Job 38

I've been here before in 2010 but there was a different discipline in my first cut. Then I read books. Now I am letting the computer read the text to see what it tells me. This is the first of Yahweh's speeches after 6 preparatory chapters by Elihu, to which we will come later.

Here too are the short, hard hitting poetic lines (except verse 1 which is in the narrator's voice and uses prose accents). Only verse 41 has an additional internal cadence.

Note how many of the questions span multiple verses. Sometimes the music reflects this continuation, sometimes not. The significance of the starting note for a verse is not clear to me. Where I read a thought spanning verses, I have used a comma at the end of the verse, and a lower case beginning of the next verse.

Job 38		Fn		Min	Max	Syll
וַיַּֽעַן־יְהוָ֣ה אֶת־אִ֭יּוֹב מִ֥ן ׀ הַסְּעָרָ֗ה וַיֹּאמַֽר	1		And Yahweh answered Job from the tempest and said,	3e	4B	15
מִ֤י זֶ֨ה ׀ מַחְשִׁ֖יךְ עֵצָ֥ה בְמִלִּ֗ין בְּֽלִי־דָֽעַת	2	C	Who is this darkening counsel in speeches without knowledge?	3e	4C	12
אֱזָר־נָ֣א כְגֶ֣בֶר חֲלָצֶ֑יךָ וְ֝אֶשְׁאָלְךָ֗ וְהוֹדִיעֵֽנִי	3		Gird if you will, as one who is valiant, your reins, and I will ask you and you make known to me.	3e	4B	10 9
אֵיפֹ֣ה הָ֭יִיתָ בְּיָסְדִי־אָ֑רֶץ הַ֝גֵּ֗ד אִם־יָדַ֥עְתָּ בִינָֽה	4		Where were you when I founded Earth? Make it clear if you know discernment.	3e	4B	9 8
מִי־שָׂ֣ם מְ֭מַדֶּיהָ כִּ֣י תֵדָ֑ע א֤וֹ מִֽי־נָטָ֖ה עָלֶ֣יהָ קָּֽו	5		Who set her measure? For you know. Or who stretched out on her a line?	3e	4C	9 7
עַל־מָ֭ה אֲדָנֶ֣יהָ הָטְבָּ֑עוּ א֥וֹ מִֽי־יָ֝רָ֗ה אֶ֣בֶן פִּנָּתָֽהּ	6		On what is her socket sunk? Or who instructed her corner stone,	3e	4B	9 8
בְּרָן־יַ֭חַד כּ֣וֹכְבֵי בֹ֑קֶר וַ֝יָּרִ֗יעוּ כָּל־בְּנֵ֥י אֱלֹהִֽים	7		when, together, the stars of the morning shouted for joy, and all the children of God shouted in triumph?	3e	4B	8 10
וַיָּ֣סֶךְ בִּדְלָתַ֣יִם יָ֑ם בְּ֝גִיח֗וֹ מֵרֶ֥חֶם יֵצֵֽא	8		Or [who] screened in Ocean with portals, when he burst out, exiting from out of a womb,	3e	4B	7 8
בְּשׂוּמִ֣י עָנָ֣ן לְבֻשׁ֑וֹ וַ֝עֲרָפֶ֗ל חֲתֻלָּתֽוֹ	9		when I set out Cloud for his clothing, and Murk, his swaddling clothes,	3e	4B	8 8
וָאֶשְׁבֹּ֣ר עָלָ֣יו חֻקִּ֑י וָֽ֝אָשִׂ֗ים בְּרִ֣יחַ וּדְלָתָֽיִם	10		and shattered for him my decree, and set out runaway lanes and portals?	3e	4B	7 10
