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Elihu Concludes His Argument

37 “Now I’ll conclude with this:
    my heart is trembling violently;
        it feels like it’s about to leap from my body!
Listen carefully to his thundering voice;
    to the sound that rumbles from his mouth.
He releases his lightning throughout the sky,
    to the ends[a] of the earth.
His thunder roars after it;
    his majestic voice will thunder;
and no one can trace them[b]
    once his voice has been heard.

“God thunders with his wondrous voice;
    he does awesome works that we don’t comprehend.
For he says to the snow, ‘Fall to the earth.’
    He tells the rain, ‘Pour down,’
        then it rains profusely.

“He puts a limit to the skill[c] of every person;
    to delineate all people from what they do.

“Then a beast enters its lair
    and remains in its den.

“From the south,[d] a whirlwind proceeds,
    out of the icy north winds.
10 From the breath of God ice is produced,
    and a wide body of water is frozen.
11 He also loads the clouds with moisture,
    scattering his lightning with the clouds.
12 It whirls about in circles at his direction
    to accomplish all that he commands
        throughout the surface of the entire world,
13 whether for discipline on his land
    or to demonstrate his gracious love,
        he causes it to be realized.”

Elihu Challenges Job to Pay Attention

14 “Pay attention to this, Job!
    Stand still,
        and consider the wondrous attributes of God.
15 Do you know how God ordains them,
    and makes his lightning to flash throughout his clouds?
16 Do you understand his wondrous work of balancing the clouds,
    the one[e] whose knowledge is perfect,
17 you whose garments are hot,
    even though the land is cooled by a south wind?
18 Can you spread out the skies like he does;
    can you cast them as one might a mirror?

19 Tell us! What are we to say to him?
    Can we prepare our case to face him
        when our faces are in darkness?
20 Has it been relayed to God[f] that I want to talk?
    Can a person[g] speak when he is confused?”

God is Revered

21 “So then, the sun[h] is too bright to gaze at, is it not?
    The sky is swept clean by the wind that blows,[i] is it not?
22 From the north he brings gold;
    around God is awesome splendor.
23 We cannot find the Almighty—
    he is majestic in power and justice,
and overflowing with righteousness;
    he never oppresses.
24 Therefore humanity fears him,
    which none of the wise[j] can quite comprehend.”

Footnotes

  1. Job 37:3 Lit. wingtips
  2. Job 37:4 Lit. follow at the heel of their feet
  3. Job 37:7 Lit. a seal on the hand
  4. Job 37:9 Or From a storeroom
  5. Job 37:16 The Heb. lacks the one
  6. Job 37:20 Lit. him
  7. Job 37:20 Lit. man
  8. Job 37:21 Or light
  9. Job 37:21 Lit. that passes through
  10. Job 37:24 Lit. wise of heart

37 “At this my heart pounds(A)
    and leaps from its place.
Listen!(B) Listen to the roar of his voice,(C)
    to the rumbling that comes from his mouth.(D)
He unleashes his lightning(E) beneath the whole heaven
    and sends it to the ends of the earth.(F)
After that comes the sound of his roar;
    he thunders(G) with his majestic voice.(H)
When his voice resounds,
    he holds nothing back.
God’s voice thunders(I) in marvelous ways;(J)
    he does great things beyond our understanding.(K)
He says to the snow,(L) ‘Fall on the earth,’
    and to the rain shower, ‘Be a mighty downpour.’(M)
So that everyone he has made may know his work,(N)
    he stops all people from their labor.[a](O)
The animals take cover;(P)
    they remain in their dens.(Q)
The tempest comes out from its chamber,(R)
    the cold from the driving winds.(S)
10 The breath of God produces ice,
    and the broad waters become frozen.(T)
11 He loads the clouds with moisture;(U)
    he scatters his lightning(V) through them.(W)
12 At his direction they swirl around
    over the face of the whole earth
    to do whatever he commands them.(X)
13 He brings the clouds to punish people,(Y)
    or to water his earth and show his love.(Z)

14 “Listen(AA) to this, Job;
    stop and consider God’s wonders.(AB)
15 Do you know how God controls the clouds
    and makes his lightning(AC) flash?(AD)
16 Do you know how the clouds hang poised,(AE)
    those wonders of him who has perfect knowledge?(AF)
17 You who swelter in your clothes
    when the land lies hushed under the south wind,(AG)
18 can you join him in spreading out the skies,(AH)
    hard as a mirror of cast bronze?(AI)

19 “Tell us what we should say to him;(AJ)
    we cannot draw up our case(AK) because of our darkness.(AL)
20 Should he be told that I want to speak?
    Would anyone ask to be swallowed up?
21 Now no one can look at the sun,(AM)
    bright as it is in the skies
    after the wind has swept them clean.
22 Out of the north he comes in golden splendor;(AN)
    God comes in awesome majesty.(AO)
23 The Almighty is beyond our reach and exalted in power;(AP)
    in his justice(AQ) and great righteousness, he does not oppress.(AR)
24 Therefore, people revere him,(AS)
    for does he not have regard for all the wise(AT) in heart?[b]

Footnotes

  1. Job 37:7 Or work, / he fills all people with fear by his power
  2. Job 37:24 Or for he does not have regard for any who think they are wise.