Job 38

KING JAMES BIBLE	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said,	1 Then the LORD addressed Job out of the storm and said:
2 Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?	2 Who is this that obscures divine plans with words of ignorance?
3 Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me.	3 Gird up your loins now, like a man; I will question you, and you tell me the answers!
4 Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.	4 Where were you when I founded the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding.
5 Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it?	5 Who determined its size; do you know? Who stretched out the measuring line for it?
6 Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof;	6 Into what were its pedestals sunk, and who laid the cornerstone,
7 When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?	7 While the morning stars sang in chorus and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
8 Or who shut up the sea with doors, when it brake forth, as if it had issued out of the womb?	8 And who shut within doors the sea, when it burst forth from the womb;
9 When I made the cloud the garment thereof, and thick darkness a swaddlingband for it,	9 When I made the clouds its garment and thick darkness its swaddling bands?
10 And brake up for it my decreed place, and set bars and doors,	10 When I set limits for it and fastened the bar of its door,
11 And said, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further: and here shall thy proud waves be stayed?	11 And said: Thus far shall you come but no farther, and here shall your proud waves be stilled!
12 Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days; and caused the dayspring to know his place;	12 Have you ever in your lifetime commanded the morning and shown the dawn its place
13 That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, that the wicked might be shaken out of it?	13 For taking hold of the ends of the earth, till the wicked are shaken from its surface?
14 It is turned as clay to the seal; and they stand as a garment.	14 The earth is changed as is clay by the seal, and dyed as though it were a garment;
15 And from the wicked their light is withholden, and the high arm shall be broken.	15 But from the wicked the light is withheld, and the arm of pride is shattered.
16 Hast thou entered into the springs of the sea? or hast thou walked in the search of the depth?	16 Have you entered into the sources of the sea, or walked about in the depths of the abyss?
17 Have the gates of death been opened unto thee? or hast thou seen the doors of the shadow of death?	17 Have the gates of death been shown to you, or have you seen the gates of darkness?
18 Hast thou perceived the breadth of the earth? declare if thou knowest it all.	18 Have you comprehended the breadth of the earth? Tell me, if you know all:
19 Where is the way where light dwelleth? and as for darkness, where is the place thereof,	19 Which is the way to the dwelling place of light, and where is the abode of darkness,
20 That thou shouldest take it to the bound thereof, and that thou shouldest know the paths to the house thereof?	20 That you may take them to their boundaries and set them on their homeward paths?
21 Knowest thou it, because thou wast then born? or because the number of thy days is great?	21 You know, because you were born before them, and the number of your years is great!
22 Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow? or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail,	22 Have you entered the storehouse of the snow, and seen the treasury of the hail
23 Which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war?	23 Which I have reserved for times of stress, for the days of war and of battle?
24 By what way is the light parted, which scattereth the east wind upon the earth?	24 Which way to the parting of the winds, whence the east wind spreads over the earth?
25 Who hath divided a watercourse for the overflowing of waters, or a way for the lightning of thunder;	25 Who has laid out a channel for the downpour and for the thunderstorm a path
26 To cause it to rain on the earth, where no man is; on the wilderness, wherein there is no man;	26 To bring rain to no man's land, the unpeopled wilderness;
27 To satisfy the desolate and waste ground; and to cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth?	27 To enrich the waste and desolate ground till the desert blooms with verdure?
28 Hath the rain a father? or who hath begotten the drops of dew?	28 Has the rain a father; or who has begotten the drops of dew?
29 Out of whose womb came the ice? and the hoary frost of heaven, who hath gendered it?	29 Out of whose womb comes the ice, and who gives the hoarfrost its birth in the skies,
30 The waters are hid as with a stone, and the face of the deep is frozen.	30 When the waters lie covered as though with stone that holds captive the surface of the deep?
31 Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion?	31 Have you fitted a curb to the Pleiades, or loosened the bonds of Orion?
32 Canst thou bring forth Mazzaroth in his season? or canst thou guide Arcturus with his sons?	32 Can you bring forth the Mazzaroth in their season, or guide the Bear with its train?
33 Knowest thou the ordinances of heaven? canst thou set the dominion thereof in the earth?	33 Do you know the ordinances of the heavens; can you put into effect their plan on the earth?
34 Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, that abundance of waters may cover thee?	34 Can you raise your voice among the clouds, or veil yourself in the waters of the storm?
35 Canst thou send lightnings, that they may go, and say unto thee, Here we are?	35 Can you send forth the lightnings on their way, or will they say to you, "Here we are"?
36 Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts? or who hath given understanding to the heart?	36 Who puts wisdom in the heart, and gives the cock its understanding?
37 Who can number the clouds in wisdom? or who can stay the bottles of heaven,	37 Who counts the clouds in his wisdom? Or who tilts the water jars of heaven
38 When the dust groweth into hardness, and the clods cleave fast together?	38 So that the dust of earth is fused into a mass and its clods made solid?
39 Wilt thou hunt the prey for the lion? or fill the appetite of the young lions,	39 Do you hunt the prey for the lioness or appease the hunger of her cubs,
40 When they couch in their dens, and abide in the covert to lie in wait?	40 While they crouch in their dens, or lie in wait in the thicket?
41 Who provideth for the raven his food? when his young ones cry unto God, they wander for lack of meat.	41 Who provides nourishment for the ravens when their young ones cry out to God, and they rove abroad without food?