The Lord Speaks
From Out of a Storm
1 From out of a storm,
the Lord said to Job:
2 Why do you talk so much
when you know so little?
3 Now get ready to face me!
Can you answer
the questions I ask?
4 How did I lay the foundation
for the earth?
Were you there?
5 Doubtless you know who decided
its length and width.
6 What supports the foundation?
Who placed the cornerstone,
7 while morning stars sang,
and angels rejoiced?
8 When the ocean was born,
I set its boundaries
9 and wrapped it in blankets
of thickest fog.
10 Then I built a wall around it,
locked the gates, 11 and said,
“Your powerful waves stop here!
They can go no farther.”
Did You Ever Tell the Sun To Rise?
12 Did you ever tell the sun to rise?
And did it obey?
13 Did it take hold of the earth
and shake out the wicked
like dust from a rug?
14 Early dawn outlines the hills
like stitches on clothing
or sketches on clay.
15 But its light is too much
for those who are evil,
and their power is broken.
16 Job, have you ever walked
on the ocean floor?
17 Have you seen the gate
to the world of the dead?
18 And how large is the earth?
Tell me, if you know!
19 Where is the home of light,
and where does darkness live?
20 Can you lead them home?
21 I'm certain you must be able to,
since you were already born
when I created everything.
22 Have you been to the places
where I keep snow and hail,
23 until I use them to punish
and conquer nations?
24 From where does lightning leap,
or the east wind blow?
25 Who carves out a path
for thunderstorms?
Who sends torrents of rain
26 on empty deserts
where no one lives?
27 Rain that changes barren land
to meadows green with grass.
28 Who is the father of the dew
and of the rain?
29 Who gives birth to the sleet
and the frost
30 that fall in winter,
when streams and lakes
freeze solid as a rock?
Can You Arrange Stars?
31 Can you arrange stars in groups
such as Orion
and the Pleiades?
32 Do you control the stars
or set in place the Big Dipper
and the Little Dipper?
33 Do you know the laws
that govern the heavens,
and can you make them rule
the earth?
34 Can you order the clouds
to send a downpour,
35 or will lightning flash
at your command?
36 Did you teach birds to know
that rain or floods
are on their way?
37 Can you count the clouds
or pour out their water
38 on the dry, lumpy soil?
39 When lions are hungry,
do you help them hunt?
40 Do you send an animal
into their den?
41 And when starving young ravens
cry out to me for food,
do you satisfy their hunger?
Dievs atbild Ījabam
(1Moz 1:1–10)1 Tad Kungs no viesuļa atbildēja Ījabam, sacīdams:
2 “Kas manu padomu aptumšo
vārdiem, kuros nav zināšanas?
3 Joz nu gurnus kā vīrs –
es tev vaicāšu, tu man stāstīsi,
4 kur tu biji, kad es liku pamatus zemei –
pastāsti, ja to zini!
5 Kas mēroja to, tu taču zini!
Kas auklu vilka tai pāri?
6 Zemes pamati kur gremdēti?
Kas stūrakmeni tai pasvieda,
7 kad gavilēja rīta zvaigznes
un līksmojās visi Dieva dēli?
8 Kas stiprām durvīm aizslēdza jūru,
kad tā lauzās no zemes klēpja,
9 kad es mākoņos to ģērbu
un miglas autos vīstīju,
10 kad aizliku tai savu robežu,
aizšāvu bultu un aizcirtu durvis,
11 un teicu:
tiktāl nāc, bet tālāk ne,
te stās tavi lepnie viļņi!
12 Vai kaut reizi esi pavēlējis rītam
un ausmai licis zināt tās vietu,
13 licis ņemt zemes stūrus
un nokratīt negantos no zemes virsas?
14 Zeme kļūst kā spiedoga māls,
un tie stāv kā uz drānas!
15 Atrauta ļaundariem gaisma,
viņu paceltais elkonis satriekts!
16 Vai esi ticis līdz jūras avotiem,
vai dzelmes dibenā nonācis esi?
17 Vai vērušies tev nāves vārti,
vai tumsības vārtus redzējis esi?
18 Vai zemes plašumus izpratis esi?
Pastāsti, ja visu to zini!
19 Kur tas ceļš, kur gaisma mīt? –
un tumsa – kur tās vieta? –
20 ka tu novestu mājup tās,
zinātu takas uz viņu namu.
21 Tu zini – tu biji jau dzimis,
un dienu tev bez sava skaita!
22 Vai esi nācis sniega kambaros,
vai krusas kambarus redzējis esi?
23 Tos es glabāju naida laikam,
cīniņu un kara dienai!
24 Pa kuru ceļu nogriežas rūsa,
kā pajūk austrenis zemei pāri?
25 Kas lietus gāzmām pašķir ceļu
un ceļā sūta pērkona tūces,
26 lai līst pār zemi, kur ļaužu nav,
pār tuksnesi, kur cilvēks nemājo,
27 kalšņas un smilšņas lai atveldzē,
lai izdiedzē zāli?
28 Vai tad lietum ir tēvs?
Kas dzemdina rasas lāses?
29 No kuras klēpja ledus nāk,
kas dzemdēja debesu sarmu?
30 Kā akmens ūdeņi stingst
un dzelmes vaigs sasalst.
31 Vai vari sasiet Sietiņa važas,
vai Muļķa saites atraisīt vari,
32 vai zvaigznājus vari vadīt to stundā,
vai Lāceni un tās dēlus vadāt tu vari?
33 Vai debesu likumus tu zini?
Vai tu liec tiem valdīt virs zemes?
34 Vai vari līdz mākoņiem pacelt balsi,
lai klāj tevi ūdeņu pali?
35 Vai tu sūti zibeņus, ka tie iet
un atsaucas tev: mēs šeit! –
36 Kas padebešiem dāvā gudrību,
kas manai debesteltij dod saprašanu?
37 Kas ar gudrību saskaita mākoņus,
kas debesu krūkas izlej,
38 ka pīšļi līp kopā
un zemes pikas saķep?
39 Vai tu nomedī lauvai laupījumu
un lauvēnu dzīvību uzturi,
40 kad tie savos midzeņos gul,
biezoknī pieplok, uz upuri glūn?
41 Kas krauklim dod medījumu,
kad šā bērni uz Dievu brēc,
tekalējot bez ēsmas?
