Job 38
Common English Bible
The Lord answers from a whirlwind
38 Then the Lord answered Job from the whirlwind:
2 Who is this darkening counsel
with words lacking knowledge?
3 Prepare yourself like a man;
I will interrogate you, and you will respond to me.
The establishing of order
4 Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundations?
Tell me if you know.
5 Who set its measurements? Surely you know.
Who stretched a measuring tape on it?
6 On what were its footings sunk;
who laid its cornerstone,
7 while the morning stars sang in unison
and all the divine beings shouted?
8 Who enclosed the Sea[a] behind doors
when it burst forth from the womb,
9 when I made the clouds its garment,
the dense clouds its wrap,
10 when I imposed[b] my limit for it,
put on a bar and doors
11 and said, “You may come this far, no farther;
here your proud waves stop”?
12 In your lifetime have you commanded the morning,
informed the dawn of its place
13 so it would take hold of earth by its edges
and shake the wicked out of it?
14 Do you turn it over like clay for a seal,
so it stands out like a colorful garment?
15 Light is withheld from the wicked,
the uplifted arm broken.
The vast beyond
16 Have you gone to the sea’s sources,
walked in the chamber of the deep?
17 Have death’s gates been revealed to you;
can you see the gates of deep darkness?
18 Have you surveyed earth’s expanses?
Tell me if you know everything about it.
19 Where’s the road to the place where light dwells;
darkness, where’s it located?
20 Can you take it to its territory;
do you know the paths to its house?
21 You know, for you were born then;
you have lived such a long time![c]
22 Have you gone to snow’s storehouses,
seen the storehouses of hail
23 that I have reserved for a time of distress,
for a day of battle and war?
24 What is the way to the place where light is divided up;
the east wind scattered over earth?
Meteorological facts
25 Who cut a channel for the downpours
and a way for blasts of thunder
26 to bring water to uninhabited land,
a desert with no human
27 to saturate dry wasteland
and make grass sprout?
28 Has the rain a father
who brought forth drops of dew?
29 From whose belly does ice come;
who gave birth to heaven’s frost?
30 Water hardens like stone;
the surface of the deep thickens.
31 Can you bind Pleiades’ chains
or loosen the reins of Orion?
32 Can you guide the stars
at their proper times,
lead the Bear with her cubs?
33 Do you know heaven’s laws,
or can you impose its rule on earth?
34 Can you issue an order to the clouds
so their abundant waters cover you?
35 Can you send lightning so that it goes
and then says to you, “I’m here”?
36 Who put wisdom in remote places,
or who gave understanding to a rooster?[d]
37 Who is wise enough to count the clouds,
and who can tilt heaven’s water containers
38 so that dust becomes mud
and clods of dirt adhere?
Lion and raven
39 Can you hunt prey for the lion
or fill the cravings of lion cubs?
40 They lie in their den,
lie in ambush in their lair.
41 Who provides food for the raven
when its young cry to God,
move about without food?
Job 38
Amplified Bible, Classic Edition
38 Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said,
2 Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?(A)
3 Gird up now your loins like a man, and I will demand of you, and you declare to Me.
4 Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Declare to Me, if you have and know understanding.
5 Who determined the measures of the earth, if you know? Or who stretched the measuring line upon it?
6 Upon what were the foundations of it fastened, or who laid its cornerstone,
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 broke forth and issued out of the womb?—
9 When I made the clouds the garment of it, and thick darkness a swaddling band for it,
10 And marked for it My appointed boundary and set bars and doors,(B)
11 And said, Thus far shall you come and no farther; and here shall your proud waves be stayed?(C)
12 Have you commanded the morning since your days began and caused the dawn to know its place,
13 So that [light] may get hold of the corners of the earth and shake the wickedness [of night] out of it?
14 It is changed like clay into which a seal is pressed; and things stand out like a many-colored garment.
15 From the wicked their light is withheld, and their uplifted arm is broken.
16 Have you explored the springs of the sea? Or have you walked in the recesses of the deep?
17 Have the gates of death been revealed to you? Or have you seen the doors of deep darkness?
18 Have you comprehended the breadth of the earth? Tell Me, if you know it all.
19 Where is the [a]way where light dwells? And as for darkness, where is its abode,
20 That you may conduct it to its home, and may know the paths to its house?
21 You must know, since you were born then! Or because you are so extremely old!
22 Have you entered the treasuries of the snow, or have you seen the treasuries of the hail,
23 Which I have reserved for the time of trouble, for the day of battle and war?(D)
24 By what way is the light distributed, or the east wind spread over the earth?
25 Who has prepared a channel for the torrents of rain, or a path for the thunderbolt,
26 To cause it to rain on the uninhabited land [and] on the desert where no man lives,
27 To satisfy the waste and desolate ground and to cause the tender grass to spring forth?
28 Has the rain a father? Or who has begotten the drops of dew?
29 Out of whose womb came the ice? And the hoary frost of heaven, who has given it birth?
30 The waters are congealed like stone, and the face of the deep is frozen.
31 Can you bind the chains of [the cluster of stars called] Pleiades, or loose the cords of [the constellation] Orion?
32 Can you lead forth the signs of the zodiac in their season? Or can you guide [the stars of] the Bear with her young?
33 Do you know the ordinances of the heavens? Can you establish their rule upon the earth?
34 Can you lift up your voice to the clouds, so that an abundance of waters may cover you?
35 Can you send lightnings, that they may go and say to you, Here we are?
36 Who has put wisdom in the inward parts [or in the dark clouds]? Or who has given understanding to the mind [or to the meteor]?
