Job 38:28–38

28 Does the rain have a father?

Who fathers the drops of dew?

29 From whose womb comes the ice?

Who gives birth to the frost from the heavens

30 when the waters become hard as stone,

when the surface of the deep is frozen?

31 “Can you bind the chains of the Pleiades?

Can you loosen Orion’s belt?

32 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 heavens?

Can you set up God’s dominion over the earth?

34 “Can you raise your voice to the clouds

and cover yourself with a flood of water?

35 Do you send the lightning bolts on their way?

Do they report to you, ‘Here we are’?

36 Who gives the ibis wisdom

or gives the rooster understanding?

37 Who has the wisdom to count the clouds?

Who can tip over the water jars of the heavens

38 when the dust becomes hard

and the clods of earth stick together?

28 “Has the rain a father,

or who has begotten the drops of dew?

29 From whose womb did the ice come forth,

and who has given birth to the frost of heaven?

30 The waters become hard like stone,

and the face of the deep is frozen.

31 “Can you bind the chains of the Pleiades

or loose the cords of Orion?

32 Can you lead forth the Mazzaroth in their season,

or can you guide the Bear with its children?

33 Do you know the ordinances of the heavens?

Can you establish their rule on the earth?

34 “Can you lift up your voice to the clouds,

that a flood of waters may cover you?

35 Can you send forth lightnings, that they may go

and say to you, ‘Here we are’?

36 Who has put wisdom in the inward parts

or given understanding to the mind?

37 Who can number the clouds by wisdom?

Or who can tilt the waterskins of the heavens,

38 when the dust runs into a mass

and the clods stick fast together?

28 Hath the rain a father?

Or who hath begotten the drops of dew?

29 Out of whose womb came the ice?

And the hoary frost of heaven, who hath gendered it?

30 The waters are hid as with a stone,

And the face of the deep is frozen.

31 Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades,

Or loose the bands of Orion?

32 Canst thou bring forth Mazzaroth in his season?

Or canst thou guide Arcturus with his sons?

33 Knowest thou the ordinances of heaven?

Canst thou set the dominion thereof in the earth?

34 Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds,

That abundance of waters may cover thee?

35 Canst thou send lightnings, that they may go,

And say unto thee, Here we are?

36 Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts?

Or who hath given understanding to the heart?

37 Who can number the clouds in wisdom?

Or who can stay the bottles of heaven,

38 When the dust groweth into hardness,

And the clods cleave fast together?

28 “Does the rain have a father?

Who gives birth to the dew?

29 Who is the mother of 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.

31 “Can you direct the movement of the stars—

binding the cluster of the Pleiades

or loosening the cords of Orion?

32 Can you direct the constellations through the seasons

or guide the Bear with her cubs across the heavens?

33 Do you know the laws of the universe?

Can you use them to regulate the earth?

34 “Can you shout to the clouds

and make it rain?

35 Can you make lightning appear

and cause it to strike as you direct?

36 Who gives intuition to the heart

and instinct to the mind?

37 Who is wise enough to count all the clouds?

Who can tilt the water jars of heaven

38 when the parched ground is dry

and the soil has hardened into clods?

28 Has the rain a father?

Or who has begotten the drops of dew?

29 From whose womb comes the ice?

And the frost of heaven, who gives it birth?

30 The waters harden like stone,

And the surface of the deep is frozen.

31 “Can you bind the cluster of the Pleiades,

Or loose the belt of Orion?

32 Can you bring out Mazzaroth in its season?

Or can you guide the Great Bear with its cubs?

33 Do you know the ordinances of the heavens?

Can you set their dominion over the earth?

34 “Can you lift up your voice to the clouds,

That an abundance of water may cover you?

35 Can you send out lightnings, that they may go,

And say to you, ‘Here we are!’?

36 Who has put wisdom in the mind?

Or who has given understanding to the heart?

37 Who can number the clouds by wisdom?

Or who can pour out the bottles of heaven,

38 When the dust hardens in clumps,

And the clods cling together?

28 Does the rain have a father?

Who is father to the drops of dew?

29 Who is the mother of the ice?

Who gives birth to the frost from the sky

30 when the water becomes hard as stone,

and even the surface of the ocean is frozen?

31 “Can you tie up the stars of the Pleiades

or loosen the ropes of the stars in Orion?

32 Can you bring out the stars on time

or lead out the stars of the Bear with its cubs?

33 Do you know the laws of the sky

and understand their rule over the earth?

34 “Can you shout an order to the clouds

and cover yourself with a flood of water?

35 Can you send lightning bolts on their way?

Do they come to you and say, ‘Here we are’?

36 Who put wisdom inside the mind

or understanding in the heart?

37 Who has the wisdom to count the clouds?

Who can pour water from the jars of the sky

38 when the dust becomes hard

and the clumps of dirt stick together?

28 Hath the rain a father?

Or who hath begotten the drops of dew?

29 Out of whose womb came the ice?

And the hoary frost of heaven, who hath gendered it?

30 The waters hide themselves and become like stone,

And the face of the deep is frozen.

31 Canst thou bind the cluster of the Pleiades,

Or loose the bands of Orion?

32 Canst thou lead forth the Mazzaroth in their season?

Or canst thou guide the Bear with her train?

33 Knowest thou the ordinances of the heavens?

Canst thou establish the dominion thereof in the earth?

34 Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds,

That abundance of waters may cover thee?

