Job 38
The Message
God Confronts Job
Have You Gotten to the Bottom of Things?
38 1-11 And now, finally, God answered Job from the eye of a violent storm. He said:
“Why do you confuse the issue?
Why do you talk without knowing what you’re talking about?
Pull yourself together, Job!
Up on your feet! Stand tall!
I have some questions for you,
and I want some straight answers.
Where were you when I created the earth?
Tell me, since you know so much!
Who decided on its size? Certainly you’ll know that!
Who came up with the blueprints and measurements?
How was its foundation poured,
and who set the cornerstone,
While the morning stars sang in chorus
and all the angels shouted praise?
And who took charge of the ocean
when it gushed forth like a baby from the womb?
That was me! I wrapped it in soft clouds,
and tucked it in safely at night.
Then I made a playpen for it,
a strong playpen so it couldn’t run loose,
And said, ‘Stay here, this is your place.
Your wild tantrums are confined to this place.’
12-15 “And have you ever ordered Morning, ‘Get up!’
told Dawn, ‘Get to work!’
So you could seize Earth like a blanket
and shake out the wicked like cockroaches?
As the sun brings everything to light,
brings out all the colors and shapes,
The cover of darkness is snatched from the wicked—
they’re caught in the very act!
16-18 “Have you ever gotten to the true bottom of things,
explored the labyrinthine caves of deep ocean?
Do you know the first thing about death?
Do you have one clue regarding death’s dark mysteries?
And do you have any idea how large this earth is?
Speak up if you have even the beginning of an answer.
19-21 “Do you know where Light comes from
and where Darkness lives
So you can take them by the hand
and lead them home when they get lost?
Why, of course you know that.
You’ve known them all your life,
grown up in the same neighborhood with them!
22-30 “Have you ever traveled to where snow is made,
seen the vault where hail is stockpiled,
The arsenals of hail and snow that I keep in readiness
for times of trouble and battle and war?
Can you find your way to where lightning is launched,
or to the place from which the wind blows?
Who do you suppose carves canyons
for the downpours of rain, and charts
the route of thunderstorms
That bring water to unvisited fields,
deserts no one ever lays eyes on,
Drenching the useless wastelands
so they’re carpeted with wildflowers and grass?
And who do you think is the father of rain and dew,
the mother of ice and frost?
You don’t for a minute imagine
these marvels of weather just happen, do you?
31-33 “Can you catch the eye of the beautiful Pleiades sisters,
or distract Orion from his hunt?
Can you get Venus to look your way,
or get the Great Bear and her cubs to come out and play?
Do you know the first thing about the sky’s constellations
and how they affect things on Earth?
34-35 “Can you get the attention of the clouds,
and commission a shower of rain?
Can you take charge of the lightning bolts
and have them report to you for orders?
What Do You Have to Say for Yourself?
36-38 “Who do you think gave weather-wisdom to the ibis,
and storm-savvy to the rooster?
Does anyone know enough to number all the clouds
or tip over the rain barrels of heaven
When the earth is cracked and dry,
the ground baked hard as a brick?
39-41 “Can you teach the lioness to stalk her prey
and satisfy the appetite of her cubs
As they crouch in their den,
waiting hungrily in their cave?
And who sets out food for the ravens
when their young cry to God,
fluttering about because they have no food?”