37 Who can number the clouds by wisdom? Or who can pour out the [water] bottles of the heavens
38 When [heat has caused] the dust to run into a mass and the clods to cleave fast together?
39 Can you [Job] hunt the prey for the lion? Or satisfy the appetite of the young lions
40 When they couch in their dens or lie in wait in their hiding place?
41 Who provides for the raven its prey when its young ones cry to God and wander about for lack of food?
Footnotes
- Job 38:19 How, except by divine inspiration, could Job have known that light does not dwell in a place, but a way? For light, as modern man has discovered, involves motion (wave motion). Traveling 186,000 miles a second, it can only dwell in a way.
Job 38
New King James Version
The Lord Reveals His Omnipotence to Job(A)
38 Then the Lord answered Job (B)out of the whirlwind, and said:
2 “Who(C) is this who darkens counsel
By (D)words without knowledge?
3 (E)Now [a]prepare yourself like a man;
I will question you, and you shall answer Me.
4 “Where(F) were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?
Tell Me, if you have understanding.
5 Who determined its measurements?
Surely you know!
Or who stretched the [b]line upon it?
6 To what were its foundations fastened?
Or who laid its cornerstone,
7 When the morning stars sang together,
And all (G)the sons of God shouted for joy?
8 “Or(H) who shut in the sea with doors,
When it burst forth and issued from the womb;
9 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?
约伯记 38
Chinese New Version (Simplified)
神发言，回答约伯
38 那时，耶和华在旋风中回答约伯，说：
2 “这以无知无识的言语，
使我的旨意暗晦不明的是谁呢？
3 现在你要如勇士束腰，
我要问你，你要告诉我。
以创造的奇妙质问约伯
4 我奠定大地根基的时候，你在哪里呢？
你若有聪明，就只管说吧。
5 你一定晓得是谁定大地的尺度，
是谁把准绳拉在大地之上？
6 地的基础奠在哪里，
地的角石是谁安放的？
7 那时晨星一起歌唱，
神的众子也都欢呼。
8 海水冲出如婴孩出母胎，
那时谁用门把海水关闭呢？
9 是我以云彩当作海的衣服，
以幽暗当作包裹海的布；
10 我为海定界限，
又安置门闩和门户，
11 说：‘你只可到这里，不可越过，
你狂傲的波浪要在这里止住。’
12 自你有生以来，你何曾吩咐过晨光照耀，
使黎明的曙光知道自己的本位，
13 叫这光照遍大地的四极，
把恶人从那里抖掉呢？
14 因着这光，地面改变如在泥上盖上印，
万象显出如衣服一样。
15 恶人必得不到亮光，
高举的膀臂必被折断。
16 你曾到过海的泉源，
在深渊的底处行走过吗？
17 死亡的门曾向你显露吗？
死荫的门你曾见过吗？
18 地的广阔，你明白吗？
你若完全知道，就只管说吧。
19 哪条是到光明居所的道路？
黑暗的本位在哪里？
20 你能把光与暗带到它们的境地吗？
你晓得通到它们居所的路吗？
21 你是知道的，因为那时你已经出生了，
你一生的日数也很多。
22 你曾入过雪库，
或见过雹仓吗？
23 这些雪雹是我为降患难的时候，
为打仗和争战的日子所存留的。
24 光从哪条路散开，
东风从哪里分散在地上？
25 谁为大雨分水道，
谁为雷电定道路？
26 使雨降在无人之地，
落在无人居住的旷野，
27 使荒废之地得着滋润，
使青草在干旱之地得以长起来呢？
28 雨有父亲吗？
露珠是谁生的呢？
29 冰出自谁的胎？
天上的霜是谁所生的呢？
30 众水坚硬如石头，
深渊的表面冻结成冰。
31 你能系住昴星的结吗？
你能解开参星的带吗？
32 你能按时领出玛查鲁夫星系吗？
你能引导北斗和随从它的众星吗？
33 你晓得天的定例吗？
你能在地上建立天的权威吗？
34 你能向密云扬声吗？
你能使洪水淹没你吗？
35 你能差派闪电，闪电就发出，
并且对你说：‘我们在这里’吗？
36 谁把智慧放在怀里，
或把聪明赐于人的心中？
37 尘土融合成团，
土块黏结在一起的时候，
38 谁能凭智慧数算云天呢？
谁能把天上的水袋倾倒呢？
39 狮子在洞中蹲伏，
在藏身之处躺卧埋伏的时候，
40 你能为母狮猎取食物吗？
你能使食欲饱足吗？
41 乌鸦雏鸟因缺乏食物飞来飞去，
向 神哀求的时候，
谁为乌鸦预备食物呢？”
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Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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