Book of Job, Chapter 38
Job 38 ASV - American Standard VersionChapter 38 of Job—American Standard Version (ASV)
- ¶ Then Jehovah 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 declare thou unto me. - ¶ Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth?
¶ Declare, [a]if thou hast understanding. - ¶ Who determined the measures thereof, [b]if thou knowest?
¶ Or who stretched the line upon it? - ¶ Whereupon were the [c]foundations thereof [d]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, [e]as if it had issued out of the womb; - ¶ When I made clouds the garment thereof,
¶ And thick darkness a swaddling-band for it, - ¶ And [f]marked out for it my bound,
¶ And set bars and doors, - ¶ And said, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further;
¶ And here shall thy proud waves be stayed? - ¶ Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days began,
¶ And caused the dayspring to know its place; - ¶ That it might take hold of the ends of the earth,
¶ And the wicked be shaken out of it? - ¶ It is changed as clay under the seal;
¶ And all things stand forth [g]as a garment: - ¶ And from the wicked their light is withholden,
¶ And the high arm is broken. - ¶ Hast thou entered into the springs of the sea?
¶ Or hast thou walked in the [h]recesses of the deep? - ¶ Have the gates of death been revealed unto thee?
¶ Or hast thou seen the gates of the shadow of death? - ¶ Hast thou comprehended the earth in its breadth?
¶ Declare, if thou knowest it all. - ¶ Where is the way to the dwelling of light?
¶ And as for darkness, where is the place thereof, - ¶ That thou shouldest take it to the bound thereof,
¶ And that thou shouldest discern the paths to the house thereof? - ¶ Doubtless, thou knowest, for thou wast then born,
¶ And the number of thy days is great! - ¶ Hast thou entered the treasuries of the snow,
¶ Or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail, - ¶ Which I have reserved against the time of trouble,
¶ Against the day of battle and war? - ¶ [i]By what way is the light parted,
¶ Or the east wind scattered upon the earth? - ¶ Who hath cleft a channel for the waterflood,
¶ Or the way for the lightning of the thunder; - ¶ To cause it to rain on a land where no man is;
¶ On the wilderness, wherein there is no man; - ¶ To satisfy the waste and desolate ground,
¶ And to cause the [j]tender grass to spring forth? - ¶ Hath the rain a father?
¶ Or who hath begotten the drops of dew? - ¶ Out of whose womb came the ice?
¶ And the hoary frost of heaven, who hath [k]gendered it? - ¶ The waters [l]hide themselves and become like stone,
¶ And the face of the deep [m]is frozen. - ¶ Canst thou bind the [n]cluster of the Pleiades,
¶ Or loose the bands of Orion? - ¶ Canst thou lead forth [o]the Mazzaroth in their season?
¶ Or canst thou guide the Bear with her [p]train? - ¶ Knowest thou the ordinances of the heavens?
¶ Canst thou establish the dominion thereof in the earth? - ¶ Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds,
¶ That abundance of waters may cover thee? - ¶ Canst thou send forth lightnings, that they may go,
¶ And say unto thee, Here we are? - ¶ Who hath put wisdom in the [q]inward parts?
¶ Or who hath given understanding to the [r]mind? - ¶ Who can number the clouds by wisdom?
¶ Or who can [s]pour out the bottles of heaven, - ¶ When the dust runneth into a mass,
¶ And the clods cleave fast together? - ¶ Canst thou hunt the prey for the lioness,
¶ Or satisfy the appetite of the young lions, - ¶ When they couch in their dens,
¶ And abide in the covert to lie in wait? - ¶ Who provideth for the raven his prey,
¶ When his young ones cry unto God,
¶ And wander for lack of food?
FOOTNOTES
- ^ Hebrew if thou knowest understanding.
- ^ Or, seeing
- ^ Hebrew sockets.
- ^ Hebrew made to sink.
- ^ Or, and issued
- ^ Hebrew brake.
- ^ Or, as in a garment
- ^ Or, search
- ^ Or, Which is the way to the place where the light is etc.
- ^ Or, greensward
- ^ Or, given it birth
- ^ Or, are congealed like stone
- ^ Hebrew cohereth.
- ^ Or, chain Or, sweet influences
- ^ Or, the signs of the Zodiac
- ^ Hebrew sons.
- ^ Or, dark clouds
- ^ Or, meteor
- ^ Hebrew cause to lie down.
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