Job 38

₂‘Job, who do you think you are?

Has someone given you the power

to tell Me that I am wrong?

You don't know what you are talking about.

₃Prepare yourself like a man,

and don't be afraid. I am going to test you.

I will ask you questions

and you must answer Me.’

₄‘Job, where were you

when I made the earth

and put it on its foundations?

Tell me if you understand what I did.

₅Who do you think measured

how big the earth must be?

Do you know? No you don't.

₆On what did I build the pillars of the earth?

Who put the corner-stone

of earth in its place?

₇On that day all the morning stars

were singing together and

all the messengers_from_heaven rejoiced.

₈Who closed the doors of the sea

when its water started to flood the earth?

₉That was when I made the clouds

like a coat for the sea

and it became dark over the water.

₁₀I made a border for the sea.

I put in doors with locks

₁₁and I said: “You may come up to here,

but you may not go any further.

Your waves must break here.” ’

₁₂‘Job, did you ever

tell the morning to come?

Did you ever say to the day

when it must start?

₁₃Did you tell the morning light

to grab the world

and shake off the bad people?

₁₄When the sun comes up,

the world changes like clay does

when a person puts his seal into it.

The mountains and valleys become

like folds in a cloak.

₁₅When the night is over,

bad people have no more darkness.

₁₆Job, have you been to the fountain

in the sea where the water comes out?

Have you walked around at the

bottom of the sea in the deep places?

₁₇Have you seen the gates

of the underworld,

the gates of the dark place?

₁₈Do you know how big the earth is?

Tell Me if you know.

₁₉Do you know where the light

and the dark live?

Do you know the way there?

₂₀Can you take the light and dark

to where they must be?

Can you take them back to their places?

₂₁Job, were you there when I made the world?

Have you lived that many years?’

₂₂‘Have you been to the place where

I keep the snow and hail-stones?

Have you seen it?

₂₃I keep the snow and hail-stones

for when I want to go to war.

₂₄Job, do you know where the light

starts to shine and

where the eastern wind starts to blow?

₂₅Who made a path for the rain and thunder?

₂₆Who makes rain fall

where there are no people

and in the desert where no one lives?

₂₇When it rains, all the dry places

become wet and the grass starts to grow.

₂₈Who makes the rain and the dew?

₂₉Who makes ice and frost?

₃₀Who makes water become

as hard as stone and ice on the big sea?’

₃₁‘Can you tie the 7-Star?

Can you loosen Orion's belt?

₃₂Can you make the stars

come out at the right time?

Can you lead the Bear

and the small stars with him?

₃₃Do you know the laws and rules

that I have given the stars in the sky?

Can you make the world do the same?

₃₄Can you speak to the clouds

and tell them to rain on you?

₃₅You can not call the lightnings to come

and say: “Here we are.” ’

₃₆‘Who gives wisdom to the ibis

to warn him when the water of the Nile River

is going to flow over its sides?

Who makes the cock so clever

that he can tell when morning comes?

₃₇Who is so clever

that he can count the clouds

and all the water jars in the sky?

₃₈Before it rains, the ground

becomes hard like a stone.

₃₉When lions are hungry,

can you help them hunt

and give food to the young lions

₄₀while they lie down in their homes

or hide in the bushes

waiting to catch something?

₄₁And who gives food to the ravens

when their babies cry and ask God

for food, when they have nothing?’