Job 38 Parallel Bible Translations

Job 38 ▼
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CPDV
Catholic Public Domain Version
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English Standard Version
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1 But the Lord, responding to Job from a whirlwind, said: Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind and said: Then the LORD spoke to Job out of the storm. He said:
2 Who is this that wraps sentences in unskilled words? “Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? “Who is this that obscures my plans with words without knowledge?
3 Gird your waist like a man. I will question you, and you must answer me. Dress for action like a man; I will question you, and you make it known to me. Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me.
4 Where were you, when I set the foundations of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding. “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding. “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand.
5 Who set its measurements, if you know, or who stretched a line over it? Who determined its measurements—surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it? Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it?
6 Upon what have its bases been grounded, and who set forth its cornerstone, On what were its bases sunk, or who laid its cornerstone, On what were its footings set, or who laid its cornerstone—
7 when the morning stars praised me together, and all the sons of God made a joyful noise? when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy? while the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy?
8 Who enclosed the sea with doors, when it broke forth as if issuing from the womb, “Or who shut in the sea with doors when it burst out from the womb, “Who shut up the sea behind doors when it burst forth from the womb,
9 when I stationed a cloud as its garment and wrapped it in a mist as if swaddling an infant? when I made clouds its garment and thick darkness its swaddling band, when I made the clouds its garment and wrapped it in thick darkness,
10 I encircled it with my limits, and I positioned its bars and doors. and prescribed limits for it and set bars and doors, when I fixed limits for it and set its doors and bars in place,
11 And I said: “This far you will approach, and you will proceeded no further, and here you will break your swelling waves.” and said, ‘Thus far shall you come, and no farther, and here shall your proud waves be stayed’? when I said, ‘This far you may come and no farther; here is where your proud waves halt’?
12 Did you, after your birth, command the birth of the sun and show the sunrise its place? “Have you commanded the morning since your days began, and caused the dawn to know its place, “Have you ever given orders to the morning, or shown the dawn its place,
13 And did you hold the extremities of the earth, shaking them, and have you shaken the impious out of it? that it might take hold of the skirts of the earth, and the wicked be shaken out of it? that it might take the earth by the edges and shake the wicked out of it?
14 The seal will be restored like clay, and it will remain in place like a garment. It is changed like clay under the seal, and its features stand out like a garment. The earth takes shape like clay under a seal; its features stand out like those of a garment.
15 From the impious, the light will be taken away, and the exalted arm will be broken. From the wicked their light is withheld, and their uplifted arm is broken. The wicked are denied their light, and their upraised arm is broken.
16 Have you entered the depths of the sea, and have you taken a walk in the uttermost parts of the abyss? “Have you entered into the springs of the sea, or walked in the recesses of the deep? “Have you journeyed to the springs of the sea or walked in the recesses of the deep?
17 Have the gates of death been opened to you, and have you seen the doors of darkness? Have the gates of death been revealed to you, or have you seen the gates of deep darkness? Have the gates of death been shown to you? Have you seen the gates of the deepest darkness?
18 Have you considered the breadth of the earth? If you know all things, reveal them to me. Have you comprehended the expanse of the earth? Declare, if you know all this. Have you comprehended the vast expanses of the earth? Tell me, if you know all this.
19 Which is the way that holds the light, and which is the place of darkness? “Where is the way to the dwelling of light, and where is the place of darkness, “What is the way to the abode of light? And where does darkness reside?
20 In this way, you might lead each thing to its final place, and understand the paths of its house. that you may take it to its territory and that you may discern the paths to its home? Can you take them to their places? Do you know the paths to their dwellings?
21 So then, did you know when you were to be born? And did you know the number of your days? You know, for you were born then, and the number of your days is great! Surely you know, for you were already born! You have lived so many years!
22 Have you been admitted into the storehouses of the snows, and have you gazed upon the stockpile of the brimstone, “Have you entered the storehouses of the snow, or have you seen the storehouses of the hail, “Have you entered the storehouses of the snow or seen the storehouses of the hail,
23 which I have prepared for the time of the enemy, for the day of the battle and the war? which I have reserved for the time of trouble, for the day of battle and war? which I reserve for times of trouble, for days of war and battle?
