Job 38:1-42:6

New International Version

² “Who is this that obscures my plans^(C)
    with words without knowledge?^(D)
3 Brace yourself like a man;
    I will question you,
    and you shall answer me.^(E)

⁴ “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation?^(F)
    Tell me, if you understand.^(G)
5 Who marked off its dimensions?^(H) Surely you know!
    Who stretched a measuring line^(I) across it?
⁶ On what were its footings set,^(J)
    or who laid its cornerstone^(K)—
⁷ while the morning stars^(L) sang together^(M)
    and all the angels^[a](N) shouted for joy?^(O)

⁸ “Who shut up the sea behind doors^(P)
    when it burst forth from the womb,^(Q)
9 when I made the clouds its garment
    and wrapped it in thick darkness,^(R)
10 when I fixed limits for it^(S)
    and set its doors and bars in place,^(T)
11 when I said, ‘This far you may come and no farther;^(U)
    here is where your proud waves halt’?^(V)

¹² “Have you ever given orders to the morning,^(W)
    or shown the dawn its place,^(X)
13 that it might take the earth by the edges
    and shake the wicked^(Y) out of it?^(Z)
14 The earth takes shape like clay under a seal;^(AA)
    its features stand out like those of a garment.
¹⁵ The wicked are denied their light,^(AB)
    and their upraised arm is broken.^(AC)

¹⁶ “Have you journeyed to the springs of the sea
    or walked in the recesses of the deep?^(AD)
17 Have the gates of death^(AE) been shown to you?
    Have you seen the gates of the deepest darkness?^(AF)
18 Have you comprehended the vast expanses of the earth?^(AG)
    Tell me, if you know all this.^(AH)

¹⁹ “What is the way to the abode of light?
    And where does darkness reside?^(AI)
20 Can you take them to their places?
    Do you know the paths^(AJ) to their dwellings?
²¹ Surely you know, for you were already born!^(AK)
    You have lived so many years!

²² “Have you entered the storehouses of the snow^(AL)
    or seen the storehouses^(AM) of the hail,^(AN)
23 which I reserve for times of trouble,^(AO)
    for days of war and battle?^(AP)
24 What is the way to the place where the lightning is dispersed,^(AQ)
    or the place where the east winds^(AR) are scattered over the earth?^(AS)
25 Who cuts a channel for the torrents of rain,
    and a path for the thunderstorm,^(AT)
26 to water^(AU) a land where no one lives,
    an uninhabited desert,^(AV)
27 to satisfy a desolate wasteland
    and make it sprout with grass?^(AW)
28 Does the rain have a father?^(AX)
    Who fathers the drops of dew?
²⁹ From whose womb comes the ice?
    Who gives birth to the frost from the heavens^(AY)
30 when the waters become hard as stone,
    when the surface of the deep is frozen?^(AZ)

³¹ “Can you bind the chains^[b] of the Pleiades?
    Can you loosen Orion’s belt?^(BA)
32 Can you bring forth the constellations^(BB) in their seasons^[c]
    or lead out the Bear^[d] with its cubs?^(BC)
33 Do you know the laws^(BD) of the heavens?^(BE)
    Can you set up God’s^[e] dominion over the earth?

³⁴ “Can you raise your voice to the clouds
    and cover yourself with a flood of water?^(BF)
35 Do you send the lightning bolts on their way?^(BG)
    Do they report to you, ‘Here we are’?
³⁶ Who gives the ibis wisdom^[f](BH)
    or gives the rooster understanding?^[g](BI)
37 Who has the wisdom to count the clouds?
    Who can tip over the water jars^(BJ) of the heavens^(BK)
38 when the dust becomes hard^(BL)
    and the clods of earth stick together?^(BM)

³⁹ “Do you hunt the prey for the lioness
    and satisfy the hunger of the lions^(BN)
40 when they crouch in their dens^(BO)
    or lie in wait in a thicket?^(BP)
41 Who provides food^(BQ) for the raven^(BR)
    when its young cry out to God
    and wander about for lack of food?^(BS)

39 “Do you know when the mountain goats^(BT) give birth?
    Do you watch when the doe bears her fawn?^(BU)
2 Do you count the months till they bear?
    Do you know the time they give birth?^(BV)
3 They crouch down and bring forth their young;
    their labor pains are ended.
⁴ Their young thrive and grow strong in the wilds;
    they leave and do not return.

