Job 38 Parallel Bible Translations

Job 38 ▼
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God's Word Translation
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English Standard Version
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1 Then the LORD answered Job out of the storm. 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 belittles my advice with words that do not show any knowledge [about it]? “Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? “Who is this that obscures my plans with words without knowledge?
3 Brace yourself like a man! I will ask you, and you will teach 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 laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me if you have [such] insight. “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 determined its dimensions? Certainly, you know! Who stretched a measuring 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 On what were its footings sunk? Who laid 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 sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy? 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 shut the sea behind gates when it burst through and came out of 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 clothed it with clouds and wrapped it up in dark clouds, 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 when I set a limit for it and put up bars and gates, 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 when I said, 'You may come this far but no farther. Here your proud waves will stop'? 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 |Have you ever given orders to the morning or assigned a place for the dawn “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 so that it could grab the earth by its edges and shake wicked people 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 earth changes like clay stamped by a seal, and [parts of it] stand out like [folds in] clothing. 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 Wicked people are deprived of their light, and an arm raised [in victory] is 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 gone to the springs in the sea or walked through the valleys of the ocean depths? “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 gateways to death been revealed to you, or have you seen the gateways to total 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 [even] considered how wide the earth is? Tell me, if you know all of this! 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 |What is the way to the place where light lives? Where is the home 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 so that you may lead it to its territory, so that you may know the path to its home? 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 You must know because you were born then and have lived such a long time! 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 to the warehouses where snow is stored or seen the warehouses for hail “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 that I have stored up for the time of trouble, for the day of battle and 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 Which is the way to the place where light is scattered and the east wind is spread across 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 made a channel for the flooding rains and a path for the thunderstorms “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 to bring rain on a land where no one lives, on a desert where there are no humans, 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 to saturate the desolate wasteland in order to make it sprout with grass? 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 Does the rain have a father? Who gave birth to the dewdrops? “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 came the ice, and who has given birth to the frost in 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 water hardens like a stone, and the surface of the ocean 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 |Can you connect the chains of the [constellation] Pleiades or untie the ropes of Orion? “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 out the constellations at the right time or guide Ursa Major with its cubs? 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 laws of the sky or make them rule 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 call to the clouds and have a flood of water 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 lightning flashes so that they may go and 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 put wisdom in the heart or gave understanding to the mind? 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 is wise enough to count the clouds or pour out the water jars 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 the dirt hardens into clumps and the soil clings 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 |Can you hunt prey for the lioness and satisfy the hunger of her cubs “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 crouch in their dens and lie ready to ambush from their lairs? 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 food for the crow when its young ones cry to God and wander around in need of 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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