37 My heart(A) pounds at this
and leaps from my chest.[a]
Just listen to His thunderous voice
and the rumbling that comes from His mouth.
He lets it loose beneath the entire sky;
His lightning to the ends(B) of the earth.

Then there comes a roaring sound;
God thunders(C) with His majestic voice.
He does not restrain the lightning
when His rumbling voice is heard.
God thunders marvelously with His voice;
He does great things that we cannot comprehend.
For He says to the snow,(D) “Fall to the earth,”
and the torrential rains, His mighty torrential rains,
serve as His sign to all mankind,
so that all men may know His work.
The wild animals enter their lairs
and stay in their dens.(E)
The windstorm comes from its chamber,
and the cold from the driving north winds.
10 Ice is formed by the breath of God,(F)
and watery expanses are frozen.
11 He saturates clouds with moisture;(G)
He scatters His lightning through them.
12 They swirl about,
turning round and round at His direction,
accomplishing everything He commands them
over the surface of the inhabited world.
13 He causes this to happen for punishment,
for His land, or for His faithful love.

14 Listen to this, Job.
Stop and consider God’s wonders.
15 Do you know how God directs His clouds
or makes their lightning flash?
16 Do you understand how the clouds float,
those wonderful works of Him who has perfect knowledge?
17 You whose clothes get hot
when the south wind brings calm to the land,
18 can you help God spread out the skies
as hard as a cast metal mirror?
19 Teach us what we should say to Him;(H)
we cannot prepare our case because of our darkness.
20 Should He be told that I want to speak?
Can a man speak when he is confused?
21 Now men cannot even look at the sun
when it is in the skies,
after a wind has swept through and cleared them away.
22 Yet out of the north He comes, shrouded in a golden glow;
awesome(I) majesty surrounds Him.
23 The Almighty—we cannot reach Him—
He is exalted in power!
He will not oppress justice and abundant righteousness,
24 Therefore, men fear Him.
He does not look favorably on any who are wise(J) in heart.

Footnotes

  1. Job 37:1 Lit from its place

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.