hast thou entered into the treasures 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, which scattereth the east wind upon the earth?

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

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

27 To satisfy the desolate and waste ground; and to cause the bud of the tender herb 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 are hid as with a stone, and the face of the deep is frozen.

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

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

33 Knowest thou the ordinances of heaven? canst thou set 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 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 heart?

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

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

39 Wilt thou hunt the prey for the lion? or fill 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 food? when his young ones cry unto God, they wander for lack of meat.