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

Indeed, my heart also trembles and leaps out of its place.

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

Hear, oh, hear the roar of His voice and the sound of rumbling that goes out of His mouth!

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

Under the whole heaven He lets it loose, and His lightning 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.

After it His voice roars; He thunders with the voice of His majesty, and He restrains not when His voice is heard.

5 G od thunders with His great voice. He does great things which we cannot understand.

God thunders marvelously with His voice; He does great things which we cannot comprehend.

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

For He says to the snow, Fall on the earth; likewise He speaks to the showers and to the downpour of His mighty rains.

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

God seals up (stops, brings to a standstill by severe weather) the hand of every man, that all men whom He has made may know His doings (His sovereign power and their subjection to it).

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

Then the beasts go into dens and remain in their lairs.

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

Out of its chamber comes the whirlwind, and cold from the scattering winds.

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

By the breath of God ice is given, and the breadth of the waters is frozen over.

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

He loads the thick cloud with moisture; He scatters the cloud of 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.

And it is turned round about by His guidance, that they may do whatever He commands them upon the face of the habitable earth.

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

Whether it be for correction or for His earth or for His mercy and loving-kindness, He causes it to come.

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

Hear this, O Job; stand still and consider the wondrous works of God.

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

Do you know how God lays His command upon them and causes the lightning of His cloud to shine?

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

Do you know how the clouds are balanced, the wonderful works of Him Who is perfect in knowledge?

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

why your garments are hot when He quiets the earth with the south wind?

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

Can you along with Him spread out the sky, strong as a molten mirror?

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

Tell us with what words of man we may address such a Being; we cannot state our case because we are in the dark.

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

So shall it be told Him that I wish to speak? If a man speaks, shall he 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.

And now men cannot look upon the light when it is bright in the skies, when the wind has passed and cleared them.

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

Golden brightness and splendor come out of the north; terrible splendor and majesty God has upon Himself!

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.

Touching the Almighty, we cannot find Him out; He is excellent in power; and to justice and plenteous righteousness He does no violence.

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

Men therefore fear Him; He regards and respects not any who are wise in heart.