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OET by section JOB 38:1

JOB 38:1–39:30 ©

SECTION SIX: God’s speeches/God answers Iyyov

This is still a very early look into the unfinished text of the Open English Translation of the Bible. Please double-check the text in advance before using in public.

Readers’ Version

Literal Version 

SECTION SIX: God’s speeches

(38:1–42:6)

38:1 God answers Iyyov

38Then Yahweh answered Iyyov from the storm:

2Who is this giving bad advice,

with words that are lacking knowledge?

3Get ready to battle[fn]like a man,

and I’ll question you and you can answer me.


4Where were you when I laid the world’s foundations?

Do tell me, if you understand that.

5Who decided on it’s measurements, if you know?

Or who stretched out a tape measure over it?

6What were its footings attached to?

Who put its reference stone in place

7when the morning stars sung together,

and God’s children shouted happily?


8Who was the one who confined the ocean with gates[ref]

when it burst its way out from the womb?

9I covered it with clouds as its clothing,

and thick darkness as its tight blanket.

10I assigned my boundaries for the ocean,

and put a latch on its gates,

11and I said, ‘You can only come this far and no further.

Your proud waves will be stopped here.’


12In all your life, have you ever commanded the morning to come,

or helped the dawn to know its place

13so that it might take hold of the bottom edges of the earth

and shake the wicked out of it?[fn]

14After dawn, the earth takes shape like clay when a seal is pressed into it,

and its features stand out like folds in a cloak.

15Their light is withheld from wicked people,

and their arm raised in violence gets broken.

16Have you visited the springs under the sea?

Have you walked around in the trenches of the deep ocean?

17Have the gates of death been revealed to you?

Have you seen the gates that open into deep darkness?

18Have you taken note of the width of the earth?

Do tell me if you know all those things.

19How do you get to where light lives,

and where is the place that darkness comes from?

20Can you take it to its territory,

and how would you figure out the paths to its house?

21You’d know because surely you were born before then,

and you’re so very, very old.


22Have you entered the warehouses where snow is stored,

and have you seen the bunker where hail is kept,

23which I keep there ready for troubled times—

for the day of war and battle?

24Where’s the way to find where light is distributed,

or where the east wind gets scattered all over the earth?

25Who cuts out the channels for the downpours to flow in,

and makes the path for thunderbolts?

26Who sends rain to regions where nobody lives,

or to a wilderness that has nobody in it,

27to satisfy the parched wasteland

and to cause fresh grass to shoot up?

28Does the rain have a father,

or who gave birth to the dew drops?

29Whose womb does the ice come from,

and who gives birth to the frost that descends from the sky,

30when the waters become hard like stone,

and the surface of the deep ocean freezes?


31Can you tie together the stars of Pleiades,[ref]

or loosen Orion’s belt?

32Can you lead each constellation out in its season,

and can you guide the Bear with her cubs?

33Do you understand the physical laws of the universe,

or can you establish their rule over the earth?


34Can you command the clouds with your voice,

and cause a flood of water to cover you?

35Can you send out flashes of lightning,

so they go off then tell you, ‘Here we are’?

36Who put wisdom into people’s minds,

or can give understanding to the mind?

37Who has enough wisdom to number the clouds,

and who will tip over the water jars of the sky

38when the dust solidifies into a lump,

and the clods of soil stick together?


39Can you hunt for prey for the lionness,

and satisfy the appetite of her cubs,

40when they crouch in their dens—

lying in wait in the thicket?


41Who prepares prey for the raven

when its chicks cry out to God for help,

when they stagger around for lack of food?


39Do you know when it is that mountain goats give birth?

Do you watch the wild does having their fawns?

2Have you counted how many months it’ll be after they conceived?

Do you know what date they’ll give birth?

3They crouch down to deliver their young,

and then their labour pains are over.

4Their young grow up in the countryside and become strong,

then they leave their mothers and don’t return to them again.


5Who set the wild donkeys free?

Who untied the ropes of the wild mule?

6I decided that the wilderness would be their home,

and the salt-land to be where they live.

7They laugh at the commotion coming from the city.

