The Bible (Old and New Testaments)

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 broke forth, and issued out of the womb;

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

And prescribed for it My decree, and set bars and doors,

And said: 'Thus far shalt thou come, but no further; and here shall thy proud waves be stayed'?

Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days began, and caused the dayspring to know its place;

That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, and the wicked be shaken out of it?

It is changed as clay under the seal; and they stand as a garment.

But from the wicked their light is withholden, and the high arm is broken.

Hast thou entered into the springs of the sea? Or hast thou walked in the recesses of the deep?

Have the gates of death been revealed unto thee? Or hast thou seen the gates of the shadow of death?

Hast thou surveyed unto the breadths of the earth? Declare, if thou knowest it all.

Where is the way to the dwelling of light, 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?

Thou knowest it, for thou wast then born, and the number of thy days is great!

Hast thou entered the treasuries of the snow, or hast thou seen the treasuries 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, or the east wind scattered upon the earth?

Who hath cleft a channel for the waterflood, or a way for the lightning of the thunder;

To cause it to rain on a land 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 hoar-frost of heaven, who hath gendered it?

The waters are congealed like stone, and the face of the deep is frozen.

Canst thou bind the chains of the Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion?

Canst thou lead forth the Mazzaroth in their season? Or canst thou guide the Bear with her sons?

Knowest thou the ordinances of the heavens? Canst thou establish 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 forth lightnings, that they may go, and say unto thee: 'Here we are'?

Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts? Or who hath given understanding to the mind?

Who can number the clouds by wisdom? Or who can pour out the bottles of heaven,

When the dust runneth into a mass, and the clods cleave fast together?

Wilt thou hunt the prey for the lioness? Or satisfy the appetite of the young lions,

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

Who provideth for the raven his prey, when his young ones cry unto God, and wander for lack of food?

Knowest thou the time when the wild goats of the rock bring forth? Or canst thou mark when the hinds do calve?

Canst thou number the months that they fulfil? Or knowest thou the time when they bring forth?

They bow themselves, they bring forth their young, they cast out their fruit.

Their young ones wax strong, they grow up in the open field; they go forth, and return not again.

Who hath sent out the wild ass free? Or who hath loosed the bands of the wild ass?

Whose house I have made the wilderness, and the salt land his dwelling-place.

He scorneth the tumult of the city, neither heareth he the shoutings of the driver.

The range of the mountains is his pasture, and he searcheth after every green thing.

Will the wild-ox be willing to serve thee? Or will he abide by thy crib?

Canst thou bind the wild-ox with his band in the furrow? Or will he harrow the valleys after thee?

Wilt thou trust him, because his strength is great? Or wilt thou leave thy labour to him?

Wilt thou rely on him, that he will bring home thy seed, and gather the corn of thy threshing-floor?

The wing of the ostrich beateth joyously; but are her pinions and feathers the kindly stork's?

For she leaveth her eggs on the earth, and warmeth them in dust,

And forgetteth that the foot may crush them, or that the wild beast may trample them.

She is hardened against her young ones, as if they were not hers; though her labour be in vain, she is without fear;

Because God hath deprived her of wisdom, neither hath He imparted to her understanding.

When the time cometh, she raiseth her wings on high, and scorneth the horse and his rider.

Hast thou given the horse his strength? Hast thou clothed his neck with fierceness?

Hast thou made him to leap as a locust? The glory of his snorting is terrible.

He paweth in the valley, and rejoiceth in his strength; he goeth out to meet the clash of arms.

He mocketh at fear, and is not affrighted; neither turneth he back from the sword.

The quiver rattleth upon him, the glittering spear and the javelin.

He swalloweth the ground with storm and rage; neither believeth he that it is the voice of the horn.

As oft as he heareth the horn he saith: 'Ha, ha!' and he smelleth the battle afar off, the thunder of the captains, and the shouting.

Doth the hawk soar by thy wisdom, and stretch her wings toward the south?

Doth the vulture mount up at thy command, and make her nest on high?

She dwelleth and abideth on the rock, upon the crag of the rock, and the stronghold.

From thence she spieth out the prey; her eyes behold it afar off.

Her young ones also suck up blood; and where the slain are, there is she.

Moreover the LORD answered Job, and said:

Shall he that reproveth contend with the Almighty? He that argueth with God, let him answer it.

Then Job answered the LORD, and said:

Behold, I am of small account; what shall I answer Thee? I lay my hand upon my mouth.

Once have I spoken, but I will not answer again; yea, twice, but I will proceed no further.

Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said:

Gird up thy loins now like a man; I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto Me.

Wilt thou even make void My judgment? Wilt thou condemn Me, that thou mayest be justified?

Or hast thou an arm like God? And canst thou thunder with a voice like Him?

Deck thyself now with majesty and excellency, and array thyself with glory and beauty.

Cast abroad the rage of thy wrath; and look upon every one that is proud, and abase him.

Look on every one that is proud, and bring him low; and tread down the wicked in their place.

Hide them in the dust together; bind their faces in the hidden place.

Then will I also confess unto thee that thine own right hand can save thee.

Behold now behemoth, which I made with thee; he eateth grass as an ox.

Lo now, his strength is in his loins, and his force is in the stays of his body.

He straineth his tail like a cedar; the sinews of his thighs are knit together.

His bones are as pipes of brass; his gristles are like bars of iron.

He is the beginning of the ways of God; He only that made him can make His sword to approach unto him.

Surely the mountains bring him forth food, and all the beasts of the field play there.

He lieth under the lotus-trees, in the covert of the reed, and fens.

The lotus-trees cover him with their shadow; the willows of the brook compass him about.

Behold, if a river overflow, he trembleth not; he is confident, though the Jordan rush forth to his mouth.

Shall any take him by his eyes, or pierce through his nose with a snare?

Canst thou draw out leviathan with a fish-hook? or press down his tongue with a cord?

Canst thou put a ring into his nose? or bore his jaw through with a hook?

Will he make many supplications unto thee? or will he speak soft words unto thee?

Will he make a covenant with thee, that thou shouldest take him for a servant for ever?

Wilt thou play with him as with a bird? Or wilt thou bind him for thy maidens?

Will the bands of fishermen make a banquet of him? Will they part him among the merchants?

Canst thou fill his skin with barbed irons? or his head with fish-spears?

Lay thy hand upon him; think upon the battle, thou wilt do so no more.

Behold, the hope of him is in vain; shall not one be cast down even at the sight of him?

None is so fierce that dare stir him up; who then is able to stand before Me?

Who hath given Me anything beforehand, that I should repay him? Whatsoever is under the whole heaven is Mine.