Job 38:4-39:30

JPS_ASV_Byz^{(i) 4} Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if thou hast the understanding. ⁵ Who determined the measures thereof, if thou knowest? Or who stretched the line upon it? ⁶ Whereupon were the foundations thereof fastened? Or who laid the corner-stone thereof, ⁷ When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy? ⁸ Or who shut up the sea with doors, when it broke forth, and issued out of the womb; ⁹ When I made the cloud the garment thereof, and thick darkness a swaddlingband for it, ¹⁰ And prescribed for it My decree, and set bars and doors, ¹¹ And said: 'Thus far shalt thou come, but no further; and here shall thy proud waves be stayed'? ¹² Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days began, and caused the dayspring to know its place; ¹³ That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, and the wicked be shaken out of it? ¹⁴ It is changed as clay under the seal; and they stand as a garment. ¹⁵ But from the wicked their light is withholden, and the high arm is broken. ¹⁶ Hast thou entered into the springs of the sea? Or hast thou walked in the recesses of the deep? ¹⁷ Have the gates of death been revealed unto thee? Or hast thou seen the gates of the shadow of death? ¹⁸ Hast thou surveyed unto the breadths of the earth? Declare, if thou knowest it all. ¹⁹ Where is the way to the dwelling of light, and as for darkness, where is the place thereof; ²⁰ That thou shouldest take it to the bound thereof, and that thou shouldest know the paths to the house thereof? ²¹ Thou knowest it, for thou wast then born, and the number of thy days is great! ²² Hast thou entered the treasuries of the snow, or hast thou seen the treasuries of the hail, ²³ Which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war? ²⁴ By what way is the light parted, or the east wind scattered upon the earth? ²⁵ Who hath cleft a channel for the waterflood, or a way for the lightning of the thunder; ²⁶ To cause it to rain on a land where no man is, on the wilderness, wherein there is no man; ²⁷ To satisfy the desolate and waste ground, and to cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth? ²⁸ Hath the rain a father? Or who hath begotten the drops of dew? ²⁹ Out of whose womb came the ice? And the hoar-frost of heaven, who hath gendered it? ³⁰ The waters are congealed like stone, and the face of the deep is frozen. ³¹ Canst thou bind the chains of the Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion? ³² Canst thou lead forth the Mazzaroth in their season? Or canst thou guide the Bear with her sons? ³³ Knowest thou the ordinances of the heavens? Canst thou establish the dominion thereof in the earth? ³⁴ Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, that abundance of waters may cover thee? ³⁵ Canst thou send forth lightnings, that they may go, and say unto thee: 'Here we are'? ³⁶ Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts? Or who hath given understanding to the mind? ³⁷ Who can number the clouds by wisdom? Or who can pour out the bottles of heaven, ³⁸ When the dust runneth into a mass, and the clods cleave fast together? ³⁹ Wilt thou hunt the prey for the lioness? Or satisfy the appetite of the young lions, ⁴⁰ When they couch in their dens, and abide in the covert to lie in wait? ⁴¹ Who provideth for the raven his prey, when his young ones cry unto God, and wander for lack of food? ^{39 1} Knowest thou the time when the wild goats of the rock bring forth? Or canst thou mark when the hinds do calve? ² Canst thou number the months that they fulfil? Or knowest thou the time when they bring forth? ³ They bow themselves, they bring forth their young, they cast out their fruit. ⁴ Their young ones wax strong, they grow up in the open field; they go forth, and return not again. ⁵ Who hath sent out the wild ass free? Or who hath loosed the bands of the wild ass? ⁶ Whose house I have made the wilderness, and the salt land his dwelling-place. ⁷ He scorneth the tumult of the city, neither heareth he the shoutings of the driver. ⁸ The range of the mountains is his pasture, and he searcheth after every green thing. ⁹ Will the wild-ox be willing to serve thee? Or will he abide by thy crib? ¹⁰ Canst thou bind the wild-ox with his band in the furrow? Or will he harrow the valleys after thee? ¹¹ Wilt thou trust him, because his strength is great? Or wilt thou leave thy labour to him? ¹² Wilt thou rely on him, that he will bring home thy seed, and gather the corn of thy threshing-floor? ¹³ The wing of the ostrich beateth joyously; but are her pinions and feathers the kindly stork's? ¹⁴ For she leaveth her eggs on the earth, and warmeth them in dust, ¹⁵ And forgetteth that the foot may crush them, or that the wild beast may trample them. ¹⁶ She is hardened against her young ones, as if they were not hers; though her labour be in vain, she is without fear; ¹⁷ Because God hath deprived her of wisdom, neither hath He imparted to her understanding. ¹⁸ When the time cometh, she raiseth her wings on high, and scorneth the horse and his rider. ¹⁹ Hast thou given the horse his strength? Hast thou clothed his neck with fierceness? ²⁰ Hast thou made him to leap as a locust? The glory of his snorting is terrible. ²¹ He paweth in the valley, and rejoiceth in his strength; he goeth out to meet the clash of arms. ²² He mocketh at fear, and is not affrighted; neither turneth he back from the sword. ²³ The quiver rattleth upon him, the glittering spear and the javelin. ²⁴ He swalloweth the ground with storm and rage; neither believeth he that it is the voice of the horn. ²⁵ As oft as he heareth the horn he saith: 'Ha, ha!' and he smelleth the battle afar off, the thunder of the captains, and the shouting. ²⁶ Doth the hawk soar by thy wisdom, and stretch her wings toward the south? ²⁷ Doth the vulture mount up at thy command, and make her nest on high? ²⁸ She dwelleth and abideth on the rock, upon the crag of the rock, and the stronghold. ²⁹ From thence she spieth out the prey; her eyes behold it afar off. ³⁰ Her young ones also suck up blood; and where the slain are, there is she.