1 “ At this also my heart trembles, And leaps from its place.

“At this my heart shakes with fear and jumps from its place.

2 “ Listen closely to the thunder of His voice, And the rumbling that goes out from His mouth.

Listen to the thunder of His voice and the noise that comes from His mouth.

3 “ Under the whole heaven He lets it loose, And His lightning to the ends of the earth.

He lets it loose under the whole heaven. He lets His lightning go to the ends of the earth.

4 “ After it, a voice roars; He thunders with His majestic voice, And He does not restrain the lightnings when His voice is heard.

His voice sounds after it. He thunders with His great and powerful voice. And He does not hold back the lightning when His voice is heard.

5 “ God thunders with His voice wondrously, Doing great things which we cannot comprehend.

God thunders with His great voice. He does great things which we cannot understand.

6 “ For to the snow He says, ‘Fall on the earth,’ And to the downpour and the rain, ‘Be strong.’

For He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth,’ and to the rain, ‘Be strong.’

7 “ He seals the hand of every man, That all men may know His work.

He stops the work of every man, that all men may know His work.

8 “ Then the beast goes into its lair And remains in its den.

Then the wild animals go to their holes, and stay where they live.

9 “ Out of the south comes the storm, And out of the north the cold.

The storm comes from the south, and the cold from the north.

10 “ From the breath of God ice is made, And the expanse of the waters is frozen.

Water becomes ice by the breath of God. The wide waters become ice.

11 “ Also with moisture He loads the thick cloud; He disperses the cloud of His lightning.

He loads the heavy clouds with water and they send out His lightning.

12 “ It changes direction, turning around by His guidance, That it may do whatever He commands it On the face of the inhabited earth.

It changes its path and turns around by His leading, doing whatever He tells it to do on the earth where people live.

13 “ Whether for correction, or for His world, Or for lovingkindness, He causes it to happen.

He causes it to happen for punishment, or for His world, or because of His love.

14 “ Listen to this, O Job, Stand and consider the wonders of God.

“Hear this, O Job. Stop and think about the great works of God.

15 “ Do you know how God establishes them, And makes the lightning of His cloud to shine?

Do you know how God does them, and makes the lightning shine from His cloud?

16 “ Do you know about the layers of the thick clouds, The wonders of one perfect in knowledge,

Do you know how the clouds are set in heaven, the great works of Him Who is perfect in understanding?

17 Y ou whose garments are hot, When the land is still because of the south wind?

Do you know why you are hot in your clothes when the land becomes quiet because of the south wind?

18 “ Can you, with Him, spread out the skies, Strong as a molten mirror?

Can you help Him spread out the sky, making it as hard as a mirror made from heated brass?

19 “ Teach us what we shall say to Him; We cannot arrange our case because of darkness.

Teach us what we should say to Him. We cannot put words together to help us because of darkness.

20 “ Shall it be told Him that I would speak? Or should a man say that he would be swallowed up?

Should He be told that I want to speak? Did a man ever wish to be swallowed up?

21 “ Now men do not see the light which is bright in the skies; But the wind has passed and cleared them.

“Now men cannot look on the light when it is bright in the sky, when the wind has passed and made it clear.

22 “ Out of the north comes golden splendor; Around God is awesome majesty.

A bright gold light is seen in the north. Around God is great power.

23 “ The Almighty— we cannot find Him; He is exalted in power And He will not do violence to justice and abundant righteousness.

We cannot come near the All-powerful. He is lifted high with power. And He is right and fair and good and will not make it hard for us.

24 “ Therefore men fear Him; He does not regard any who are wise of heart.”

So men honor Him with fear. He has respect for any who are wise in heart.”