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

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

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

Hear attentively the thunder of His voice, And the rumbling 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.

He sends it forth under the whole heaven, 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 a voice roars; He thunders with His majestic voice, And He does not restrain them 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 to the gentle rain and the heavy rain of His strength.

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

He seals the hand 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.

The beasts go into dens, And remain in their lairs.

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

From the chamber of the south comes the whirlwind, And cold from the scattering winds of the north.

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 broad waters are frozen.

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

Also with moisture He saturates the thick clouds; He scatters His bright clouds.

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 they swirl about, being turned by His guidance, That they may do whatever He commands them On the face of the whole earth.

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

He causes it to come, Whether for correction, Or for His land, Or for mercy.

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

“Listen to 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 when God dispatches them, And causes the light 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, Those wondrous 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 are your garments hot, When He quiets the earth by the south wind?

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

With Him, have you spread out the skies, Strong as a cast metal mirror?

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

“Teach us what we should say to Him, For we can prepare nothing because of the darkness.

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

Should He be told that I wish to speak? If a man were to speak, surely he would 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.

Even now men cannot look at 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.

He comes from the north as golden splendor; With God is awesome majesty.

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.

As for the Almighty, we cannot find Him; He is excellent in power, In judgment and abundant justice; He does not oppress.

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

Therefore men fear Him; He shows no partiality to any who are wise of heart.”