Job 37
1 At this my heart is shaking; it is moved out of its place.
“At this my heart also pounds and leaps from its place.
2 Give ear to the rolling noise of his voice; to the hollow sound which goes out of his mouth.
Listen closely to the thunder of His voice and the rumbling that comes from His mouth.
3 He sends it out through all the heaven, and his thunder-flame to the ends of the earth.
He unleashes His lightning beneath the whole sky and sends it to the ends of the earth.
4 After it a voice is sounding, thundering out the word of his power; he does not keep back his thunder-flames; from his mouth his voice is sounding.
Then there comes a roaring sound; He thunders with His majestic voice. He does not restrain the lightning when His voice resounds.
5 He does wonders, more than may be searched out; great things of which we have no knowledge;
God thunders wondrously with His voice; He does great things we cannot comprehend.
6 For he says to the snow, Make the earth wet; and to the rain-storm, Come down.
For He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth,’ and to the gentle rain, ‘Pour out a mighty downpour.’
7 He puts an end to the work of every man, so that all may see his work.
He seals up the hand of every man, so that all men may know His work.
8 Then the beasts go into their holes, and take their rest.
The wild animals enter their lairs; they settle down in their dens.
9 Out of its place comes the storm-wind, and the cold out of its store-houses.
The tempest comes from its chamber, and the cold from the driving north winds.
10 By the breath of God ice is made, and the wide waters are shut in.
By the breath of God the ice is formed and the watery expanses are frozen.
11 The thick cloud is weighted with thunder-flame, and the cloud sends out its light;
He loads the clouds with moisture; He scatters His lightning through them.
12 And it goes this way and that, round about, turning itself by his guiding, to do whatever he gives orders to be done, on the face of his world of men,
They swirl about, whirling at His direction, accomplishing all that He commands over the face of all the earth.
13 For a rod, or for a curse, or for mercy, causing it to come on the mark.
Whether for punishment or for His land, He accomplishes this in His loving devotion.
14 Give ear to this, O Job, and keep quiet in your place; and take note of the wonders worked by God.
Listen to this, O Job; stand still and consider the wonders of God.
15 Have you knowledge of God's ordering of his works, how he makes the light of his cloud to be seen?
Do you know how God dispatches the clouds or makes the lightning flash?
16 Have you knowledge of the balancings of the clouds, the wonders of him who has all wisdom?
Do you understand how the clouds float, those wonders of Him who is perfect in knowledge?
17 You, whose clothing is warm, when the earth is quiet because of the south wind,
You whose clothes get hot when the land lies hushed under the south wind,
18 Will you, with him, make the skies smooth, and strong as a polished looking-glass?
can you, like Him, spread out the skies to reflect the heat like a mirror of bronze?
19 Make clear to me what we are to say to him; we are unable to put our cause before him, because of the dark.
Teach us what we should say to Him; we cannot draw up our case when our faces are in darkness.
20 How may he have knowledge of my desire for talk with him? or did any man ever say, May destruction come on me?
Should He be told that I want to speak? Would a man ask to be swallowed up?
21 And now the light is not seen, for it is dark because of the clouds; but a wind comes, clearing them away.
Now no one can gaze at the sun when it is bright in the skies after the wind has swept them clean.
22 A bright light comes out of the north; God's glory is greatly to be feared.
Out of the north He comes in golden splendor; awesome majesty surrounds Him.
23 There is no searching out of the Ruler of all: his strength and his judging are great; he is full of righteousness, doing no wrong.
The Almighty is beyond our reach; He is exalted in power! In His justice and great righteousness He does not oppress.
24 For this cause men go in fear of him; he has no respect for any who are wise in heart.
Therefore, men fear Him, for He is not partial to the wise in heart.”
