Job 37

37“When I hear the thunder, my heart pounds.

It beats faster inside me.

²Listen! Listen to the roar of his voice!

Listen to the thunder that comes from him!

³He sends his lightning across the sky.

It reaches from one end of the earth to the other.

⁴Next comes the sound of his roaring thunder.

He thunders with his majestic voice.

When his voice fills the air,

he doesn’t hold anything back.

⁵God’s voice thunders in wonderful ways.

We’ll never understand the great things he does.

⁶He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth.’

He tells the rain, ‘Pour down your mighty waters.’

⁷He stops everyone from working.

He wants them to see his work.

⁸The animals go inside.

They remain in their dens.

⁹The storm comes out of its storeroom in the heavens.

The cold comes from the driving winds.

¹⁰The breath of God produces ice.

The shallow water freezes over.

¹¹He loads the clouds with moisture.

He scatters his lightning through them.

¹²He directs the clouds to circle

above the surface of the whole earth.

They do everything he commands them to do.

¹³He tells the clouds to punish people.

Or he brings them to water his earth and show his love.

¹⁴“Job, listen to me.

Stop and think about the wonderful things God does.

¹⁵Do you know how he controls the clouds?

Do you understand how he makes his lightning flash?

¹⁶Do you know how the clouds stay up in the sky?

Do you understand the wonders of the One who has perfect knowledge?

¹⁷Even your clothes are too hot for you

when the land lies quiet under the south wind.

¹⁸Can you help God spread out the skies?

They are as hard as a mirror

that’s made out of bronze.

¹⁹“Job, tell us what we should say to God.

We can’t prepare our case

because our minds are dark.

²⁰Should he be told that I want to speak?

Would any man ask to be destroyed by him?

²¹No one can look at the sun.

It’s too bright after the wind has swept the skies clean.

²²Out of the north, God comes in his shining glory.

He comes in all of his wonderful majesty.

²³We can’t reach up to the Mighty One.

He is lifted high because of his power.

Everything he does is fair and right.

So he doesn’t crush people.

²⁴That’s why they have respect for him.

He cares about all those who are wise.”