Job 37-38

37“At this also my heart trembles, and leaps out of its place. 2Listen, listen to the thunder of his voice and the rumbling that comes from his mouth. 3Under the whole heaven he lets it loose, and his lightning to the corners of the earth. 4After it his voice roars; he thunders with his majestic voice and he does not restrain the lightnings when his voice is heard. 5God thunders wondrously with his voice; he does great things that we cannot comprehend.

6For to the snow he says, ‘Fall on the earth’; and the shower of rain, his heavy shower of rain, 7serves as a sign on everyone’s hand, so that all whom he has made may know it. 8Then the animals go into their lairs and remain in their dens. 9From its chamber comes the whirlwind, and cold from the scattering winds. 10By the breath of God ice is given, and the broad waters are frozen fast. 11He loads the thick cloud with moisture; the clouds scatter his lightning. 12They turn round and round by his guidance, to accomplish all that he commands them on the face of the habitable world. 13Whether for correction, or for his land, or for love, he causes it to happen.

14“Hear this, O Job; stop and consider the wondrous works of God. 15Do you know how God lays his command upon them, and causes the lightning of his cloud to shine? 16Do you know the balancings of the clouds, the wondrous works of the one whose knowledge is perfect, 17you whose garments are hot when the earth is still because of the south wind? 18Can you, like him, spread out the skies, hard as a molten mirror? 19Teach us what we shall say to him; we cannot draw up our case because of darkness. 20Should he be told that I want to speak? Did anyone ever wish to be swallowed up?

21Now, no one can look on the light when it is bright in the skies, when the wind has passed and cleared them. 22Out of the north comes golden splendor; around God is awesome majesty. 23The Almighty—we cannot find him; he is great in power and justice, and abundant righteousness he will not violate. 24Therefore mortals fear him; he does not regard any who are wise in their own conceit.”

38Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind: 2“Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? 3Gird up your loins like a man, I will question you, and you shall declare 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 heavenly beings shouted for joy? 8“Or who shut in the sea with doors when it burst out from the womb?— 9when I made the clouds its garment, and thick darkness its swaddling band, 10and prescribed bounds for it, and set bars and doors, 11and said, ‘Thus far shall you come, and no farther, and here shall your proud waves be stopped’?

12“Have you commanded the morning since your days began, and caused the dawn to know its place, 13so that 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 it is dyed like a garment. 15Light is withheld from the wicked, 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? 21Surely you 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?

25“Who has cut a channel for the torrents of rain, and a way for the thunderbolt, 26to bring rain on a land where no one lives, on the desert, which is empty of human life, 27to satisfy the waste and desolate land, and to make the ground put forth grass? 28“Has the rain a father, or who has begotten the drops of dew? 29From whose womb did the ice come forth, and who has given birth to the hoarfrost of heaven? 30The waters become hard like stone, and the face of the deep is frozen. 31“Can you bind the chains of the Pleiades, or loose the cords of Orion? 32Can you lead forth the Mazzaroth in their season, or can you guide the Bear with its children? 33Do you know the ordinances of the heavens? Can you establish their rule on the earth? 34“Can you lift up your voice to the clouds, so that a flood of waters may cover you? 35Can you send forth lightnings, so that they may go and say to you, ‘Here we are’? 36Who has put wisdom in the inward parts, or given understanding to the mind? 37Who has the wisdom to number the clouds? Or who can tilt the waterskins of the heavens, 38when the dust runs into a mass and the clods cling together? 39“Can you hunt the prey for the lion, or satisfy the appetite of the young lions, 40when they crouch in their dens, or lie in wait in their covert? 41Who provides for the raven its prey, when its young ones cry to God, and wander about for lack of food?

From the oremus Bible Browser https://bible.oremus.org v2.9.2 30 June 2021.