Job 38:1-24
New American Standard Bible
2'Who is this who darkens the divine plan By words without knowledge?
3Now tighten the belt on your waist like a man, And I shall ask you, and you inform Me!
4Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding,
5Who set its measurements? Since you know. Or who stretched the measuring line over it?
6On what were its bases sunk? Or who laid its cornerstone,
7When the morning stars sang together And all the sons of God shouted for joy?
8'Or who enclosed the sea with doors When it went out from the womb, bursting forth;
9When I made a cloud its garment, And thick darkness its swaddling bands,
10And I placed boundaries on it And set a bolt and doors,
11And I said, ‘As far as this point you shall come, but no farther; And here your proud waves shall stop’?
12'Have you ever in your life commanded the morning, And made the dawn know its place,
13So that it would take hold of the ends of the earth, And the wicked would be shaken off from it?
14It is changed like clay under the seal; And they stand out like a garment.
15Their light is withheld from the wicked, And the uplifted arm is broken.
16'Have you entered the springs of the sea, And walked in the depth of the ocean?
17Have the gates of death been revealed to you, And have you seen the gates of deep darkness?
18Have you understood the expanse of the earth? Tell Me, if you know all this.
19'Where is the way to the dwelling of light? And darkness, where is its place,
20That you would take it to its territory, And discern the paths to its home?
21You know, for you were born then, And the number of your days is great!
22Have you entered the storehouses of the snow, And have you seen the storehouses of the hail,
23Which I have reserved for a time of distress, For a day of war and battle?
24Where is the way that the light is divided, And the east wind scattered on the earth?
King James Version
Chapter 38
1Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said, 2Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge? 3Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me.
4Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.
5Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it?
6Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof;
7When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
8Or who shut up the sea with doors, when it brake forth, as if it had issued out of the womb?
9When I made the cloud the garment thereof, and thick darkness a swaddlingband for it,
10And brake up for it my decreed place, and set bars and doors,
11And said, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further: and here shall thy proud waves be stayed?
12Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days; and caused the dayspring to know his place;
13That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, that the wicked might be shaken out of it?
14It is turned as clay to the seal; and they stand as a garment.
15And from the wicked their light is withholden, and the high arm shall be broken.
16Hast thou entered into the springs of the sea? or hast thou walked in the search of the depth?
17Have the gates of death been opened unto thee? or hast thou seen the doors of the shadow of death?
18Hast thou perceived the breadth of the earth? declare if thou knowest it all.
19Where is the way where light dwelleth? and as for darkness, where is the place thereof,
20That thou shouldest take it to the bound thereof, and that thou shouldest know the paths to the house thereof?
21Knowest thou it, because thou wast then born? or because the number of thy days is great?
22Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow? or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail,
23Which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war?
24By what way is the light parted, which scattereth the east wind upon the earth?
Christian Standard Bible
2Who is this who obscures my counsel with ignorant words?
3Get ready to answer me like a man; when I question you, you will inform me.
4Where were you when I established the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding.
5Who fixed its dimensions? Certainly you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it?
6What supports its foundations? Or who laid its cornerstone
7while the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
8Who enclosed the sea behind doors when it burst from the womb,
9when I made the clouds its garment and total darkness its blanket,
10when I determined its boundaries and put its bars and doors in place,
11when I declared, "You may come this far, but no farther; your proud waves stop here"?
12Have you ever in your life commanded the morning or assigned the dawn its place,
13so it may seize the edges of the earth and shake the wicked out of it?
14The earth is changed as clay is by a seal; its hills stand out like the folds of a garment.
15Light is withheld from the wicked, and the arm raised in violence is broken.
16Have you traveled to the sources of the sea or walked in the depths of the oceans?
17Have the gates of death been revealed to you? Have you seen the gates of deep darkness?
18Have you comprehended the extent of the earth? Tell me, if you know all this.
19Where is the road to the home of light? Do you know where darkness lives,
20so you can lead it back to its border? Are you familiar with the paths to its home?
21Don't you know? You were already born; you have lived so long!
22Have you entered the place where the snow is stored? Or have you seen the storehouses of hail,
23which I hold in reserve for times of trouble, for the day of warfare and battle?
New Living Translation
2'Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorant words?
3Brace yourself like a man, because I have some questions for you, and you must answer them.
4'Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me, if you know so much.
5Who determined its dimensions and stretched out the surveying line?
6What supports its foundations, and who laid its cornerstone
7as the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy?
8'Who kept the sea inside its boundaries as it burst from the womb,
9and as I clothed it with clouds and wrapped it in thick darkness?
10For I locked it behind barred gates, limiting its shores.
11I said, ‘This far and no farther will you come. Here your proud waves must stop!’
