Job 37

1 At this my heart trembleth, and is moved out of its place.

“My heart pounds [DOU] when [I think about] that.

2 Hear ye attentively the terror of his voice, and the sound that cometh out of his mouth.

Listen, all of you, to the thunder, which is like God’s voice [DOU].

3 He beholdeth under all the heavens, and his light is upon the ends of the earth.

He causes thunder to be heard all across the sky, and he causes lighting to flash to the most distant places on the earth.

4 After it a noise shall roar, he shall thunder with the voice of his majesty, and shall not be found out, when his voice shall be heard.

After [the lightning flashes], we hear the thunder which is like [MET] God’s majestic voice; he does not restrain the lightning when he speaks.

5 God shall thunder wonderfully with his voice, he that doth great and unsearchable things.

When God speaks, it is awesome, like thunder; he does amazing things which we cannot [fully] understand.

6 He commandeth the snow to go down upon the earth, and the winter rain, and the shower of his strength.

He commands the snow to fall on the ground, and [sometimes] he causes it to rain very hard.

7 He sealeth up the hand of all men, that every one may know his works.

And [when God does that, ] it prevents people [SYN] from working, in order that all people may know that he is the one who has done that (OR, what he can do).

8 Then the beast shall go into his covert, and shall abide in his den.

[When it rains, ] animals go into their hiding places, and they remain there [until the rain stops].

9 Out of the inner parts shall a tempest come, and cold out of the north.

The storms/hurricanes come from the place [in the south where they start], and the cold wind comes from the north.

10 When God bloweth there cometh frost, and again the waters are poured out abundantly.

[In the (winter/cold season), the cold north wind is like] God’s breath [that] causes [MET] water to freeze; he causes the lakes/streams to become ice.

11 Corn desireth clouds, and the clouds spread their light:

God fills the clouds with moisture/hail, and lightning flashes from the clouds.

12 Which go round about, whithersoever the will of him that governeth them shall lead them, to whatsoever he shall command them upon the face of the whole earth:

He guides the clouds and causes them to move back and forth in order that they may accomplish all that he commands them to do, all over the world.

13 Whether in one tribe, or in his own land, or in what place soever of his mercy he shall command them to be found.

Sometimes God sends rain to punish us, and sometimes he sends rain to show us that he acts kindly toward us.

14 Hearken to these things, Job: Stand, and consider the wondrous works of God.

“Job, listen to this; stop and think about the wonderful things that God does.

15 Dost thou know when God commanded the rains, to shew his light of his clouds?

(Do you know how God commands the lightning to flash down from the clouds?/We do not know how God commands the lightning to flash down from the clouds.) [RHQ]

16 Knowest thou the great paths of the clouds, and the perfect knowledges?

Only God knows everything perfectly; so (do you know how he causes the clouds to (move/float) (amazingly/wonderfully) across the sky?/you certainly do not know how he causes the clouds to (move/float) (amazingly/wonderfully) across the sky!) [RHQ]

17 Are not thy garments hot, when the south wind blows upon the earth?

No, you just sweat there in your clothes; [it is very oppressive] when the [hot] wind stops blowing from the south and [all the leaves on the trees] (become still/do not move).

18 Thou perhaps hast made the heavens with him, which are most strong, as if they were of molten brass.

(Can you stretch out the skies like God does and make them as hard as [SIM] a sheet of polished brass?/You certainly cannot stretch out the skies like God does and make them as hard as [SIM] a sheet of polished brass!) [RHQ]

19 Shew us what we may say to him: for we are wrapped up in darkness.

“Job, tell us(exc) what we should say to God; we do not know anything [IDM]. As a result, we do not know what to say to him to defend ourselves.

20 Who shall tell him the things I speak? even if a man shall speak, he shall be swallowed up.

Should I tell God that I want to speak to him? No, because [if I did that, ] he might destroy me.

21 But now they see not the light: the air on a sudden shall be thickened into clouds, and the wind shall pass and drive them away.

Now, people cannot look [directly] at the sun when it shines brightly in the sky after the wind has blown the clouds away; [so, we certainly cannot look at the brightness of God].

22 Cold cometh out of the north, and to God praise with fear.

God comes out of the north with a light [that shines like] gold; his glory causes us to be afraid.

23 We cannot find him worthily: he is great in strength, and in judgment, and in justice, and he is ineffable.

Almighty God is very powerful, and we cannot come near to him. He always acts righteously, and he will never oppress us.

24 Therefore men shall fear him, and all that seem to themselves to be wise, shall not dare to behold him.

That is the reason that we have an awesome respect for him; he does not pay attention to those who proudly, [but wrongly], think that they are wise.”