The. holie. Bible. conteynyng the olde Testament and the newe.

¶ The .xxxviii. Chapter.

God speaketh to Iob and decla••eth the weakenes of man in the consideration of his crea∣tures, by whose excellencie the power, iustice, and prouidence of the creator is knowen.

1 THen aunswered the Lorde vnto Iob out of the a 1.1 whirle winde, and saide:

2 What is he that b 1.2 darkeneth his coun∣saile by wordes with∣out knowledge?

3 G••rde vp thy c 1.3 loynes lyke a man: for I wyl question with thee, see thou geue me a direct aunswere.

4 Where wast thou when I (d) 1.4 layed the foundations of the earth? Tell playne∣ly, if thou hast vnderstanding.

5 Who hath measured it, knowest thou? or who hath (e) 1.5 spread the lyne vpon 〈◊〉〈◊〉

6 Whereupon are the (f) 1.6 foundations 〈◊〉〈◊〉 or who layed the * 1.7 corner sto••e 〈…〉〈…〉

7 Where wast thou when the morning starres praysed me together, and all the children of God reioyced triumphantly?

8 Who (h) 1.8 shut the sea with doores, when it brake foorth as out of the wombe?

9 When I made the cloudes [to be] a co∣uering for it, and (i) 1.9 swadled it with the darke:

10 When I gaue it my commaundement, making doores and barres for it,

11 Saying, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further: and here shalt thou laye downe thy proude and hie waues.

12 Hast thou geuē the morning his charge since thy dayes, and shewed the day spring his place,

13 That it might take holde of the “ 1.10 cor∣ners of the earth, and that the vngodly might be shaken out of it.

14 (k) 1.11They are fashioned as is the clay with the seale, and all stand vp as a gar∣ment.

15 The vngodly shall be disapointed of their light, and “ 1.12 the arme of the proude shalbe broken.

16 (l) 1.13Camest thou euer into the “ 1.14 grounde of the sea, or walkedst in the lowe cor∣ners of the deepe?

17 Haue the gates of death ben opened vn∣to thee? or hast thou seene the doores of the shadowe of death?

18 Hast thou also perceaued how brode the earth is? If thou hast knowledge of all this:

19 Then shewe me the way where light dwelleth, & where is the place of darke∣nesse?

20 That thou shouldest receaue it in the boundes thereof, and know the pathes to their houses.

21 Knewest thou afore thou wast borne how olde thou shouldest be?

22 (m) 1.15Wentest thou euer into the treasures of the snow, or hast thou seene the secrete places of the hayle,

23 Which I haue prepared against the time of trouble, against the time of bat∣taile and warre?

24 By what way is the light parted? and into what land breaketh the east winde?

25 Who deuideth the waters into diuers chanels? or who maketh a way for the lightening and thunder,

26 To cause it to rayne on the earth where no man is, and in the wildernesse where none inhabiteth?

27 To satisfie the desolate and waste grounde, and to cause the budde of the hearbe to spring foorth.

28 Who is the (n) 1.16 father of the rayne? or who hath begotten the droppes of the deawe?

29 Out of whose wombe came the yee? Who hath gendred the “ 1.17 coldnesse of the ayre?

30 That the waters are “ 1.18 hidde as [with] a stone, and lye congealed aboue the deepe.

31 Wylt thou hinder the sweete influen∣ces of the seuen starres? or loose the bandes of Orion?

32 Canst thou bring foorth Mazzaroth in their time? canst thou also guide Ar••tu∣rus with his sonnes?

33 Knowest thou the course of heauen, that thou mayest set vp (o) 1.19 the ordi∣naunce thereof vpon the earth?

34 Moreouer, canst thou lift vp thy voyce to the cloudes, that they may powre downe a great rayne vpon thee?

35 Canst thou send the lightninges also, that they may go their way, and be obe∣dient vnto thee, saying, Lo here are we?

36 Who hath put wysdome in the reynes? or who hath geuen the heart vnder∣standing?

37 Who numbreth the cloudes in wys∣dome? who stilleth the vehement “ 1.20 wa∣ters of the heauen?

38 (p) 1.21To cause the earth to grow into hard∣nesse, & the clots to clots to cleaue fast together?

39 (q) 1.22Wylt thou hunt the pray for the lion? or fill the appetite of the lions whelpes,

40 When they couche in their places, and tarie in the couert to lye in wayte?

41 Who prouideth meate for the rauen, when his young ones crye vnto God, and flee about for lacke of meate?

Notes

• a 1.1

  To shewe his maiestie, and to en¦struct Iob before whom he spake.
• b 1.2

  That speaketh s•• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 surely.
• c 1.3

  That is, 〈…〉〈…〉.
• (d) 1.4

  〈…〉〈…〉 by this, that if he could not conceaue gods wonder∣full workes, much lesse his vnsearchable wysdome.
• (e) 1.5

  That is, compassed the earth with his bondes.
• (f) 1.6

  Meaning, the handes of God, which holde vp as a pyller the heauens and the earth that it falleth not.
• * 1.7

  That is 〈…〉〈…〉 the 〈…〉〈…〉 or the 〈…〉〈…〉
• (h) 1.8

  That is, who a••ter the creation shut vp the feas within their limits ••s with doores▪
• (i) 1.9

  As though the h••ge se••s were but a weake childe in gods hand, to rule at h••s pleasure.
• “ 1.10

  Or, winges.
• (k) 1.11

  Though the vngodly trust in their estate to en∣dure long, yet they shalbe as weake as clay, and as a garment shall soone perishe.
• “ 1.12

  Or, the high arme.
• (l) 1.13

  A iudge ought to be skilfull in the cause that he iudgeth: but seeing thou knowest none of these thinges that are visible, why wylt thou presume to iudge of thinges inuisi∣ble?
• “ 1.14

  Or, bot∣tome.
• (m) 1.15

  No man 〈◊〉〈◊〉 go in the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 where 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••••owe is gendred: 〈…〉〈…〉 lesse may Iob clyme vp to heauen to know gods secretes.
• (n) 1.16

  Meaning, God is the creator and maker of all thinges.
• “ 1.17

  Or, stost of the heauen.
• “ 1.18

  Or, Some reade, hard.
• (o) 1.19

  The influ∣ence.
• “ 1.20

  Or, bot∣tels.
• (p) 1.21

  For so groweth the earth by the want of rayne.
• (q) 1.22

  After he had shewed his mar∣ue••les aboue, he commeth to the earthly creatures, as though God would say, the thinges on the cloudes are vnknow•• to thee, yea euen thinges on earth thou durst not do, how much lesse then durst thou to reache to gods secret wys∣dome.