⁵ “Who let the wild donkey^(BW) go free?
    Who untied its ropes?
⁶ I gave it the wasteland^(BX) as its home,
    the salt flats^(BY) as its habitat.^(BZ)
7 It laughs^(CA) at the commotion in the town;
    it does not hear a driver’s shout.^(CB)
8 It ranges the hills^(CC) for its pasture
    and searches for any green thing.

⁹ “Will the wild ox^(CD) consent to serve you?^(CE)
    Will it stay by your manger^(CF) at night?
¹⁰ Can you hold it to the furrow with a harness?^(CG)
    Will it till the valleys behind you?
¹¹ Will you rely on it for its great strength?^(CH)
    Will you leave your heavy work to it?
¹² Can you trust it to haul in your grain
    and bring it to your threshing floor?

¹³ “The wings of the ostrich flap joyfully,
    though they cannot compare
    with the wings and feathers of the stork.^(CI)
14 She lays her eggs on the ground
    and lets them warm in the sand,
¹⁵ unmindful that a foot may crush them,
    that some wild animal may trample them.^(CJ)
16 She treats her young harshly,^(CK) as if they were not hers;
    she cares not that her labor was in vain,
¹⁷ for God did not endow her with wisdom
    or give her a share of good sense.^(CL)
18 Yet when she spreads her feathers to run,
    she laughs^(CM) at horse and rider.

¹⁹ “Do you give the horse its strength^(CN)
    or clothe its neck with a flowing mane?
²⁰ Do you make it leap like a locust,^(CO)
    striking terror^(CP) with its proud snorting?^(CQ)
21 It paws fiercely, rejoicing in its strength,^(CR)
    and charges into the fray.^(CS)
22 It laughs^(CT) at fear, afraid of nothing;
    it does not shy away from the sword.
²³ The quiver^(CU) rattles against its side,
    along with the flashing spear^(CV) and lance.
²⁴ In frenzied excitement it eats up the ground;
    it cannot stand still when the trumpet sounds.^(CW)
25 At the blast of the trumpet^(CX) it snorts, ‘Aha!’
    It catches the scent of battle from afar,
    the shout of commanders and the battle cry.^(CY)

²⁶ “Does the hawk take flight by your wisdom
    and spread its wings toward the south?^(CZ)
27 Does the eagle soar at your command
    and build its nest on high?^(DA)
28 It dwells on a cliff and stays there at night;
    a rocky crag^(DB) is its stronghold.
²⁹ From there it looks for food;^(DC)
    its eyes detect it from afar.
³⁰ Its young ones feast on blood,
    and where the slain are, there it is.”^(DD)

² “Will the one who contends with the Almighty^(DF) correct him?^(DG)
    Let him who accuses God answer him!”^(DH)

⁴ “I am unworthy^(DI)—how can I reply to you?
    I put my hand over my mouth.^(DJ)
5 I spoke once, but I have no answer^(DK)—
    twice, but I will say no more.”^(DL)

⁷ “Brace yourself like a man;
    I will question you,
    and you shall answer me.^(DN)

⁸ “Would you discredit my justice?^(DO)
    Would you condemn me to justify yourself?^(DP)
9 Do you have an arm like God’s,^(DQ)
    and can your voice^(DR) thunder like his?^(DS)
10 Then adorn yourself with glory and splendor,
    and clothe yourself in honor and majesty.^(DT)
11 Unleash the fury of your wrath,^(DU)
    look at all who are proud and bring them low,^(DV)
12 look at all who are proud^(DW) and humble them,^(DX)
    crush^(DY) the wicked where they stand.
¹³ Bury them all in the dust together;^(DZ)
    shroud their faces in the grave.^(EA)
14 Then I myself will admit to you
    that your own right hand can save you.^(EB)