They don’t have any drivers shouting at them.

8They range across the hills looking for pasture,

and search after anything that’s green.


9Will the wild cow consent to serve you,

or to stay the night beside your feeding trough?

10Will you use a rope to guide the wild bull to plough straight,

or will he come along afterwards to harrow over the furrows?

11Would you trust in his strength,

and leave your work for him to do?

12Would you depend on the wild bull to bring in your grain,

and to pile it on your threshing floor?


13Ostriches happily flap their wings,

but unlike the stork, their joints and feathers aren’t made for flying.

14The female leaves her eggs on the ground.

They’re kept warm in the dust.

15She forgets that they might be crushed by a foot,

or be trampled by wild animals.

16She’s harsh on her young as if they’re not hers,

without worrying that her egg-laying might all be wasted.

17Yes, God didn’t give her much wisdom,

and he didn’t fill her with much understanding.

18But it doesn’t stop her flapping her wings.

She laughs at the horse and its rider.


19Was it you who gave the horse his strength?

Did you clothe his neck with that mane?

20Did you make him so he can leap like a locust?

His powerful snorting is terrifying.

21They paw at the ground, excited to go and display their strength.

Off they go to face the enemy’s weapons.

22It laughs at fear—not afraid at all,

and it doesn’t retreat back from the sword.

23The quiver of arrows rattles on its side.

The spear and the javelin flash.

24Shaking with excitement, it speeds over.

It can’t stand still once the horn is sounded.

25When it hears the horn, it snorts ready to go,

and it smells the battle from far away—

the shouts of the commanders and the battle-cries.


26Is it your wisdom that the hawk uses to soar,

and why it spreads its wings to migrate south?

27Is it your command that sends the eagle flying upwards,

and tells it to build it nest up so high?

28It lives on a cliff,

and spends the night in its fortress among the sharp rocks.

29From there, it spies out food.

Its eyes watch from far away.

30Its young ones feast on blood,[ref]

and where there’s dead bodies, they’ll be there.


38:3 Lit. ‘Gird your loins’. In a robe-wearing culture, it was normal for a man to tuck the bottom of his robe up into his belt to clear his legs to be able to move more freely—perhaps to run, but also to fight.

38:13 Of course, the wicked are busy in the ‘blanket of darkness’, but dawn pulls that off them.


