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38 Then Hashem answered Iyov out of the whirlwind, and said,

Who is this that darkeneth etzah (counsel) with words without da’as?

Gird up now thy loins like a gever; for I will ask of thee, and thou wilt answer Me.

Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of eretz? Tell, if thou hast binah.

Who hath drafted the dimensions thereof, if thou hast da’as? Or who hath stretched a measuring line across it?

Whereupon are the foundations thereof set? Or who laid the even-pinnah (cornerstone) thereof

When the kokhvei boker sang together, and all the Bnei Elohim shouted for joy?

Or who shut up the yam behind doors? Who brought it forth, issuing out of the rekhem (womb)

When I made the anan the garment thereof, and thick darkness its swaddling band,

10 And fixed bounds for it, and set bars and dlatot (doors),

11 And said, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further; and poh (here) shall thy proud waves be stopped?

12 Hast thou commanded the boker since thy yamim began; or caused the shachar (dawn) to know its place;

13 That it might seize the ends of ha’aretz, that the resha’im be shaken out of it?

14 It is changed like chomer (clay) under the khotam (seal); and they stand out like a garment.

15 And from the resha’im their ohr is denied, and the upraised zero’a shall be broken.

16 Hast thou entered into the springs of the yam? Or hast thou walked in the recesses of the tehom?

17 Have the sha’arei mavet been disclosed unto thee? Or hast thou seen the sha’arei tzalmavet?

18 Hast thou perceived the expanse of eretz? Tell Me if thou hast da’as of it all.

19 Where is the derech where ohr dwelleth? And as for choshech, where is the place thereof,

20 That thou shouldest take it to its border, and that thou shouldest have da’as of the paths to its bais?

21 Knowest thou it, because thou wast then born? Or because the mispar of thy yamim is so great?

22 Hast thou entered into the otzrot (storehouses) of the snow? Or hast thou seen the otzrot of barad (hail),

23 Which I have reserved for the time of tzar, for the yom kerav (battle) and milchamah (war)?

24 Which is the derech where the ohr is distributed, where is scattered the east wind upon eretz?

25 Who hath cut a channel for the overflowing of waters, or a derech for the lightning of thunder,

26 To cause it to rain on eretz, where lo ish is; on midbar, wherein there is lo adam;

27 To saturate a desolate and waste ground; and to cause the bud of the desheh to spring forth?

28 Hath the rain an av? Or who hath begotten the drops of tal (dew)?

29 Out of whose beten cometh the ice? And the frost of Shomayim, who giveth birth to it?

30 The mayim harden like even (stone), and the face of tehom is frozen.

31 Canst thou bind the chains of the Pleiades, or loose the bonds of Orion?

32 Canst thou bring forth Mazzarot in their times? Or canst thou guide the Bear with its banim?

33 Knowest thou the chukkot of Shomayim? Canst thou set the rule over ha’aretz?

34 Canst thou lift up thy kol (voice) to the clouds, that abundance of mayim may cover thee?

35 Canst thou send lightning bolts, that they may go and say unto thee, Hineinu (here we are)?

36 Who hath put chochmah in the inward parts, or who hath given binah to the mind?

37 Who can number the clouds in chochmah, or who can tip the waterskins of Shomayim,

38 When the dust hardens into a clump, and the clods cleave fast together?

39 Wilt thou hunt the teref for the lioness, or fill the appetite of her whelps,

40 When they crouch in their me’onot (dens), and abide in the lair to lie in ambush?

41 Who provideth for the raven his food? When his young ones cry unto El, they wander about for lack of okhel.

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.

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