¹⁵ “Look at Behemoth,
    which I made^(EC) along with you
    and which feeds on grass like an ox.^(ED)
16 What strength^(EE) it has in its loins,
    what power in the muscles of its belly!^(EF)
17 Its tail sways like a cedar;
    the sinews of its thighs are close-knit.^(EG)
18 Its bones are tubes of bronze,
    its limbs^(EH) like rods of iron.^(EI)
19 It ranks first among the works of God,^(EJ)
    yet its Maker^(EK) can approach it with his sword.^(EL)
20 The hills bring it their produce,^(EM)
    and all the wild animals play^(EN) nearby.^(EO)
21 Under the lotus plants it lies,
    hidden among the reeds^(EP) in the marsh.^(EQ)
22 The lotuses conceal it in their shadow;
    the poplars by the stream^(ER) surround it.
²³ A raging river^(ES) does not alarm it;
    it is secure, though the Jordan^(ET) should surge against its mouth.
²⁴ Can anyone capture it by the eyes,
    or trap it and pierce its nose?^(EU)

41 ^[h]“Can you pull in Leviathan^(EV) with a fishhook^(EW)
    or tie down its tongue with a rope?
² Can you put a cord through its nose^(EX)
    or pierce its jaw with a hook?^(EY)
3 Will it keep begging you for mercy?^(EZ)
    Will it speak to you with gentle words?
⁴ Will it make an agreement with you
    for you to take it as your slave for life?^(FA)
5 Can you make a pet of it like a bird
    or put it on a leash for the young women in your house?
⁶ Will traders barter for it?
    Will they divide it up among the merchants?
⁷ Can you fill its hide with harpoons
    or its head with fishing spears?^(FB)
8 If you lay a hand on it,
    you will remember the struggle and never do it again!^(FC)
9 Any hope of subduing it is false;
    the mere sight of it is overpowering.^(FD)
10 No one is fierce enough to rouse it.^(FE)
    Who then is able to stand against me?^(FF)
11 Who has a claim against me that I must pay?^(FG)
    Everything under heaven belongs to me.^(FH)

¹² “I will not fail to speak of Leviathan’s limbs,^(FI)
    its strength^(FJ) and its graceful form.
¹³ Who can strip off its outer coat?
    Who can penetrate its double coat of armor^[i]?^(FK)
14 Who dares open the doors of its mouth,^(FL)
    ringed about with fearsome teeth?
¹⁵ Its back has^[j] rows of shields
    tightly sealed together;^(FM)
16 each is so close to the next
    that no air can pass between.
¹⁷ They are joined fast to one another;
    they cling together and cannot be parted.
¹⁸ Its snorting throws out flashes of light;
    its eyes are like the rays of dawn.^(FN)
19 Flames^(FO) stream from its mouth;
    sparks of fire shoot out.
²⁰ Smoke pours from its nostrils^(FP)
    as from a boiling pot over burning reeds.
²¹ Its breath^(FQ) sets coals ablaze,
    and flames dart from its mouth.^(FR)
22 Strength^(FS) resides in its neck;
    dismay goes before it.
²³ The folds of its flesh are tightly joined;
    they are firm and immovable.
²⁴ Its chest is hard as rock,
    hard as a lower millstone.^(FT)
25 When it rises up, the mighty are terrified;^(FU)
    they retreat before its thrashing.^(FV)
26 The sword that reaches it has no effect,
    nor does the spear or the dart or the javelin.^(FW)
27 Iron it treats like straw^(FX)
    and bronze like rotten wood.
²⁸ Arrows do not make it flee;^(FY)
    slingstones are like chaff to it.
²⁹ A club seems to it but a piece of straw;^(FZ)
    it laughs^(GA) at the rattling of the lance.
³⁰ Its undersides are jagged potsherds,
    leaving a trail in the mud like a threshing sledge.^(GB)
31 It makes the depths churn like a boiling caldron^(GC)
    and stirs up the sea like a pot of ointment.^(GD)
32 It leaves a glistening wake behind it;
    one would think the deep had white hair.
³³ Nothing on earth is its equal^(GE)—
    a creature without fear.
³⁴ It looks down on all that are haughty;^(GF)
    it is king over all that are proud.^(GG)”

² “I know that you can do all things;^(GH)
    no purpose of yours can be thwarted.^(GI)
3 You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my plans without knowledge?’^(GJ)
    Surely I spoke of things I did not understand,
    things too wonderful for me to know.^(GK)

⁴ “You said, ‘Listen now, and I will speak;
    I will question you,
    and you shall answer me.’^(GL)
5 My ears had heard of you^(GM)
    but now my eyes have seen you.^(GN)
6 Therefore I despise myself^(GO)
    and repent^(GP) in dust and ashes.”^(GQ)