וָאֹמַ֗ר עַד־פֹּ֣ה תָ֭בוֹא וְלֹ֣א תֹסִ֑יף וּפֹ֥א־יָ֝שִׁ֗ית בִּגְא֥וֹן גַּלֶּֽיךָ	11		And I said, To here you will come and no farther, and here mark the pride of your waves.	3e	4B	11 8
הְֽ֭מִיָּמֶיךָ‬ צִוִּ֣יתָ בֹּ֑קֶר יִדַּ֖עְתָּה‬ הַשַּׁ֣חַר מְקֹמֽוֹ	12	g	From your days, have you commanded Morning, made the dawn know its place,	3e	4B	10 9
לֶ֭אֱחֹז בְּכַנְפ֣וֹת הָאָ֑רֶץ וְיִנָּעֲר֖וּ רְשָׁעִ֣ים מִמֶּֽנָּה	13	g	that it grasp the wings of the earth, to toss the wicked from her?	3e	4B	9 11
תִּ֭תְהַפֵּךְ כְּחֹ֣מֶר חוֹתָ֑ם וְ֝יִֽתְיַצְּב֗וּ כְּמ֣וֹ לְבֽוּשׁ	14	g	Changed as clay by the seal, they present themselves as clothing.	3e	4B	8 8
וְיִמָּנַ֣ע מֵרְשָׁעִ֣ים אוֹרָ֑ם וּזְר֥וֹעַ רָ֝מָ֗ה תִּשָּׁבֵֽר	15		And their light from the wicked is withheld, and an exalted arm is broken.	3e	4B	9 8
הֲ֭בָאתָ עַד־נִבְכֵי־יָ֑ם וּבְחֵ֥קֶר תְּ֝ה֗וֹם הִתְהַלָּֽכְתָּ	16	g	Have you come to the fountainheads of Ocean? And to examine Abyss, have you gone?	3e	4A	7 9
הֲנִגְל֣וּ לְ֭ךָ שַׁעֲרֵי־מָ֑וֶת וְשַׁעֲרֵ֖י צַלְמָ֣וֶת תִּרְאֶֽה	17		Have the gates of Death been disclosed to you, or the gates shadowing Death have you seen?	3e	4B	9 9
הִ֭תְבֹּנַנְתָּ עַד־רַחֲבֵי־אָ֑רֶץ הַ֝גֵּ֗ד אִם־יָדַ֥עְתָּ כֻלָּֽהּ	18	g	Have you understood to the breadth of Earth? Tell, if you know all of her.	3e	4A	9 8
אֵי־זֶ֣ה הַ֭דֶּרֶךְ יִשְׁכָּן־א֑וֹר וְ֝חֹ֗שֶׁךְ אֵי־זֶ֥ה מְקֹמֽוֹ	19		Where is this, the way of the dwelling of Light? And Darkness, where is this, its place,	3e	4B	8 8
כִּ֣י תִ֭קָּחֶנּוּ אֶל־גְּבוּל֑וֹ וְכִֽי־תָ֝בִ֗ין נְתִיב֥וֹת בֵּיתֽוֹ	20	B	that you take it to its border, and that you understand the pathways of its house?	3e	4B	9 8
יָ֭דַעְתָּ כִּי־אָ֣ז תִּוָּלֵ֑ד וּמִסְפַּ֖ר יָמֶ֣יךָ רַבִּֽים	21	g	You know, for then you were born, and the count of your days is many.	3e	4B	8 8
הֲ֭בָאתָ אֶל־אֹצְר֣וֹת שָׁ֑לֶג וְאֹצְר֖וֹת בָּרָ֣ד תִּרְאֶֽה	22	g	Have you come to the treasuries of Snow, or the fashioners of Hail have you seen,	3e	4B	8 7
אֲשֶׁר־חָשַׂ֥כְתִּי לְעֶת־צָ֑ר לְי֥וֹם קְ֝רָ֗ב וּמִלְחָמָֽה	23		which I have kept back for the time of trouble, for the day of close combat and of war?	3e	4A	8 8
אֵי־זֶ֣ה הַ֭דֶּרֶךְ יֵחָ֣לֶק א֑וֹר יָפֵ֖ץ קָדִ֣ים עֲלֵי־אָֽרֶץ	24		Where is this, the way Light is divided, East wind smashed over earth?	3e	4B	9 7
מִֽי־פִלַּ֣ג לַשֶּׁ֣טֶף תְּעָלָ֑ה וְ֝דֶ֗רֶךְ לַחֲזִ֥יז קֹלֽוֹת	25		Who streams a conduit for the overflow, or a way for the thunderbolt's voices,	3e	4B	8 8
לְ֭הַמְטִיר עַל־אֶ֣רֶץ לֹא־אִ֑ישׁ מִ֝דְבָּ֗ר לֹא־אָדָ֥ם בּֽוֹ	26	g	to make rain on earth, no person, a wilderness, no humanity in it,	3e	4B	8 5