24 In what way is the light scattered, and the heat distributed, over the earth? What is the way to the place where the light is distributed, or where the east wind is scattered upon the earth? What is the way to the place where the lightning is dispersed, or the place where the east winds are scattered over the earth?
25 Who gave a course to the rainstorms, and a path to the resounding thunder, “Who has cleft a channel for the torrents of rain and a way for the thunderbolt, Who cuts a channel for the torrents of rain, and a path for the thunderstorm,
26 so that it would rain on the earth far from man, in the wilderness where no mortal lingers, to bring rain on a land where no man is, on the desert in which there is no man, to water a land where no one lives, an uninhabited desert,
27 so that it would fill impassable and desolate places, and would bring forth green plants? to satisfy the waste and desolate land, and to make the ground sprout with grass? to satisfy a desolate wasteland and make it sprout with grass?
28 Who is the father of rain, or who conceived the drops of dew? “Has the rain a father, or who has begotten the drops of dew? Does the rain have a father? Who fathers the drops of dew?
29 From whose womb did the ice proceed, and who created the frost from the air? From whose womb did the ice come forth, and who has given birth to the frost of heaven? From whose womb comes the ice? Who gives birth to the frost from the heavens
30 The waters are hardened to become like stone, and the surface of the abyss freezes over. The waters become hard like stone, and the face of the deep is frozen. when the waters become hard as stone, when the surface of the deep is frozen?
31 Will you have the strength to join together the sparkling stars of the Pleiades, or are you able to disperse the circling of Arcturus? “Can you bind the chains of the Pleiades or loose the cords of Orion? “Can you bind the chains of the Pleiades? Can you loosen Orion’s belt?
32 Can you bring forth the morning star, in its time, and make the evening star rise over the sons of the earth? Can you lead forth the Mazzaroth in their season, or can you guide the Bear with its children? Can you bring forth the constellations in their seasons or lead out the Bear with its cubs?
33 Do you know the order of heaven, and can you explain its rules here on the earth? Do you know the ordinances of the heavens? Can you establish their rule on the earth? Do you know the laws of the heavens? Can you set up God’s dominion over the earth?
34 Can you lift up your voice to the clouds, so that an onslaught of waters will cover you? “Can you lift up your voice to the clouds, that a flood of waters may cover you? “Can you raise your voice to the clouds and cover yourself with a flood of water?
35 Can you send forth lightning bolts, and will they go, and on returning, say to you: “Here we are?” Can you send forth lightnings, that they may go and say to you, ‘Here we are’? Do you send the lightning bolts on their way? Do they report to you, ‘Here we are’?
36 Who placed discernment in the guts of man, or who gave the rooster intelligence? Who has put wisdom in the inward parts or given understanding to the mind? Who gives the ibis wisdom or gives the rooster understanding?
37 Who can describe the rules of the heavens, or who can put to rest the harmony of heaven? Who can number the clouds by wisdom? Or who can tilt the waterskins of the heavens, Who has the wisdom to count the clouds? Who can tip over the water jars of the heavens
38 When was the dust cast to become the earth, and when were its clods fastened together? when the dust runs into a mass and the clods stick fast together? when the dust becomes hard and the clods of earth stick together?
39 Will you seize prey for the lioness, and will you sustain the lives of her young, “Can you hunt the prey for the lion, or satisfy the appetite of the young lions, “Do you hunt the prey for the lioness and satisfy the hunger of the lions
40 as they rest in their dens or lie in wait in pits? when they crouch in their dens or lie in wait in their thicket? when they crouch in their dens or lie in wait in a thicket?
41 Who provides the raven with its meal, when her chicks cry out to God, as they wander around because they have no food? Who provides for the raven its prey, when its young ones cry to God for help, and wander about for lack of food? Who provides food for the raven when its young cry out to God and wander about for lack of food?
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