Job 38 - Easy To Read Version

¹ Then the Lord spoke to Job from a whirlwind. God said:

² “Who is this ignorant person\par that is saying these foolish things?” {\cf2\super [79]} \par

³ Job, brace yourself {\cf2\super [80]} \par and get ready to answer the questions\par that I will ask you.\par

⁴ “Job, where were you\par when I made the earth?\par If you are so smart,\par then answer me.\par

⁵ If you are so smart,\par Who decided how big\par the world would be?\par Who measured the world with\par a measuring line?\par

⁶ What is the earth resting on?\par Who put the first stone in its place?\par

⁷ The morning stars sang together\par and the angels {\cf2\super [81]} shouted with joy\par when that was done!\par

⁸ “Job, who closed the gates to stop the sea\par when it flowed from deep in the earth?\par

⁹ At that time I covered it with clouds,\par and wrapped it in darkness.\par

¹⁰ I set the limits for the sea\par and put it behind locked gates.\par

¹¹ I said to the sea,\par ‘You can come this far, but no farther.\par This is where your proud waves\par will stop.’\par

¹² “Job, did you ever in your life\par command the morning to start\par or the day to begin?\par

¹³ Job, did you ever tell the morning light\par to grab the earth\par and shake the evil people\par out of their hiding places?\par

¹⁴ The morning light makes the hills\par and the valleys easy to see.\par When the daylight comes to the earth,\par the shapes of those places stand out\par like the folds of a coat.\par Those places take shape like soft clay\par that is pressed with a stamp.\par

¹⁵ Evil people don’t like the daylight.\par When it shines bright, it stops them\par from doing their bad things.\par

¹⁶ “Job, have you ever gone\par to the deepest parts of the sea\par where the sea begins?\par Have you ever walked\par on the ocean bottom?\par

¹⁷ Job, have you ever seen the gates\par leading to the world of the dead?\par Have you ever seen the gates\par leading to that dark place of death?\par

¹⁸ Job, do you really understand\par how large the earth is?\par Tell me, if you know all this.\par

¹⁹ “Job, where does light come from?\par Where does darkness come from?\par

²⁰ Job, can you take light and dark\par back to the place they came from?\par Do you know how to go to that place?\par

²¹ Surely you know these things, Job.\par You are very old and wise.\par You were alive when I made those things,\par weren’t you? {\cf2\super [82]} \par

²² “Job, have you ever gone into\par the storerooms where I keep\par the snow and the hail?\par

²³ I save the snow and the hail\par for times of trouble,\par for the times of war and battle.\par

²⁴ Have you ever gone to the place\par where the sun comes up,\par where it makes the east wind blow\par all over the earth? {\cf2\super [83]} \par

²⁵ Who dug ditches in the sky\par for the heavy rain?\par Who made a path for the thunderstorm?\par

²⁶ Who makes it rain\par even in places where no people live?\par

²⁷ That rain gives plenty of water\par to that empty land\par and grass begins to grow.\par

²⁸ Does the rain have a father?\par Who produces the drops of dew?\par

²⁹ Does ice have a mother?\par Who gives birth to the hail?\par

³⁰ Water freezes as hard as a rock.\par And even the ocean freezes over!\par

³¹ “Job, can you tie up the Pleiades? {\cf2\super [84]} \par Can you unfasten the belt of Orion? {\cf2\super [85]} \par

³² Can you bring out the constellations {\cf2\super [86]} \par at the right times?\par Or can you lead out the Bear {\cf2\super [87]} with its cubs?\par

³³ Do you know the laws\par that control the sky?\par Can you make them rule over the earth?\par

³⁴ “Job, can you shout at the clouds\par and command them to cover you\par with rain?\par

³⁵ Can you give a command to the lightning?\par Will it come to you and say,\par ‘Here we are.\par What do you want, sir?’\par Will it go wherever you want it to go?\par

³⁶ “Job, who makes people wise?\par Who puts wisdom deep inside of them?\par

³⁷ Who is wise enough to count the clouds\par and tip them over to pour out their rain?\par

³⁸ So the dust becomes mud\par and the clods of dirt stick together.\par

³⁹ “Job, do you find food for the lions?\par Do you feed their hungry babies?\par

⁴⁰ Those lions lie down in their caves,\par they crouch down in the grass\par \{ready to attack their prey\}.\par

⁴¹ Who feeds the ravens\par when their babies yell out to God\par