Job 37

₁The storm makes my heart beat wildly.

₂Listen, all of you, to the voice of God,

to the thunder that comes from his mouth.

₃He sends the lightning across the sky,

from one end of the earth to the other.

₄Then the roar of his voice is heard,

the majestic sound of thunder,

and all the while the lightning flashes.

₅At God's command amazing things happen,

wonderful things that we can't understand.

₆He commands snow to fall on the earth,

and sends torrents of drenching rain.

₇He brings our work to a stop;

he shows us what he can do.

₈The wild animals go to their dens.

₉The storm winds come from the south,

and the biting cold from the north.

₁₀The breath of God freezes the waters,

and turns them to solid ice.

₁₁Lightning flashes from the clouds,

₁₂as they move at God's will.

They do all that God commands,

everywhere throughout the world.

₁₃God sends rain to water the earth;

he may send it to punish us,

or to show us his favour.

₁₄Pause a moment, Job, and listen;

consider the wonderful things God does.

₁₅Do you know how God gives the command

and makes lightning flash from the clouds?

₁₆Do you know how clouds float in the sky,

the work of God's amazing skill?

₁₇No, you can only suffer in the heat

when the south wind oppresses the land.

₁₈Can you help God stretch out the sky

and make it as hard as polished metal?

₁₉Teach us what to say to God;

our minds are blank; we have nothing to say.

₂₀I won't ask to speak with God;

why should I give him a chance to destroy me?

₂₁And now the light in the sky is dazzling,

too bright for us to look at it;

and the sky has been swept clean by the wind.

₂₂A golden glow is seen in the north,

and the glory of God fills us with awe.

₂₃God's power is so great that we cannot come near him;

he is righteous and just in his dealings with us.

₂₄No wonder, then, that everyone stands in awe of him,

and that he ignores those who claim to be wise.