 CHAPTER 38 Then Jehovah answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said, Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge? Gird up now thy loins like a man, for I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me. Where was thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare if thou hast understanding. Who determined the measures thereof, if thou knowest? Or who stretched the line upon it? Whereupon were the foundations thereof fastened, or who laid the cornerstone thereof? When the morning stars sang together, in all the sons of God shouted for joy? Or who shut up the sea with doors when it break forth, as if it had issued out of the womb? When I made clouds the garment thereof, and thick darkness a swaddling band for it, and marked out for it my bound, and set bars and doors, and said, Hither too shalt thou come, but no further. And here shall thy proud waves be stayed. Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days began, and caused the day spring to know its place, that it might take hold of the ends of the earth, and the wicked be shaken out of it? It is changed as clay under the seal, and all things stand forth as a garment. And from the wicked their light is withholden, and the high arm is broken. Hast thou entered into the springs of the sea, or hast thou walked in the recesses of the deep? Have the gates of death been revealed unto thee, or hast thou seen the gates of the shadow of death? Hast thou comprehended the earth and its breadth? Declare if thou knowest it all. Where is the way to the dwelling of light? And as for darkness, where is the place thereof, that thou shouldst take it to the bound thereof, and that thou shouldst discern the paths to the house thereof? Doubtless thou knowest, for thou wasst then born, and the number of thy days is great. Hast thou entered the treasuries of the snow, or hast thou seen the treasuries of the hail, which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war? By what way is the light parted, or the east wind scattered upon the earth? Who hath cleft a channel for the water-flood, or the way for the lightning of the thunder, to cause it to rain on a land where no man is, on the wilderness wherein there is no man? To satisfy the waste in desolate ground, and to cause the tender grass to spring forth? Hath the rain a father, or who hath begotten the drops of dew? Of whose womb came the ice, and the hoary frost of heaven, who hath gendered it? The waters hide themselves, and become like stone, and the face of the deep is frozen. Canst thou bind the cluster of the Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion? Canst thou lead forth the Masaroth in their season? Or canst thou guide the bear with her train? Canst thou the ordinances of the heavens? Canst thou establish the dominion thereof in the earth? Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, that abundance of waters may cover thee? Canst thou send forth lightnings, that they may go, and say unto thee, Here we are! Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts, or who hath given understanding to the mind? Who can number the clouds by wisdom, or who can pour out the bottles of heaven? When the dust runneth into a mass, and the clods cleave fast together? Canst thou hunt the prey for the lioness, or satisfy the appetite of the young lions? When they couch in their dens, and abide in the covert to lion-weight? Who provided for the raven his prey, when his young ones cry unto God, and wander for lack of food? CHAPTER 39 Knowest thou the time when the wild goats of the rock bring forth? Or canst thou mark when the hinds do cav? Canst thou number the months that they fulfill? Or knowest thou the time when they bring forth? They bow themselves, they bring forth their young, they cast out their pains. Where young ones become strong, they grow up in the open field. They go forth, and return not again. Who hath sent out the wild-ass free? Or who hath loosed the bonds of the swift-ass? Whose home I have made the wilderness, and the salt-land his dwelling place? He scorneth the tumult of the city, neither hither he the shoutings of the driver. The range of the mountains is his pasture, and he searcheth after every green thing. Will the wild ox be content to serve thee? Or will he abide by thy crib? Canst thou bind the wild ox with his band in the furrow? Or will he harrow the valleys after thee? Will thou trust him, because his strength is great? Or will thou leave to him thy labor? Hope thou confide in him that he will bring home thy seed, and gather the grain of thy threshing floor. The wings of the ostrich wave proudly, but are they the pinions and plumage of love? For she leaveeth her eggs on the earth, and warmeth them in the dust, and forgetteth that the foot may crush them, or that the wild beast may trample them. She dealeth hardly with her young ones, as if they were not hers, though her labor be in vain she is without fear, because God hath deprived her of wisdom, neither hath he imparted to her understanding. What time she lifteth up herself on high, she scorneth the horse in his rider. Hast thou given the horse his might? Hast thou clothed his neck with the quivering mane? Hast thou made him to leap as a locust? The glory of his snorting is terrible. He pawth in the valley, and rejoiceth in his strength. He goeth out to meet the armed men. He mocketh at fear, and is not dismayed. Neither turneth he back from the sword. The quiver rattleth against him, the flashing spear and the javelin. He swalloweth the ground with fierceness and rage. Neither believeth he that it is the voice of the trumpet. As oft as the trumpet soundeth, he sayeth, Aha! And he smelleth the battle afar off, the thunder of the captains, and the shouting. Is it by thy wisdom that the hawk soareth, and stretcheth her wings toward the south? Is it at thy command that the eagle mounteth up, and maketh her nest on high? On the cliff she dwelleth, and maketh her home, upon the point of the cliff and the stronghold. From thence she spieth out the prey. Her eyes beholdeth afar off. Her young ones also suck up blood, and where the slain are, there is she. CHAPTER 40 Moreover Jehovah answered Job and said, Shall he that Cavilleth contend with the Almighty, he that argueeth with God, let him answer it? Then Job answered Jehovah and said, Behold, I am of small account. What shall I answer thee? I lay my hand upon my mouth. Once have I spoken, and I will not answer, yea, twice, but I will proceed no further. Then Jehovah answered Job out of the whirlwind