38and_answered Yahweh DOM ʼIyyōⱱ wwww[fn] the_whirlwind[fn] and_said.
2Who this [is]_making_dark counsel in/on/at/with_words not knowledge.
3Gird_up please like_man loins_yourself and_question_you and_declare_me.
4Where were_you in/on/at/with_laid_the_foundation_I [the]_earth tell if you_know understanding.
5Who did_he_appoint measurements_its if/because you_know or who did_he_stretch_out on/upon_it(f) a_measuring-line.
6On what bases_its were_they_sunk or who did_he_lay the_stone corner_of_its.
7In/on/at/with_sang together [the]_stars of_morning and_shouted_for_joy all the_sons of_god.
8And_enclosed in/on/at/with_doors [the]_sea in/on/at/with_burst_out_it from_womb it_came_forth.
9In/on/at/with_made_I cloud[s] garment_its and_thick_darkness swaddling_band_its.
10And_prescribed on/upon/above_him/it boundaries_my and_set a_bar and_doors.
11And_said to here you_will_come and_not you_will_add and_here someone_will_fix in/on/at/with_proud waves_your.
12In_life_your[fn] have_you_commanded morning wwww have_you_caused_to_know[fn][fn] place_its.
13That_take_hold in/on/at/with_skirts the_earth/land and_shake wwww[fn] mmm.
14It_is_changed like_clay of_a_seal and_stand_out like clothing.
15And_withheld from[fn] light_their and_arm uplifted it_is_broken.
16Entered to [the]_springs of_[the]_sea and_in/on/at/with_recesses of_the_deep have_you_walked_about.
17Revealed to/for_yourself(m) [the]_gates of_death and_gates of_deep_darkness have_you_seen.
18Have_you_shown_yourself_attentive to [the]_broad_spaces of_[the]_earth tell if you_know all_this.
19Where this the_way [where]_it_dwells light and_darkness where this place_its.
20(cmp) take_it to territory_its and_because/when you_will_discern the_paths home_its.
21You_know if/because then you_were_born and_number days_your [is]_many.
22Entered into [the]_storehouses of_snow and_storehouses of_hail have_you_seen.
23Which I_have_kept_back for_time of_distress for_day of_battle and_war.
24Where this the_way [where]_it_is_divided light [where]_it_scatters [the]_east_wind over [the]_earth.
25Who does_he_divide for_the_torrents_of_rain a_channel and_way for_bolts of_thunder_claps.
26To_bring_rain on a_land not anyone a_wilderness [which]_not anyone in/on/over_him/it.
27To_satisfy devastation[fn] and_wasteland and_to_put_forth a_going_forth of_fresh_grass.
28Is_there for_the_rain a_father or who does_he_father [the]_drops of_dew.
29From_womb of_whom does_it_come_forth the_ice and_frost of_heaven who given_birth_it.
30Like_the_stone waters they_become_hard and_surface of_the_deep they_freeze.
31Bind the_bonds of_Pleiades or the_cords of_Orion will_you_untie/releasen.
32Lead_forth [the]_constellations in/on/at/with_season_their and_bear with her/its_sons/descendants guide_them.
33Know [the]_statutes of_[the]_heavens or do_you_appoint rule_their in/on_the_earth.
34Lift_up to_the_clouds voice_your and_flood of_water cover_you.
35The_send_forth lightning_flashes and_go and_say to/for_yourself(m) here_we.
36Who has_he_put in/on/at/with_heart wisdom or who has_he_given to_the_mind understanding.
37Who will_he_count [the]_clouds in/on/at/with_wisdom and_water_jars of_heaven who will_he_make_to_lie_down.
38In/on/at/with_runs [the]_dust into_the_mass and_clods they_are_joined_together.
39Hunt for_lion prey and_appetite of_young_lions will_you_fill.
40If/because they_will_crouch in/on/at/with_dens they_will_remain in/on/at/with_thicket for lying-in-wait.
41Who does_he_prepare for_the_raven prey_its if/because young_its[fn] to god they_will_cry_for_help they_will_wander_about for_lack_of food.
39Know [the]_time of_[the]_bringing_forth of_mountain_goats of_rock [the]_bringing_forth of_does do_you_watch.
2Will_you_count [the]_months [which]_they_complete and_know the_time give_birth_they.
3They_kneel_down young_their they_cleave_open labour_pains_their they_send_forth.
4They_become_strong young_ones_their they_grow in/on/at/with_open they_go_forth and_not they_return to_them.
5Who did_he_let_untie/release [the]_wild_donkey free and_bonds of_[the]_wild_ass who did_he_untie/releasen.
6Which I_appointed [the]_wilderness_plain home_its and_dwelling_place_its [the]_saltiness.
7It_laughs at_tumult of_a_town [the]_shouting(s) of_a_driver not it_hears.
8It_explores mountains pasture_its and_after every green_plant it_searches.
9Willing a_wild_ox[fn] serve_you or will_it_pass_the_night at manger_your.
10Tie [the]_wild_ox in/on/at/with_furrow ropes_its or will_it_harrow valleys after_you.
11Depend in/on/over_him/it[fn] if/because [is]_great strength_its and_leave to_him/it labour_your.
12Have_faith in/on/over_him/it[fn] if/because_that it_will_bring_back[fn] grain_your and_threshing_floor_your it_will_gather.
13[the]_wing of_ostriches it_flaps_joyously if a_pinion a_stork and_plumage.
14If/because it_abandons to_the_earth eggs_her and_in [the]_dust it_keeps_[them]_warm.
15And_forgets if/because_that a_foot crush_them and_animal the_field trample_them.
16It_treats_harshly her/its_sons/descendants as_if_not to/for_her/it in_vain labour_her not fear.
17If/because forget_her god wisdom and_not he_gave_a_share to/for_her/it in/on/at/with_understanding.
18Yet_the_time in/on/at/with_aloft it_flaps it_laughs at_the_horse and_at_rider_its.
19Give to_the_horse strength clothe neck_his a_mane.
20The_leap_him like_the_locust the_majesty snorting_his [is]_terror.
21They_paw in/on/at/with_valley and_exults in/on/at/with_strength it_goes_forth to_meet weaponry.
22It_laughs at_fear and_not it_is_dismayed and_not it_turns_back from_face/in_front_of a_sword.
23On/upon/above_him/it it_rattles a_quiver [the]_blade of_a_spear and_javelin.
24In/on/at/with_fierceness and_rage it_swallows [the]_ground and_not it_stands_firm if/because [the]_sound of_a_horn.
25In/on/at/with_often_as of_a_horn it_says aha and_from_distance it_smells battle [the]_thunder of_commanders and_battle_cry.
26By_wisdom_your does_it_soar a_falcon does_it_spread_out wings_its[fn] toward_south.
27Or on command_your does_it_make_high_[its_flight] an_eagle and_because/when it_sets_on_high nest_its.
28A_rock it_dwells and_spends_the_night on [the]_tooth of_a_rock and_stronghold.
29From_there it_spies_out food from_from_far_away eyes_its they_look.
30And_young_ones_its[fn] they_drink blood and_in/on/at/with_where [those]_slain_[are] [is]_there it.

