King James Version

Job 38:4

Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.

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Hebrew

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אֵיפֹ֣הeyfowhat mannerאֵיפֹהparticle, interrogative — “what manner”H375what place?; also (of time) when?; or (of means) how?what manner, where.הָ֭יִיתָhayitabeהָיָהverb, qal, perfect, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “be”, a completed actionH1961to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)beacon, [idiom] altogether, be(-come), accomplished, committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint, fall, [phrase] follow, happen, [idiom] have, last, pertain, quit (one-) self, require, [idiom] use.בְּיָסְדִיbeyasediin foundיָסַדpreposition, verb, qal, infinitive construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “in found”, the to-form of the verbH3245to set (literally or figuratively); intensively, to found; reflexively, to sit down together, i.e. settle, consultappoint, take counsel, establish, (lay the, lay for a) found(-ation), instruct, lay, ordain, set, [idiom] sure.אָ֑רֶץaretsearthאֶרֶץnoun, common, both genders, singular, absolute — “earth”, the ordinary formH776the earth (at large, or partitively a land)[idiom] common, country, earth, field, ground, land, [idiom] natins, way, [phrase] wilderness, world.הַ֝גֵּ֗דhagedbewrayנָגַדverb, hiphil, imperative, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “bewray”, a commandH5046properly, to front, i.e. stand boldly out opposite; by implication (causatively), to manifest; figuratively, to announce (always by word of mouth to one present); specifically, to expose, predict, explain, praisebewray, [idiom] certainly, certify, declare(-ing), denounce, expound, [idiom] fully, messenger, plainly, profess, rehearse, report, shew (forth), speak, [idiom] surely, tell, utter.אִםimoh thatאִםconjunction — “oh that”H518used very widely as demonstrative, lo!; interrogative, whether?; or conditional, if, although; also Oh that!, when; hence, as a negative, not(and, can-, doubtless, if, that) (not), [phrase] but, either, [phrase] except, [phrase] more(-over if, than), neither, nevertheless, nor, oh that, or, [phrase] save (only, -ing), seeing, since, sith, [phrase] surely (no more, none, not), t…יָדַ֥עְתָּyadataknowיָדַעverb, qal, perfect, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “know”, a completed actionH3045to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally, euphemistically and inferentially (including observation, care, recognition; and causatively, instruction, designation, punishment, etc.)acknowledge, acquaintance(-ted with), advise, answer, appoint, assuredly, be aware, (un-) awares, can(-not), certainly, comprehend, consider, [idiom] could they, cunning, declare, be diligent, (can, cause to) discern, discover, endued with…בִינָֽהvinahunderstandingבִּינָהnoun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “understanding”, the ordinary formH998understandingknowledge, meaning, [idiom] perfectly, understanding, wisdom.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if thou hast the understanding.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if thou hast understanding.

Young’s Literal Translation

Where wast thou when I founded earth? Declare, if thou hast known understanding.

World English Bible

“Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if you have understanding.

Darby Translation

Where wast thou when I founded the earth? Declare, if thou hast understanding.

Douay-Rheims

Where wast thou when I laid up the foundations of the earth? tell me if thou hast understanding.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if thou hast the understanding.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

Where wast thou when I founded the earth? tell me now, if thou hast knowledge,

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Ποῦ ἦς ἐν τῷ θεμελιοῦν με τὴν γῆν; ἀπάγγειλον δέ μοι εἰ ἐπίστῃ σύνεσιν.