Job 38

Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said,

1Then the LORD spoke to Job out of the storm. He said:

2Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?

2"Who is this speaking about my plans? Your words do not know anything. They only make things darker.

3Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me.

3Stand up and get ready, like a strong man. I will ask you questions. You will answer me.

Note"Gird up now thy loins" was an old way of saying "get ready." People wore long robes. They tucked them into their belts before hard work or a fight.

4Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.

4Where were you when I built the earth? Tell me, if you understand.

5Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it?

5Who decided how big the earth should be? Do you know? Who measured it with a line?

6Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof;

6What holds the earth up? Who set its first corner stone in place?

7When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

7That was when the morning stars sang together. All the sons of God shouted with joy.

8Or who shut up the sea with doors, when it brake forth, as if it had issued out of the womb?

8Who shut the sea behind doors? It rushed out like a baby being born.

9When I made the cloud the garment thereof, and thick darkness a swaddlingband for it,

9I dressed the sea in clouds. I wrapped it in thick darkness, like a baby's blanket.

NoteA "swaddlingband" was a long strip of cloth. Parents wrapped it around a new baby to keep the baby snug and warm.

10And brake up for it my decreed place, and set bars and doors,

10I set the line the sea could not cross. I put bars and doors in place.

11And said, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further: and here shall thy proud waves be stayed?

11I said, 'You may come this far, but no farther. Your proud waves must stop here.'

12Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days; and caused the dayspring to know his place;

12In all your life, have you ever told the morning to come? Have you shown the sunrise where to start?

13That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, that the wicked might be shaken out of it?

13The morning light spreads to the far edges of the earth. It shakes bad people out of their hiding places.

14It is turned as clay to the seal; and they stand as a garment.

14In the light, the earth takes shape like soft clay pressed by a stamp. Its hills stand out like folds in a coat.

15And from the wicked their light is withholden, and the high arm shall be broken.

15The light that bad people want is kept away from them. The arm they lift up is broken.

16Hast thou entered into the springs of the sea? or hast thou walked in the search of the depth?

16Have you gone to the springs deep under the sea? Have you walked in its deepest valleys?

17Have the gates of death been opened unto thee? or hast thou seen the doors of the shadow of death?

17Has anyone opened the gates of death for you? Have you seen the doors of deep darkness?

18Hast thou perceived the breadth of the earth? declare if thou knowest it all.

18Have you seen how wide the whole earth is? Tell me, if you know all of it.

19Where is the way where light dwelleth? and as for darkness, where is the place thereof,

19Where is the road to the home of light? And where does darkness live?

20That thou shouldest take it to the bound thereof, and that thou shouldest know the paths to the house thereof?

20Could you lead each one back to its own place? Do you know the paths to their homes?

21Knowest thou it, because thou wast then born? or because the number of thy days is great?

21Of course you know! You were already born back then! You have lived so many years!

22Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow? or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail,

22Have you gone into the storerooms where I keep the snow? Have you seen where I keep the hail?

23Which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war?

23I save them for times of trouble, for days of battle and war.

24By what way is the light parted, which scattereth the east wind upon the earth?

24Which way does the lightning go when it spreads out? Which way does the east wind blow across the earth?

25Who hath divided a watercourse for the overflowing of waters, or a way for the lightning of thunder;

25Who digs a path for the pouring rain? Who clears a road for the thunderbolt?

26To cause it to rain on the earth, where no man is; on the wilderness, wherein there is no man;

26The rain falls on empty land where nobody lives. It waters the desert where there are no people.

27To satisfy the desolate and waste ground; and to cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth?

27It soaks the dry, empty ground. It makes soft green grass start to grow.

28Hath the rain a father? or who hath begotten the drops of dew?

28Does the rain have a father? Who made the drops of dew?

29Out of whose womb came the ice? and the hoary frost of heaven, who hath gendered it?

29Who gives birth to the ice? Who makes the white frost in the sky?

30The waters are hid as with a stone, and the face of the deep is frozen.

30The water turns hard as stone. The top of the deep sea freezes over.

31Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion?

31Can you tie up the group of stars called the Pleiades? Can you untie the belt of Orion?

NotePleiades and Orion are groups of stars in the night sky. In verse 32, "Mazzaroth" means star groups too, and "Arcturus with his sons" means a big star group and the stars near it.

32Canst thou bring forth Mazzaroth in his season? or canst thou guide Arcturus with his sons?

32Can you bring out the star groups at the right time of year? Can you lead the Bear and her cubs?

33Knowest thou the ordinances of heaven? canst thou set the dominion thereof in the earth?

33Do you know the rules that guide the sky? Can you make those rules run the earth?

34Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, that abundance of waters may cover thee?

34Can you shout up to the clouds? Will they pour so much rain that it covers you?

35Canst thou send lightnings, that they may go, and say unto thee, Here we are?

35Can you send out lightning bolts? Do they come to you and say, 'Here we are'?

36Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts? or who hath given understanding to the heart?

36Who put wisdom deep inside a person? Who gave the mind its understanding?

37Who can number the clouds in wisdom? or who can stay the bottles of heaven,

37Who is wise enough to count the clouds? Who can tip over the water jars of the sky,

38When the dust groweth into hardness, and the clods cleave fast together?

38so the dust turns hard and the lumps of dirt stick together?

39Wilt thou hunt the prey for the lion? or fill the appetite of the young lions,

39Can you hunt food for the lion? Can you fill the bellies of her hungry cubs?

40When they couch in their dens, and abide in the covert to lie in wait?

40They crouch down in their dens. They wait in the bushes to catch something.

41Who provideth for the raven his food? when his young ones cry unto God, they wander for lack of meat.

41Who gives the raven its food? Its babies cry out to God and wander, with nothing to eat.

NoteIn 1611, "meat" meant food of any kind, not just meat from animals. "Lack of meat" means having nothing to eat.