Job 38 - New International Version, 1984
The Lord Speaks
Then the Lord answered Job out of the storm. He said:
Then the Lord answered Job out of the storm. He said:
“Who is this that darkens my counsel
with words without knowledge?
with words without knowledge?
Brace yourself like a man;
I will question you,
and you shall answer me.
I will question you,
and you shall answer me.
“Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation?
Tell me, if you understand.
Tell me, if you understand.
Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know!
Who stretched a measuring line across it?
Who stretched a measuring line across it?
On what were its footings set,
or who laid its cornerstone—
or who laid its cornerstone—
while the morning stars sang together
and all the angels shouted for joy?
and all the angels shouted for joy?
“Who shut up the sea behind doors
when it burst forth from the womb,
when it burst forth from the womb,
when I made the clouds its garment
and wrapped it in thick darkness,
and wrapped it in thick darkness,
when I fixed limits for it
and set its doors and bars in place,
and set its doors and bars in place,
when I said, ‘This far you may come and no farther;
here is where your proud waves halt’?
here is where your proud waves halt’?
“Have you ever given orders to the morning,
or shown the dawn its place,
or shown the dawn its place,
that it might take the earth by the edges
and shake the wicked out of it?
and shake the wicked out of it?
The earth takes shape like clay under a seal;
its features stand out like those of a garment.
its features stand out like those of a garment.
The wicked are denied their light,
and their upraised arm is broken.
and their upraised arm is broken.
“Have you journeyed to the springs of the sea
or walked in the recesses of the deep?
or walked in the recesses of the deep?
Have the gates of death been shown to you?
Have you seen the gates of the shadow of death?
Have you seen the gates of the shadow of death?
Have you comprehended the vast expanses of the earth?
Tell me, if you know all this.
Tell me, if you know all this.
“What is the way to the abode of light?
And where does darkness reside?
And where does darkness reside?
Can you take them to their places?
Do you know the paths to their dwellings?
Do you know the paths to their dwellings?
Surely you know, for you were already born!
You have lived so many years!
You have lived so many years!
“Have you entered the storehouses of the snow
or seen the storehouses of the hail,
or seen the storehouses of the hail,
which I reserve for times of trouble,
for days of war and battle?
for days of war and battle?
What is the way to the place where the lightning is dispersed,
or the place where the east winds are scattered over the earth?
or the place where the east winds are scattered over the earth?
Who cuts a channel for the torrents of rain,
and a path for the thunderstorm,
and a path for the thunderstorm,
to water a land where no man lives,
a desert with no one in it,
a desert with no one in it,
to satisfy a desolate wasteland
and make it sprout with grass?
and make it sprout with grass?
Does the rain have a father?
Who fathers the drops of dew?
Who fathers the drops of dew?
From whose womb comes the ice?
Who gives birth to the frost from the heavens
Who gives birth to the frost from the heavens
when the waters become hard as stone,
when the surface of the deep is frozen?
when the surface of the deep is frozen?
“Can you bind the beautiful Pleiades?
Can you loose the cords of Orion?
Can you loose the cords of Orion?
Can you bring forth the constellations in their seasons
or lead out the Bear with its cubs?
or lead out the Bear with its cubs?
Do you know the laws of the heavens?
Can you set up God’s dominion over the earth?
Can you set up God’s dominion over the earth?
“Can you raise your voice to the clouds
and cover yourself with a flood of water?
and cover yourself with a flood of water?
Do you send the lightning bolts on their way?
Do they report to you, ‘Here we are’?
Do they report to you, ‘Here we are’?
Who endowed the heart with wisdom
or gave understanding to the mind?
or gave understanding to the mind?
Who has the wisdom to count the clouds?
Who can tip over the water jars of the heavens
Who can tip over the water jars of the heavens
when the dust becomes hard
and the clods of earth stick together?
and the clods of earth stick together?
“Do you hunt the prey for the lioness
and satisfy the hunger of the lions
and satisfy the hunger of the lions
when they crouch in their dens
or lie in wait in a thicket?
or lie in wait in a thicket?
Who provides food for the raven
when its young cry out to God
and wander about for lack of food?
when its young cry out to God
and wander about for lack of food?