Job 37:16-39:13
English Standard Version
16 Do you know the balancings[a] of the clouds,
the wondrous works of him who is (A)perfect in knowledge,
17 you whose garments are hot
when the earth is still because of the south wind?
18 Can you, like him, (B)spread out the skies,
hard as a cast metal (C)mirror?
19 Teach us what we shall say to him;
we cannot draw up our case because of (D)darkness.
20 Shall it be told him that I would speak?
Did a man ever wish that he would be swallowed up?
21 “And now no one looks on the light
when it is bright in the skies,
when the wind has passed and cleared them.
22 Out of the north comes golden splendor;
God is clothed with (E)awesome majesty.
23 The Almighty—we (F)cannot find him;
he is (G)great in power;
(H)justice and abundant righteousness he will not (I)violate.
24 Therefore men (J)fear him;
he does not regard any who are (K)wise in their own conceit.”[b]
The Lord Answers Job
38 Then the Lord (L)answered Job out of the whirlwind and said:
2 “Who is this that (M)darkens counsel by words (N)without knowledge?
3 (O)Dress for action[c] like a man;
I will question you, and you make it known to me.
4 “Where were you when I (P)laid the foundation of the earth?
Tell me, if you have understanding.
5 Who determined its measurements—surely you know!
Or who stretched the line upon it?
6 On what were its bases sunk,
or who laid its cornerstone,
7 when the morning stars (Q)sang together
and all (R)the sons of God (S)shouted for joy?
8 “Or who (T)shut in the sea with doors
when it burst out from the womb,
9 when I made clouds its garment
and (U)thick darkness its swaddling band,
10 and prescribed (V)limits for it
and set bars and doors,
11 and said, ‘Thus far shall you come, and no farther,
and here shall your (W)proud waves be stayed’?
12 “Have you (X)commanded the morning since your days began,
and caused the dawn to know its place,
13 that it might take hold of (Y)the skirts of the earth,
and the wicked be (Z)shaken out of it?
14 It is changed like clay under the seal,
and its features stand out like a garment.
15 From the wicked their (AA)light is withheld,
and (AB)their uplifted arm is broken.
16 “Have you (AC)entered into the springs of the sea,
or walked in the recesses of the deep?
17 Have (AD)the gates of death been revealed to you,
or have you seen the gates of (AE)deep darkness?
18 Have you comprehended the expanse of the earth?
Declare, if you know all this.
19 “Where is the way to the dwelling of light,
and where is the place of darkness,
20 that you may take it to its territory
and that you may discern (AF)the paths to its home?
21 You know, for (AG)you were born then,
and the number of your days is great!
22 “Have you entered (AH)the storehouses of the snow,
or have you seen (AI)the storehouses of the hail,
23 which I have reserved (AJ)for the time of trouble,
(AK)for the day of battle and war?
24 What is the way to the place where the light is distributed,
or where the east wind is scattered upon the earth?
25 “Who has cleft a channel for the torrents of rain
and (AL)a way for the thunderbolt,
26 to bring rain on (AM)a land where no man is,
on (AN)the desert in which there is no man,
27 to satisfy the waste and desolate land,
and to make the ground sprout with (AO)grass?
28 “Has (AP)the rain a father,
or who has begotten the drops of dew?
29 From whose womb did (AQ)the ice come forth,
and who has given birth to (AR)the frost of heaven?
30 The waters become hard like stone,
and the face of the deep is (AS)frozen.
31 “Can you bind the chains of (AT)the Pleiades
or loose the cords of (AU)Orion?
32 Can you lead forth the Mazzaroth[d] in their season,
or can you guide (AV)the Bear with its children?
33 Do you know (AW)the ordinances of the heavens?
Can you establish their rule on the earth?
34 “Can you lift up your voice to the clouds,
that (AX)a flood of waters may cover you?
35 Can you send forth lightnings, that they may go
and say to you, ‘Here we are’?
36 Who has (AY)put wisdom in (AZ)the inward parts[e]
or given understanding to the mind?[f]
37 Who can number the clouds by wisdom?
Or who can tilt the waterskins of the heavens,
38 when the dust runs into a mass
and (BA)the clods stick fast together?
39 “Can you hunt the prey for the lion,
or (BB)satisfy the appetite of the young lions,
40 when they crouch in their (BC)dens
or lie in wait (BD)in their thicket?
41 Who provides for (BE)the raven its prey,
when its young ones cry to God for help,
and wander about for lack of food?
39 “Do you know when (BF)the mountain goats give birth?
Do you observe (BG)the calving of the does?
2 Can you number the months that they fulfill,
and do you know the time when they give birth,
3 when they (BH)crouch, bring forth their offspring,
and are delivered of their young?
4 Their young ones become strong; they grow up in the open;
they go out and (BI)do not return to them.
5 “Who has let the wild donkey go free?
Who has (BJ)loosed the bonds of the swift donkey,
6 to whom I have given (BK)the arid plain for his home
and (BL)the salt land for his dwelling place?
7 He scorns the tumult of the city;
he hears not the shouts of the driver.
8 He ranges the mountains as his pasture,
and he searches after every green thing.
9 “Is (BM)the wild ox willing to serve you?
Will he spend the night at your (BN)manger?
10 Can you bind (BO)him in the furrow with ropes,
or will he harrow the valleys after you?
11 Will you depend on him because his strength is great,
and will you leave to him your labor?
12 Do you have faith in him that he will return your grain
and gather it to your threshing floor?
13 “The wings of the ostrich wave proudly,
but are they the pinions and plumage of love?[g]
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.