לְהַשְׂבִּ֣יעַ שֹׁ֭אָה‬ וּמְשֹׁאָ֑ה וּ֝לְהַצְמִ֗יחַ מֹ֣צָא דֶֽשֶׁא	27		to satisfy ruin and vanity, and sprout the bud of verdant herbs?	3e	4B	9 8
הֲיֵשׁ־לַמָּטָ֥ר אָ֑ב א֥וֹ מִי־ה֝וֹלִ֗יד אֶגְלֵי־טָֽל	28		Has Rain a father, or who gave birth to the cache of Dew?	3e	4A	6 6
מִבֶּ֣טֶן מִ֭י יָצָ֣א הַקָּ֑רַח וּכְפֹ֥ר שָׁ֝מַיִם מִ֣י יְלָדֽוֹ	29		From whose belly came forth the ice? And the covering over the heavens, who gave it birth?	3e	4B	9 8
כָּ֭אֶבֶן מַ֣יִם יִתְחַבָּ֑אוּ וּפְנֵ֥י תְ֝ה֗וֹם יִתְלַכָּֽדוּ	30	g	As a stone, waters are camouflaged, and the face of the abyss is captured.	3e	4B	8 8
הַֽ֭תְקַשֵּׁר מַעֲדַנּ֣וֹת כִּימָ֑ה אֽוֹ־מֹשְׁכ֖וֹת כְּסִ֣יל תְּפַתֵּֽחַ	31	g	Can you fasten the enthrallments of the Pleiades, or the belt of Orion open?	3e	4B	9 9
הֲתֹצִ֣יא מַזָּר֣וֹת בְּעִתּ֑וֹ וְ֝עַ֗יִשׁ עַל־בָּנֶ֥יהָ תַנְחֵֽם	32		Do you bring forth constellations in their time? Or the Great Bear above her children, do you guide them?	3e	4B	9 9
הֲ֭יָדַעְתָּ חֻקּ֣וֹת שָׁמָ֑יִם אִם־תָּשִׂ֖ים מִשְׁטָר֣וֹ בָאָֽרֶץ	33	g	Do you know the decrees of heaven? If you set up its overseer in the earth.	3e	4B	9 9
הֲתָרִ֣ים לָעָ֣ב קוֹלֶ֑ךָ וְֽשִׁפְעַת־מַ֥יִם תְּכַסֶּֽךָּ	34		Do you lift high to the thick cloud your voice, so a profusion of waters cover you?	3e	4B	8 8
הַֽתְשַׁלַּ֣ח בְּרָקִ֣ים וְיֵלֵ֑כוּ וְיֹאמְר֖וּ לְךָ֣ הִנֵּֽנוּ	35		Do you send out Lightnings and they go? And say to you, Behold us!	3e	4B	10 8
מִי־שָׁ֭ת בַּטֻּח֣וֹת חָכְמָ֑ה א֤וֹ מִֽי־נָתַ֖ן לַשֶּׂ֣כְוִי בִינָֽה	36		Who imposes wisdom in the inward parts, or who gives to the sense understanding?	3e	4C	7 8
מִֽי־יְסַפֵּ֣ר שְׁחָקִ֣ים בְּחָכְמָ֑ה וְנִבְלֵ֥י שָׁ֝מַ֗יִם מִ֣י יַשְׁכִּֽיב	37		Who records the skies in wisdom, and with the skin-bottles of the heavens, who lies down,	3e	4B	10 8
בְּצֶ֣קֶת עָ֭פָר לַמּוּצָ֑ק וּרְגָבִ֥ים יְדֻבָּֽקוּ	38		infusing dust into mold, and clods clinging?	3e	4B	8 7
הֲתָצ֣וּד לְלָבִ֣יא טָ֑רֶף וְחַיַּ֖ת כְּפִירִ֣ים תְּמַלֵּֽא	39		Will you hound prey for the great cat, and the life of the cubs, will you fill?	3e	4B	8 9
כִּי־יָשֹׁ֥חוּ בַמְּעוֹנ֑וֹת יֵשְׁב֖וּ בַסֻּכָּ֣ה לְמוֹ־אָֽרֶב	40		For they press down in their dens. They sit in the booth, their lurking place.	3e	4B	6 8
מִ֤י יָכִ֥ין לָעֹרֵ֗ב צֵ֫יד֥וֹ כִּֽי־יְ֭לָדָיו אֶל־אֵ֣ל יְשַׁוֵּ֑עוּ יִ֝תְע֗וּ לִבְלִי־אֹֽכֶל	41	C	Who establishes for the raven its provender? For its chicks to God cry for help. They wander without food.	3e	4C	8 10 5