Job 37
1 At this my heart trembles, beating rapidly within me!
At this my heart trembleth, And leapeth out of its place.
2 Listen carefully to God's thunderous voice that rumbles as he speaks.
Hear, O hear, the thunder of his voice, And the noise which goeth forth from his mouth!
3 He sends it across the heaven; his lightning flashes to the ends of the earth.
He directeth it under the whole heaven, And his lightning to the ends of the earth.
4 Then comes the roar of thunder, his majestic voice holding nothing back when he speaks.
After it the thunder roareth; He thundereth with his voice of majesty, And restraineth it not, when his voice is heard.
5 God's thunderous voice is wonderful! We can't comprehend the great things he does!
God thundereth with his voice marvellously; Great things doeth he, which we cannot comprehend.
6 He tells the snow to fall and the rain to pour down on the earth.
For he saith to the snow, “Be thou on the earth!” To the shower also, even the showers of his might.
7 By this he stops people working so that everyone can understand what he does.
He sealeth up the hand of every man, That all men whom he hath made may acknowledge him.
8 Even the animals take shelter and remain in their dens.
Then the beasts go into dens, And abide in their caverns.
9 The south wind blows in storms, while the north wind blows in cold weather.
Out of the south cometh the whirlwind, And cold out of the north.
10 God's breath produces ice, freezing the surface of water solid.
By the breath of God ice is formed, And the broad waters become narrow,
11 He fills the clouds with moisture; he scatters his lightning from them.
Yea, with moisture he burdeneth the clouds; He spreadeth abroad his lightning-clouds.
12 They swirl around under his control; they move over all the earth as he commands.
They move about by his direction, To execute all his commands throughout the world;
13 He does this to accomplish his will, either to discipline or to show his goodness.
Whether he cause them to come for punishment, Or for the land, or for mercy.
14 Listen to this, Job! Stop for a moment and consider the wonderful things God does.
Give ear to this, O Job! Stand still, and consider the wondrous works of God!
15 Do you know how God controls the clouds, or makes his lightning flash from them?
Dost thou know when God gave commandment to them, And caused the lightning of his cloud to flash?
16 Do you know how clouds float in the sky—the wonderful work of him who knows everything.
Dost thou understand the balancing of the clouds, The wondrous works of Him that is perfect in knowledge?
17 You know how your clothes drip with sweat when the south wind brings air that is hot and heavy.
How thy garments become warm, When he maketh the earth still by the south wind?
18 Can you hammer out the sky so it becomes like a molten mirror, as he does?
Canst thou like him spread out the sky, Which is firm like a molten mirror?
19 So why don't you teach us what to tell God? We cannot make our case because we are in the dark!
Teach us what we shall say to him! For we cannot set in order our words by reason of darkness.
20 Should God be told that I want to speak? Anyone who wanted to would be destroyed!
Shall it be told him that I would speak? Shall a man speak, that he may be consumed?
21 After all, we can't look at the sun when it blazes brightly in the sky, after the wind has cleared away the clouds.
For now men do not look upon the light, When it is bright in the skies, When the wind hath passed over them, and made them clear.
22 Out of the north God comes shining like gold, surrounded in awesome majesty.
From the north cometh gold; But with God is terrible majesty!
23 We cannot approach the Almighty for he is far beyond us in power and justice, and doing right.
The Almighty, we cannot find him out; Great is he in power and justice, Abundant in righteousness; he doth not oppress.
24 He does not act like a tyrant—no wonder people are in awe of him, though he does not value those who think they're wise.”
Therefore let men fear him! Upon none of the wise in heart will he look.
