Job 38 Parallel Bible Translations

Job 38 ▼
swipe to see more →
NLT
New Living Translation
ESV
English Standard Version
NIV
New International Version
+Add
1 Then the LORD answered Job from the whirlwind: 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 questions my wisdom with such ignorant words? “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, because I have some questions for you, and you must answer them. 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 foundations of the earth? Tell me, if you know so much. “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 and stretched out the surveying line? 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 What supports its foundations, and 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 as the morning stars sang together and all the angels 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 kept the sea inside its boundaries as it burst 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 and as I clothed it with clouds and wrapped it in thick darkness? 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 For I locked it behind barred gates, limiting its shores. 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 I said, ‘This far and no farther will you come. Here your proud waves must 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 commanded the morning to appear and caused the dawn to rise in the east? “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 Have you made daylight spread to the ends of the earth, to bring an end to the night’s wickedness? 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 As the light approaches, the earth takes shape like clay pressed beneath a seal; it is robed in brilliant colors. 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 The light disturbs the wicked and stops the arm that is raised in violence. 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 explored the springs from which the seas come? Have you explored their 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 Do you know where the gates of death are located? Have you seen the gates of utter gloom? 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 Do you realize the extent of the earth? Tell me about it if you know! 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 “Where does light come from, and where does darkness go? “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 Can you take each to its home? Do you know how to get there? 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 But of course you know all this! For you were born before it was all created, and you are so very experienced! 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 visited the storehouses of the snow or seen the storehouses of 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 (I have reserved them as weapons 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 Where is the path to the source of light? Where is the home of the east wind? 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 created a channel for the torrents of rain? Who laid out the path for the lightning? “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 Who makes the rain fall on barren land, in a desert where no one lives? 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 Who sends rain to satisfy the parched ground and make the tender grass spring up? 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 gives birth to the 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 Who is the mother of the ice? Who gives birth to the frost from the heavens? 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 For the water turns to ice as hard as rock, and the surface of the water freezes. 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 direct the movement of the stars— binding the cluster of the Pleiades or loosening the cords 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 direct the constellations through the seasons or guide the Bear with her cubs across the heavens? 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 universe? Can you use them to regulate 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 shout to the clouds and make it rain? “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 make lightning appear and cause it to strike as you direct? 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 gives intuition to the heart and instinct 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 all the clouds? Who can tilt 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 parched ground is dry and the soil has hardened into clods? 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 stalk prey for a lioness and satisfy the young lions’ appetites “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 lie in their dens or crouch in the thicket? 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 ravens when their young cry out to God and wander about in hunger? 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?
Previous chapter
Top of Page
Top of Page