35 Canst thou send forth lightnings, that they may go,

And say unto thee, Here we are?

36 Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts?

Or who hath given understanding to the mind?

37 Who can number the clouds by wisdom?

Or who can pour out the bottles of heaven,

38 When the dust runneth into a mass,

And the clods cleave fast together?

28 Does the rain have a father? 

Who gave birth to the dewdrops? 

29 From whose womb came the ice, 

and who has given birth to the frost in the air? 

30 The water hardens like a stone, 

and the surface of the ocean freezes over. 

31 “Can you connect the chains of the ⸤constellation⸥ Pleiades 

or untie the ropes of Orion? 

32 Can you bring out the constellations at the right time 

or guide Ursa Major with its cubs? 

33 Do you know the laws of the sky 

or make them rule the earth? 

34 Can you call to the clouds 

and have a flood of water cover you? 

35 Can you send lightning flashes so that they may go and say to you, 

‘Here we are’? 

36 Who put wisdom in the heart 

or gave understanding to the mind? 

37 Who is wise enough to count the clouds 

or pour out the water jars of heaven 

38 when the dirt hardens into clumps 

and the soil clings together? 

28 Does the rain have a father?

Who fathered the drops of dew?

29 Whose womb did the ice come from?

Who gave birth to the frost of heaven

30 when water becomes as hard as stone,

and the surface of the watery depths is frozen?

31 Can you fasten the chains of the Pleiades

or loosen the belt of Orion?

32 Can you bring out the constellations in their season

and lead the Bear and her cubs?

33 Do you know the laws of heaven?

Can you impose its authority on earth?

34 Can you command the clouds

so that a flood of water covers you?

35 Can you send out lightning bolts, and they go?

Do they report to you: “Here we are”?

36 Who put wisdom in the heart

or gave the mind understanding?

37 Who has the wisdom to number the clouds?

Or who can tilt the water jars of heaven

38 when the dust hardens like cast metal

and the clods of dirt stick together?

28 “Has the rain a father,

or who has fathered the drops of dew?

29 From whose womb did the ice come forth,

and who has given birth to the hoarfrost of heaven?

30 The waters become hard like stone,

and the face of the deep is frozen.

31 “Can you bind the chains of the Pleiades

or loose the cords of Orion?

32 Can you lead forth the Mazzaroth in their season,

or can you guide the Bear with its children?

33 Do you know the ordinances of the heavens?

Can you establish their rule on the earth?

34 “Can you lift up your voice to the clouds,

so that a flood of waters may cover you?

35 Can you send forth lightnings, so that they may go

and say to you, ‘Here we are’?

36 Who has put wisdom in the inward parts

or given understanding to the mind?

37 Who has the wisdom to number the clouds?

Or who can tilt the waterskins of the heavens

38 when the dust runs into a mass

and the clods cling together?

28 Is there a father for the rain,

or who fathered the drops of dew?

29 From whose womb did the ice come forth,

and who fathered the frost of heaven?

30 Like stone the waters become hard,

and the faces of the deep freeze.

31 “Can you bind the chains of the Pleiades,

or can you loosen the cords of Orion?

32 Can you lead forth the southern constellations at their appointed time,

or can you lead the Bear with its children?

33 Do you know heaven’s statutes,

or can you establish their rule on the earth?

34 Can you lift up your voice to the clouds

so that a flood of water may cover you?

35 Can you send forth lightnings, that they may go?

And will they say to you, ‘Here we are’?

36 Who has put wisdom in the ibis,

or who has given understanding to the rooster?

37 Who can number the clouds with wisdom?

Or who can tilt heaven’s jars,

38 at the flowing of the dust into a cast

and the clods cling together?

28 Does the rain have a father?

Who is the father of the drops of dew?

29 Does the ice have a mother?

Who is the mother of the frost from the heavens?

30 The waters become as hard as stone.

The surface of the ocean freezes over.

31 “Can you tie up the beautiful Pleiades?

Can you untie the ropes that hold Orion together?

32 Can you bring out all of the stars in their seasons?

Can you lead out the Big Dipper and the Little Dipper?

33 Do you know the laws that govern the heavens?

Can you rule over the earth the way I do?

34 “Can you give orders to the clouds?

Can you make them pour rain down on you?

35 Do you send the lightning bolts on their way?

Do they report to you, ‘Here we are’?

36 Who put wisdom in people’s hearts?

Who gave understanding to their minds?

37 Who is wise enough to count the clouds?

Who can tip over the water jars of the heavens?

38 I tip them over when the ground becomes hard.

I do it when the dirt sticks together.

28 “Has the rain a father?

Or who has begotten the drops of dew?

29 “From whose womb has come the ice?

And the frost of heaven, who has given it birth?

30 “Water becomes hard like stone,

And the surface of the deep is imprisoned.

31 “Can you bind the chains of the Pleiades,

Or loose the cords of Orion?

32 “Can you lead forth a constellation in its season,

And guide the Bear with her satellites?

33 “Do you know the ordinances of the heavens,

Or fix their rule over the earth?

34 “Can you lift up your voice to the clouds,

So that an abundance of water will cover you?

35 “Can you send forth lightnings that they may go

And say to you, ‘Here we are’?

36 “Who has put wisdom in the innermost being

Or given understanding to the mind?

37 “Who can count the clouds by wisdom,

Or tip the water jars of the heavens,

38 When the dust hardens into a mass

And the clods stick together?