Friday, July 3, 2009

Job 38

And יְהוָה answered Job out of the whirlwind and he said
who is this darkening counsel
in speeches without knowledge?
gird please as a warrior your loins
and I will ask you and you make known to me

where were you when I founded earth?
tell if you know understanding
who set her measure? for you know
or who stretched out on her a line?
on what is her pedestal sunk?
or who instructed her cornerstone?
when as one the stars of the morning sang
and all the children of God raised the alarm

or screened in the sea with doors
when he rushed breaking forth from the womb?
when I set out cloud for his clothing
and murk his swaddling clothes
and broke in pieces my decree
and set out bar and doors
and said - to here you will come and not add to it
and here cease the pride of your rubbling

from your days have you commanded the morning
made dawn know his place?
that he grasp the wings of the earth
to shake the wicked from her
transformed as clay by the impress
they present themselves as clothing
and their light from the wicked is withheld
and the exalted arm is broken

have you come to the springs of the sea
and in search of the depth have you walked?
have the gates of death been revealed to you
or the gates of obscurity have you seen?
have you understood to the breadth of earth?
tell if you know all these

where is this? the way of the dwelling of light?
and darkness - where is this - his place?
that you take him to his border
and that you understand the tracks of his house
you know - for then you were born
and the number of your days is many

have you come to the storehouses of snow?
or the storehouses of hail have you seen?
which I have spared for the time of trouble
for the day of approach and of war

where is this? the way the west wind is apportioned(1)
the east wind scattered over earth?
who divided a trench for the overflow?
or a way for the lightning of voices?(2)
to make rain on earth - no man
a wilderness where no human is
to satisfy desolation and waste
and sprout the bud of the tender herb

has the rain a father?
or who birthed the reservoirs of dew?
from whose belly came forth the ice?
and the bowl of the heavens - who birthed it?(3)
as a stone waters are withdrawn(4)
and the face of the depth is frozen

can you confine the ties of a star cluster?(5)
or the belt of Orion open?
can you bring forth constellations in his season?(6)
or the Great Bear on her children - can you guide them?
do you know the decrees of the heavens?
can you set out his dominion in the earth?(7)

can you raise your voice to the cloud
so abundance of waters covers you?(8)
can you send out flashes and they go?
and say to you - behold us!

who puts wisdom in the inward parts?
or who gives to the sense understanding?
who numbers the skies in wisdom?
and who lies with the skin-bottles of the heavens?
to pour dust into mold
and clods clung

will you hunt prey for the lion parent
and fill the life of the whelps?
for they bow in their habitations
they sit in the booth, their place of waiting
who establishes for the raven his provision?
for his babies to God cry out
they wander for lack of food

(1) Following TS re light as indicating an Aramaic word meaning west wind - a suitable parallel
(2) exactly as in 28:26 - the plural of voices is usually given as thunder. Only my stubbornness insists on voices...
(3) bowl - see also Job 21:20
(4) waters above the firmament?
(5) transposed letters and a moment of foolish creativity
(6) singular suffix, plural antecedent
(7) singular suffix, plural antecedent
(8) =22:11

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