Job 37
1 “My heart pounds [DOU] when [I think about] that.
“At this my heart also pounds and leaps from its place.
2 Listen, all of you, to the thunder, which is like God’s voice [DOU].
Listen closely to the thunder of His voice and the rumbling that comes from His mouth.
3 He causes thunder to be heard all across the sky, and he causes lighting to flash to the most distant places on the earth.
He unleashes His lightning beneath the whole sky and sends it to the ends of the earth.
4 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.
Then there comes a roaring sound; He thunders with His majestic voice. He does not restrain the lightning when His voice resounds.
5 When God speaks, it is awesome, like thunder; he does amazing things which we cannot [fully] understand.
God thunders wondrously with His voice; He does great things we cannot comprehend.
6 He commands the snow to fall on the ground, and [sometimes] he causes it to rain very hard.
For He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth,’ and to the gentle rain, ‘Pour out a mighty downpour.’
7 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).
He seals up the hand of every man, so that all men may know His work.
8 [When it rains, ] animals go into their hiding places, and they remain there [until the rain stops].
The wild animals enter their lairs; they settle down in their dens.
9 The storms/hurricanes come from the place [in the south where they start], and the cold wind comes from the north.
The tempest comes from its chamber, and the cold from the driving north winds.
10 [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.
By the breath of God the ice is formed and the watery expanses are frozen.
11 God fills the clouds with moisture/hail, and lightning flashes from the clouds.
He loads the clouds with moisture; He scatters His lightning through them.
12 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.
They swirl about, whirling at His direction, accomplishing all that He commands over the face of all the earth.
13 Sometimes God sends rain to punish us, and sometimes he sends rain to show us that he acts kindly toward us.
Whether for punishment or for His land, He accomplishes this in His loving devotion.
14 “Job, listen to this; stop and think about the wonderful things that God does.
Listen to this, O Job; stand still and consider the wonders of God.
15 (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]
Do you know how God dispatches the clouds or makes the lightning flash?
16 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]
Do you understand how the clouds float, those wonders of Him who is perfect in knowledge?
17 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).
You whose clothes get hot when the land lies hushed under the south wind,
18 (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]
can you, like Him, spread out the skies to reflect the heat like a mirror of bronze?
19 “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.
Teach us what we should say to Him; we cannot draw up our case when our faces are in darkness.
20 Should I tell God that I want to speak to him? No, because [if I did that, ] he might destroy me.
Should He be told that I want to speak? Would a man ask to be swallowed up?
21 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].
Now no one can gaze at the sun when it is bright in the skies after the wind has swept them clean.
22 God comes out of the north with a light [that shines like] gold; his glory causes us to be afraid.
Out of the north He comes in golden splendor; awesome majesty surrounds Him.
23 Almighty God is very powerful, and we cannot come near to him. He always acts righteously, and he will never oppress us.
The Almighty is beyond our reach; He is exalted in power! In His justice and great righteousness He does not oppress.
24 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.”
Therefore, men fear Him, for He is not partial to the wise in heart.”