12'Have you ever commanded the morning to appear and caused the dawn to rise in the east?
13Have you made daylight spread to the ends of the earth, to bring an end to the night’s wickedness?
14As the light approaches, the earth takes shape like clay pressed beneath a seal; it is robed in brilliant colors.
15The light disturbs the wicked and stops the arm that is raised in violence.
16'Have you explored the springs from which the seas come? Have you explored their depths?
17Do you know where the gates of death are located? Have you seen the gates of utter gloom?
18Do you realize the extent of the earth? Tell me about it if you know!
English Standard Version
2“Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?
3Dress for action like a man; I will question you, and you make it known to me.
4“Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding.
5Who determined its measurements—surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it?
6On what were its bases sunk, or who laid its cornerstone,
7when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
8“Or who shut in the sea with doors when it burst out from the womb,
9when I made clouds its garment and thick darkness its swaddling band,
10and prescribed limits for it and set bars and doors,
11and said, ‘Thus far shall you come, and no farther, and here shall your proud waves be stayed’?
12“Have you commanded the morning since your days began, and caused the dawn to know its place,
13that it might take hold of the skirts of the earth, and the wicked be shaken out of it?
14It is changed like clay under the seal, and its features stand out like a garment.
15From the wicked their light is withheld, and their uplifted arm is broken.
16“Have you entered into the springs of the sea, or walked in the recesses of the deep?
17Have the gates of death been revealed to you, or have you seen the gates of deep darkness?
18Have you comprehended the expanse of the earth? Declare, if you know all this.
19“Where is the way to the dwelling of light, and where is the place of darkness,
20that you may take it to its territory and that you may discern the paths to its home?
21You know, for you were born then, and the number of your days is great!
22“Have you entered the storehouses of the snow, or have you seen the storehouses of the hail,
23which I have reserved for the time of trouble, for the day of battle and war?
24What is the way to the place where the light is distributed, or where the east wind is scattered upon the earth?
New International Version
3Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me.
4Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation? Tell me, if you understand.
5Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it?
6On what were its footings set, or who laid its cornerstone--
7while the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy?
8Who shut up the sea behind doors when it burst forth from the womb,
9when I made the clouds its garment and wrapped it in thick darkness,
10when I fixed limits for it and set its doors and bars in place,
11when I said, 'This far you may come and no farther; here is where your proud waves halt'?
12Have you ever given orders to the morning, or shown the dawn its place,
13that it might take the earth by the edges and shake the wicked out of it?
14The earth takes shape like clay under a seal; its features stand out like those of a garment.
15The wicked are denied their light, and their upraised arm is broken.
16Have you journeyed to the springs of the sea or walked in the recesses of the deep?
17Have the gates of death been shown to you? Have you seen the gates of the deepest darkness?
18Have you comprehended the vast expanses of the earth? Tell me, if you know all this.
19What is the way to the abode of light? And where does darkness reside?
20Can you take them to their places? Do you know the paths to their dwellings?
21Surely you know, for you were already born! You have lived so many years!
22Have you entered the storehouses of the snow or seen the storehouses of the hail,
23which I reserve for times of trouble, for days of war and battle?
24What is the way to the place where the lightning is dispersed, or the place where the east winds are scattered over the earth?
New King James Version
2“Who is this who darkens counsel By words without knowledge?
3 Now prepare yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer Me.
4“Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding.
5Who determined its measurements? Surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it?
6To what were its foundations fastened? Or who laid its cornerstone,
7When the morning stars sang together, And all the sons of God shouted for joy?
8“Or who shut in the sea with doors, When it burst forth and issued from the womb;
9When I made the clouds its garment, And thick darkness its swaddling band;
10When I fixed My limit for it, And set bars and doors;
11When I said, ‘This far you may come, but no farther, And here your proud waves must stop!’
12“Have you commanded the morning since your days began, And caused the dawn to know its place,
13That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, And the wicked be shaken out of it?
14It takes on form like clay under a seal, And stands out like a garment.
15From the wicked their light is withheld, And the upraised arm is broken.
16“Have you entered the springs of the sea? Or have you walked in search of the depths?
17Have the gates of death been revealed to you? Or have you seen the doors of the shadow of death?
18Have you comprehended the breadth of the earth? Tell Me, if you know all this.
19“Where is the way to the dwelling of light? And darkness, where is its place,
20That you may take it to its territory, That you may know the paths to its home?
21Do you know it, because you were born then, Or because the number of your days is great?
22“Have you entered the treasury of snow, Or have you seen the treasury of hail,
23 Which I have reserved for the time of trouble, For the day of battle and war?
24By what way is light diffused, Or the east wind scattered over the earth?