约伯记 38
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Simplified)
耶和华回答约伯
38 那时，耶和华从旋风中回答约伯说：
2 “是谁用无知的话蒙蔽我的旨意？
3 你要像勇士一样束腰备战，
我来提问，你来回答。
4 “我立大地根基的时候，你在哪里？
你若那么聪明，请告诉我。
5 你可知道谁为大地定的尺寸？
谁用准绳把它丈量？
6 是什么支撑大地的根基？
谁为它安放的基石？
7 当时晨星齐声歌唱，
众天使都发出欢呼。
8 “大海从母胎奔腾而出时，
谁为它划定界限？
9 是我为大海披上云彩，
为它裹上厚厚的幽暗。
10 是我为它划定界限，
并安上门和闩，
11 说，‘你到此为止，不可越界；
你狂傲的波涛要停在这里。’
12 “你生平可曾向晨曦发号施令，
为黎明的曙光指定岗位，
13 使阳光普照大地，
抖出藏匿的恶人？
14 日光使大地改观，如泥上盖印，
万物如衣服般显出颜色。
15 恶人得不到光明，
强横的臂膀必折断。
16 你可曾到过大海的源头，
走过深渊的底部？
17 死亡之门可曾向你显露？
你可曾见过幽冥之门？
18 你知道大地有多广阔吗？
你若知道，就告诉我吧。
19 “哪条路通往光明的居所？
哪里是黑暗的住处？
20 你能把它们带回原处吗？
你认识通往其居所的路吗？
21 你肯定知道，
因为那时你已出生，
你的寿数又很长久！
22 “你曾到过雪库，
或见过雹仓吗？
23 那是我为降灾之时，
为争战之日而预备的。
24 光从哪条路散开？
东风从哪条路吹向大地？
25 谁为豪雨开水道，
为雷电辟路径，
26 使雨水降在杳无人烟之地，
降在无人居住的旷野，
27 以滋润荒凉不毛之地，
使土地长出青草？
28 雨水有父亲吗？
谁生的露珠？
29 冰出自谁的胎？
谁生的天上的霜？
30 水变得坚硬如石，
深渊表面凝结成冰。
31 “你能系住昴星的结，
解开参星的带吗？
32 你能按季节领出星座，
引导北斗及其众星吗？
33 你知道天的定律吗？
你能使地服从天律吗？
34 你能号令云彩，
使倾盆大雨覆盖你吗？
35 你能命闪电发出，
让它听候调遣吗？
36 谁将智慧放在人胸中？
谁使人内心有聪明？
37-38 尘土结成硬团，
土块黏在一起时，
谁能凭智慧数算云彩？
谁能倾倒天上的水囊？
39-40 “狮子卧在洞中，
壮狮埋伏在隐秘处，
你能为它们猎取食物，
使它们饱餐吗？
41 乌鸦的幼雏饿得飞来飞去，
向上帝哀鸣时，
谁供应乌鸦食物？
Job 38
Revised Standard Version
The Lord Answers Job
38 Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind:
2 “Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?
3 Gird up your loins like a man,
I will question you, and you shall declare to me.
4 “Where were you when I 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 sang together,
and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
8 “Or who shut in the sea with doors,
when it burst forth from the womb;
9 when I made clouds its garment,
and thick darkness its swaddling band,
10 and prescribed bounds for it,
and set bars and doors,
11 and said, ‘Thus far shall you come, and no farther,
and here shall your proud waves be stayed’?
12 “Have you commanded the morning since your days began,
and caused the dawn to know its place,
13 that it might take hold of the skirts of the earth,
and the wicked be shaken out of it?
14 It is changed like clay under the seal,
and it is dyed[a] like a garment.
15 From the wicked their light is withheld,
and their uplifted arm is broken.
16 “Have you entered into the springs of the sea,
or walked in the recesses of the deep?
17 Have the gates of death been revealed to you,
or have you seen the gates of 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 the paths to its home?
21 You know, for you were born then,
and the number of your days is great!
22 “Have you entered the storehouses of the snow,
or have you seen the storehouses of the hail,
23 which I have reserved for the time of trouble,
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 a way for the thunderbolt,
26 to bring rain on a land where no man is,
on the desert in which there is no man;
27 to satisfy the waste and desolate land,
and to make the ground put forth grass?
28 “Has the rain a father,
or who has begotten the drops of dew?
29 From whose womb did the ice come forth,
and who has given birth to the hoarfrost of heaven?
30 The waters become hard like stone,
and the face of the deep is frozen.
31 “Can you bind the chains of the Plei′ades,
or loose the cords of Orion?
32 Can you lead forth the Maz′zaroth in their season,
or can you guide the Bear with its children?
33 Do you know the ordinances of the heavens?
Can you establish their rule on the earth?
34 “Can you lift up your voice to the clouds,
that 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 put wisdom in the clouds,[b]
or given understanding to the mists?[c]
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 the clods cleave fast together?
39 “Can you hunt the prey for the lion,
or satisfy the appetite of the young lions,
40 when they crouch in their dens,
or lie in wait in their covert?
41 Who provides for the raven its prey,
when its young ones cry to God,
and wander about for lack of food?
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson
Chinese Contemporary Bible Copyright © 1979, 2005, 2007, 2011 by Biblica® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1946, 1952, and 1971 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.