38:1 Note: Marks a word with a final consonant that is a medial (not a final) form.

38:1 Variant note: מנ ה/סערה: (x-qere) ’מִ֥ן’: lemma_4480 a morph_HR id_18pe5 מִ֥ן׀ ׀’הַ/סְּעָרָ֗ה’: lemma_d/5591 b n_1 morph_HTd/Ncfsa id_18Gfh הַ/סְּעָרָ֗ה

38:12 Note: BHS has been faithful to the Leningrad Codex where there might be a question of the validity of the form and we keep the same form as BHS.

38:12 Variant note: ידעתה שחר: (x-qere) ’יִדַּ֖עְתָּה’: lemma_3045 morph_HVpp2ms id_18xRA יִדַּ֖עְתָּה ’הַ/שַּׁ֣חַר’: lemma_d/7837 morph_HTd/Ncmsa id_18CvE הַ/שַּׁ֣חַר

38:12 Note: We read one or more consonants in L differently from BHS.

38:13 Note: Suspended letter(s). Shown as suspended letters without a superscript note number.

38:15 Note: Suspended letter(s). Shown as suspended letters without a superscript note number.

38:27 Note: We read one or more accents in L differently than BHS. Often this notation indicates a typographical error in BHS.

38:41 Variant note: ילד/ו: (x-qere) ’יְ֭לָדָי/ו’: lemma_3206 n_1.0 morph_HNcmpc/Sp3ms id_18CGK יְ֭לָדָי/ו

39:9 Note: BHS has been faithful to the Leningrad Codex where there might be a question of the validity of the form and we keep the same form as BHS.

39:11 Note: We read one or more accents in L differently than BHS. Often this notation indicates a typographical error in BHS.

39:12 Note: We read one or more accents in L differently than BHS. Often this notation indicates a typographical error in BHS.

39:12 Variant note: ישוב: (x-qere) ’יָשִׁ֣יב’: lemma_7725 morph_HVhi3ms id_18kyK יָשִׁ֣יב

39:26 Variant note: כנפ/ו: (x-qere) ’כְּנָפָ֣י/ו’: lemma_3671 morph_HNcfpc/Sp3ms id_18upQ כְּנָפָ֣י/ו

39:30 Variant note: ו/אפרח/ו: (x-qere) ’וְ/אֶפְרֹחָ֥י/ו’: lemma_c/667 morph_HC/Ncmsc/Sp3ms id_18dNA וְ/אֶפְרֹחָ֥י/ו

JOB 38:1–39:30 ©

JOBIntroC1C2C3C4C5C6C7C8C9C10C11C12C13C14C15C16C17C18C19C20C21C22C23C24C25C26C27C28C29C30C31C32C33C34C35C36C37C38C39C40C41C42