and said, Gird up thy loins now like a man. I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me. Will thou even annul my judgment? Will thou condemn me, that thou mayest be justified? Or hast thou an arm like God, encanced thou thunder with a voice like him? Deck thyself now with excellency and dignity, and array thyself with honor and majesty. Pour forth the overflowings of thine anger, and look upon every one that is proud, and abase him. Look on every one that is proud, and bring him low, and tread down the wicked where they stand. Hide them in the dust together, bind their faces in the hidden place. Then will I also confess of thee, that thine own right hand can save thee. Behold now Behemoth, which I made as well as thee. He eateth the grass as an ox. Low now, his strength is in his loins, and his force is in the muscles of his belly. He moveth his tail like a cedar. The sinews of his thighs are knit together. His bones are as tubes of brass. His limbs are like bars of iron. He is the chief of the ways of God. He only that made him, giveth him his sword. Surely the mountains bring him forth food, where all the beasts of the field do play. He lieth under the lotus trees, in the covert of the reed and the fenn. The lotus trees cover him with their shade. The willows of the brook compass him about. Behold, if a river overflow he trembleeth not, he is confident, though a Jordan swell even to his mouth. Shall any take him when he is on the watch, or pierced through his nose with a snare? End of chapter 40. Chapter 41. Canst thou draw out Leviathan with a fish-hook, or press down his tongue with a cord? Canst thou put a rope into his nose, or pierce his jaw through with a hook? Will he make many supplications unto thee, or will he speak soft words unto thee? Will he make a covenant with thee, that thou shouldst take him for a servant for ever? Will thou play with him as with a bird, or wilt thou bind him for thy maidens? Will the bands of fishermen make traffic of him? Will they part him among the merchants? Canst thou fill his skin with barbed irons, or his head with fish-spears? Lay thy hand upon him, remember the battle, and do so no more. Behold, the hope of him is in vain. Will not one be cast down even at the sight of him? None is so fierce that he dare stir him up. Who then is he that can stand before me? Who hath first given unto me that I should repay him? Whatsoever is under the whole heaven is mine. I will not keep silence concerning his limbs, nor his mighty strength, nor his goodly frame. Who can strip off his outer garment? Who shall come within his jaws? Who can open the doors of his face? Round about his teeth is terror. His strong scales are his pride, shut up together as with a close seal. One is so near to another that no air can come between them. They are joined one to another. They stick together so that they cannot be sundered. His sneezings flash forth light, and his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning. Out of his mouth go burning torches, and sparks of fire leap forth. Out of his nostrils a smoke goeth, as of a boiling pot and burning rushes. His breath kindleth coals, and a flame goeth forth from his mouth. In his neck abideth strength and terror danceeth before him. The flakes of his flesh are joined together. They are firm upon him. They cannot be moved. His heart is as firm as a stone, yea, firm as the nether millstone. When he raises himself up, the mighty are afraid. By reason of consternation they are beside themselves. If one lay at him with the sword it cannot avail. Nor the spear, the dart, nor the pointed shaft, he counteth iron as straw, and brass as rotten wood. The arrow cannot make him flee. Ringstones are turned with him into stubble. Clubs are counted as stubble. He laugheth at the rushing of the javelin. His underparts are like sharp pot-shirts. He spreadeth, as it were, a threshing wane upon the mire. He maketh the deep to boil like a pot. He maketh the sea like a pot of ointment. He maketh a path to shine after him. One would think the deep to be hoary. Upon earth there is not his like. That is made without fear. He beholdeth everything that is high. He is king over all the sons of pride. CHAPTER 42 Then Job answered Jehovah, and said, I know that thou canst do all things, and that no purpose of thine can be restrained. Who is this that highteth counsel without knowledge? Or have I uttered that which I understood not? Things too wonderful for me, which I knew not? Here I beseech thee, and I will speak. I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me. I had heard of thee by the hearing of the ear, but now mine I seeeth thee. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent, and dust and ashes. And it was so, that after Jehovah had spoken these words unto Job, Jehovah said to Eliphaz the teamonite, My wrath is kindled against thee and against thy two friends, for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath. Now, therefore, take unto you seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering. And my servant Job shall pray for you, for him will I accept that I deal not with you after your folly. For ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath. So Eliphaz the teamonite, and Bildad the shoehite, and Zophar the namethite, went, and did, according as Jehovah commanded them, and Jehovah accepted Job. And Jehovah turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends. And Jehovah gave Job twice as much as he had before. Then came there unto him all his brethren, and all his sisters, and all they that had been of his acquaintance before, and did eat bread with him in his house. And they bemoaned him, and comforted him concerning all the evil that Jehovah had brought upon him. Every man also gave him a piece of money, and every one a ring of gold. So Jehovah blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning, and he had fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand camels, and a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she-asses. He had also seven sons, and three daughters. And he called the name of the first, Jemima, and the name of the second, Khaziah, and the name of the third, Caron Hapuk. And in all the land were no women found so fair as the daughters of Job, and their father gave them inheritance among their brethren. And after this Job lived a hundred and forty years, and saw his sons, and his sons' sons, even four generations. So Job died, being old, and full of days. End of Chapter 42 And also the end of Job, American Standard Version.