Add parallel Print Page Options

“Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?
    Declare, if you have understanding.
Who determined its measures, if you know?
    Or who stretched the line on it?
What were its foundations fastened on?
    Or who laid its cornerstone,
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 broke out of the womb,
when I made clouds its garment,
    and wrapped it in thick darkness,
10 marked out for it my bound,
    set bars and doors,
11 and said, ‘You may come here, but no further.
    Your proud waves shall be stopped here’?

12 “Have you commanded the morning in your days,
    and caused the dawn to know its place,
13 that it might take hold of the ends of the earth,
    and shake the wicked out of it?
14 It is changed as clay under the seal,
    and presented as a garment.
15 From the wicked, their light is withheld.
    The high arm is broken.

Read full chapter

On the Natural World

“Where were you when I laid the foundation of my earth?
    Tell me,[a] since you’re so informed!
Who set its measurement? Am I to assume you know?
    Who stretched a boundary line over it?
On what were its bases set?
    Who laid its corner stone
while the morning stars sang together
    and all the divine beings[b] shouted joyfully?

“Who[c] enclosed the sea with limits[d]
    when it gushed out of the womb,
when I made clouds to be its clothes
    and thick darkness its swaddling blanket,
10 when I proscribed a boundary for it,
    set in place bars and doors for it;
11 and said, ‘You may come only this far and no more.
    Your majestic waves will stop here.’?

12 “Have you ever commanded the morning at any time during your life?[e]
    Do you know where the dawn lives,
13 where it seizes the edge of the earth
    and shakes the wicked out of it?
14 Like clay is molded by a signet ring,
    the earth’s hills and valleys[f] then stand out
        like the colors of a garment.
15 Then from the wicked their light is withheld
    and their upraised arm is broken.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Job 38:4 Or declare
  2. Job 38:7 Lit. sons of God
  3. Job 38:8 Lit. and he
  4. Job 38:8 Lit. doors
  5. Job 38:12 Lit. morning in your days
  6. Job 38:14 The Heb. lacks the earth’s hills and valleys