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

2 L isten to the thunder of His voice and the noise that comes from His mouth.

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

4 H is 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 G od thunders with His great voice. He does great things which we cannot understand.

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

7 H e stops the work of every man, that all men may know His work.

8 T hen the wild animals go to their holes, and stay where they live.

9 T he storm comes from the south, and the cold from the north.

10 W ater becomes ice by the breath of God. The wide waters become ice.

11 H e loads the heavy clouds with water and they send out His lightning.

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

13 H e causes it to happen for punishment, or for His world, or because of His love.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

23 W e 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 S o men honor Him with fear. He has respect for any who are wise in heart.”