Jó 38

Så svarede HERREN Job ud fra Stormvejret og sagde:

Omgjord som en Mand dine Lænder, jeg vil spørge, og du skal lære mig!

Hvor var du, da jeg grundede Jorden? Sig frem, om du har nogen Indsigt!

Hvem bestemte dens Mål - du kender det jo - hvem spændte Målesnor ud derover?

Hvorpå blev dens Støtter sænket, hvem lagde dens Hjørnesten,

mens Morgenstjernerne jubled til Hobe, og alle Gudssønner råbte af Glæde?

Hvem stængte for Havet med Porte, dengang det brusende udgik af Moders Skød,

dengang jeg gav det Skyen til Klædning og Tågemulm til Svøb,

dengang jeg brød det en Grænse og indsatte Portslå og Døre

Har du nogen Sinde kaldt Morgenen frem, ladet Morgenrøden vide sit Sted,

så den greb om Jordens Flige og gudløse rystedes bort,

så den dannedes til som Ler under Segl, fik Farve, som var den en Klædning?

De gudløses Lys toges fra dem, den løftede Arm blev knust.

Har du mon været ved Havets Kilder, har du mon vandret på Dybets Bund?

Mon Dødens Porte har vist sig for dig, skued du Mulmets Porte?

Så du ud over Jordens Vidder? Sig frem, om du ved, hvor stor den er!

Hvor er Vejen til Lysets Bolig, og hvor har Mørket mon hjemme,

så du kunde hente det til dets Rige og bringe det hen på Vej til dets Bolig?

Du ved det, du blev jo født dengang, dine Dages Tal er jo stort!

Har du været, hvor Sneen gemmes, og skuet, hvor Hagelen vogtes,

den, jeg gemmer til Trængselens Tid, til Kampens og Krigens Dag?

Hvor er Vejen did, hvor Lyset deler sig, hvor Østenvinden spreder sig ud over Jorden?

Hvem åbnede Regnen en Rende og Tordenens Lyn en Vej

for at væde folketomt Land, Ørkenen, hvor ingen bor,

for at kvæge Øde og Ødemark og fremkalde Urter i Ørkenen?

Har Regnen mon en Fader, hvem avlede Duggens Dråber?

Af hvilket Skød kom Isen vel frem, hvem fødte mon Himlens Rim?

Vandet størkner som Sten, Dybets Flade trækker sig sammen.

Knytter du Syvstjernens Bånd, kan du løse Orions Lænker?

Lader du Aftenstjemen gå op i Tide, leder du Bjørnen med Unger?

Kender du Himmelens Love, fastsætter du dens Magt over Jorden?

Kan du løfte Røsten til Sky, så Vandskyl adlyder dig?

Hvem lagde Visdom i sorte Skyer, hvem gav Luftsynet Kløgt?

Hvem er så viis, at han tæller Skyerne, hvem hælder Himmelens Vandsække om,

når Jorden ligger i Ælte, og Leret klumper sig sammen?

Jager du Rov til Løvinden, stiller du Ungløvers hunger,

når de dukker sig i deres Huler; ligger på Lur i Krat?

Hvem skaffer Ravnen Æde, når Ungerne skriger til Gud og flakker om uden Føde?

Then the LORD 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 answer thou me. {answer...: Heb. make me know}

Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding. {hast...: Heb. knowest understanding}

Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it?

Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof; {foundations: Heb. sockets} {fastened: Heb. made to sink?}

When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

Or {who} shut up the sea with doors, when it brake forth, {as if} it had issued out of the womb?

When I made the cloud the garment thereof, and thick darkness a swaddlingband for it,

And brake up for it my decreed {place}, and set bars and doors, {brake...: or, established my decree upon it}

And said, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further: and here shall thy proud waves be stayed? {thy...: Heb. the pride of thy waves}

Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days; {and} caused the dayspring to know his place;

That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, that the wicked might be shaken out of it? {ends: Heb. wings}

It is turned as clay {to} the seal; and they stand as a garment.

And from the wicked their light is withholden, and the high arm shall be broken.

Hast thou entered into the springs of the sea? or hast thou walked in the search of the depth?

Have the gates of death been opened unto thee? or hast thou seen the doors of the shadow of death?

Hast thou perceived the breadth of the earth? declare if thou knowest it all.

Where {is} the way {where} light dwelleth? and {as for} darkness, where {is} the place thereof,

That thou shouldest take it to the bound thereof, and that thou shouldest know the paths {to} the house thereof? {to the bound: or, at, etc}

Knowest thou {it}, because thou wast then born? or {because} the number of thy days {is} great?

Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow? or hast thou seen the treasures 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, {which} scattereth the east wind upon the earth?

Who hath divided a watercourse for the overflowing of waters, or a way for the lightning of thunder;

To cause it to rain on the earth, {where} no man {is; on} the wilderness, wherein {there is} no man;

To satisfy the desolate and waste {ground}; and to cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth?

Hath the rain a father? or who hath begotten the drops of dew?

Out of whose womb came the ice? and the hoary frost of heaven, who hath gendered it?

The waters are hid as {with} a stone, and the face of the deep is frozen. {is...: Heb. is taken}

Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion? {Pleiades: or, the seven stars: Heb. Cimah} {Orion: Heb. Cesil?}

Canst thou bring forth Mazzaroth in his season? or canst thou guide Arcturus with his sons? {Mazzaroth: or, the twelve signs} {guide: Heb. guide them}

Knowest thou the ordinances of heaven? canst thou set 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 lightnings, that they may go, and say unto thee, Here we {are}? {Here...: Heb. Behold us?}

Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts? or who hath given understanding to the heart?

Who can number the clouds in wisdom? or who can stay the bottles of heaven, {stay: Heb. cause to lie down}

When the dust groweth into hardness, and the clods cleave fast together? {groweth...: or, is turned into mire: Heb. is poured}

Wilt thou hunt the prey for the lion? or fill the appetite of the young lions, {the appetite: Heb. the life}

When they couch in {their} dens, {and} abide in the covert to lie in wait?

Who provideth for the raven his food? when his young ones cry unto God, they wander for lack of meat.