Job 36-38

New International Version

² “Bear with me a little longer and I will show you
    that there is more to be said in God’s behalf.
³ I get my knowledge from afar;^(A)
    I will ascribe justice to my Maker.^(B)
4 Be assured that my words are not false;^(C)
    one who has perfect knowledge^(D) is with you.^(E)

⁵ “God is mighty,^(F) but despises no one;^(G)
    he is mighty, and firm in his purpose.^(H)
6 He does not keep the wicked alive^(I)
    but gives the afflicted their rights.^(J)
7 He does not take his eyes off the righteous;^(K)
    he enthrones them with kings^(L)
    and exalts them forever.^(M)
8 But if people are bound in chains,^(N)
    held fast by cords of affliction,^(O)
9 he tells them what they have done—
    that they have sinned arrogantly.^(P)
10 He makes them listen^(Q) to correction^(R)
    and commands them to repent of their evil.^(S)
11 If they obey and serve him,^(T)
    they will spend the rest of their days in prosperity^(U)
    and their years in contentment.^(V)
12 But if they do not listen,
    they will perish by the sword^[a](W)
    and die without knowledge.^(X)

¹³ “The godless in heart^(Y) harbor resentment;^(Z)
    even when he fetters them, they do not cry for help.^(AA)
14 They die in their youth,^(AB)
    among male prostitutes of the shrines.^(AC)
15 But those who suffer^(AD) he delivers in their suffering;^(AE)
    he speaks^(AF) to them in their affliction.^(AG)

¹⁶ “He is wooing^(AH) you from the jaws of distress
    to a spacious place^(AI) free from restriction,^(AJ)
    to the comfort of your table^(AK) laden with choice food.^(AL)
17 But now you are laden with the judgment due the wicked;^(AM)
    judgment and justice have taken hold of you.^(AN)
18 Be careful that no one entices you by riches;
    do not let a large bribe^(AO) turn you aside.^(AP)
19 Would your wealth^(AQ) or even all your mighty efforts
    sustain you so you would not be in distress?
²⁰ Do not long for the night,^(AR)
    to drag people away from their homes.^[b]
21 Beware of turning to evil,^(AS)
    which you seem to prefer to affliction.^(AT)

²² “God is exalted in his power.^(AU)
    Who is a teacher like him?^(AV)
23 Who has prescribed his ways^(AW) for him,^(AX)
    or said to him, ‘You have done wrong’?^(AY)
24 Remember to extol his work,^(AZ)
    which people have praised in song.^(BA)
25 All humanity has seen it;^(BB)
    mortals gaze on it from afar.
²⁶ How great is God—beyond our understanding!^(BC)
    The number of his years is past finding out.^(BD)

²⁷ “He draws up the drops of water,^(BE)
    which distill as rain to the streams^[c];^(BF)
28 the clouds pour down their moisture
    and abundant showers^(BG) fall on mankind.^(BH)
29 Who can understand how he spreads out the clouds,
    how he thunders^(BI) from his pavilion?^(BJ)
30 See how he scatters his lightning^(BK) about him,
    bathing the depths of the sea.^(BL)
31 This is the way he governs^[d] the nations^(BM)
    and provides food^(BN) in abundance.^(BO)
32 He fills his hands with lightning
    and commands it to strike its mark.^(BP)
33 His thunder announces the coming storm;^(BQ)
    even the cattle make known its approach.^[e](BR)

37 “At this my heart pounds^(BS)
    and leaps from its place.
² Listen!^(BT) Listen to the roar of his voice,^(BU)
    to the rumbling that comes from his mouth.^(BV)
3 He unleashes his lightning^(BW) beneath the whole heaven
    and sends it to the ends of the earth.^(BX)
4 After that comes the sound of his roar;
    he thunders^(BY) with his majestic voice.^(BZ)
When his voice resounds,
    he holds nothing back.
⁵ God’s voice thunders^(CA) in marvelous ways;^(CB)
    he does great things beyond our understanding.^(CC)
6 He says to the snow,^(CD) ‘Fall on the earth,’
    and to the rain shower, ‘Be a mighty downpour.’^(CE)
7 So that everyone he has made may know his work,^(CF)
    he stops all people from their labor.^[f](CG)
8 The animals take cover;^(CH)
    they remain in their dens.^(CI)
9 The tempest comes out from its chamber,^(CJ)
    the cold from the driving winds.^(CK)
10 The breath of God produces ice,
    and the broad waters become frozen.^(CL)
11 He loads the clouds with moisture;^(CM)
    he scatters his lightning^(CN) through them.^(CO)
12 At his direction they swirl around
    over the face of the whole earth
    to do whatever he commands them.^(CP)
13 He brings the clouds to punish people,^(CQ)
    or to water his earth and show his love.^(CR)

¹⁴ “Listen^(CS) to this, Job;
    stop and consider God’s wonders.^(CT)
15 Do you know how God controls the clouds
    and makes his lightning^(CU) flash?^(CV)
16 Do you know how the clouds hang poised,^(CW)
    those wonders of him who has perfect knowledge?^(CX)
17 You who swelter in your clothes
    when the land lies hushed under the south wind,^(CY)
18 can you join him in spreading out the skies,^(CZ)
    hard as a mirror of cast bronze?^(DA)

¹⁹ “Tell us what we should say to him;^(DB)
    we cannot draw up our case^(DC) because of our darkness.^(DD)
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,^(DE)
    bright as it is in the skies
    after the wind has swept them clean.
²² Out of the north he comes in golden splendor;^(DF)
    God comes in awesome majesty.^(DG)
23 The Almighty is beyond our reach and exalted in power;^(DH)
    in his justice^(DI) and great righteousness, he does not oppress.^(DJ)
24 Therefore, people revere him,^(DK)
    for does he not have regard for all the wise^(DL) in heart?^[g]”

² “Who is this that obscures my plans^(DO)
    with words without knowledge?^(DP)
3 Brace yourself like a man;
    I will question you,
    and you shall answer me.^(DQ)

⁴ “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation?^(DR)
    Tell me, if you understand.^(DS)
5 Who marked off its dimensions?^(DT) Surely you know!
    Who stretched a measuring line^(DU) across it?
⁶ On what were its footings set,^(DV)
    or who laid its cornerstone^(DW)—
⁷ while the morning stars^(DX) sang together^(DY)
    and all the angels^[h](DZ) shouted for joy?^(EA)

⁸ “Who shut up the sea behind doors^(EB)
    when it burst forth from the womb,^(EC)
9 when I made the clouds its garment
    and wrapped it in thick darkness,^(ED)
10 when I fixed limits for it^(EE)
    and set its doors and bars in place,^(EF)
11 when I said, ‘This far you may come and no farther;^(EG)
    here is where your proud waves halt’?^(EH)

¹² “Have you ever given orders to the morning,^(EI)
    or shown the dawn its place,^(EJ)
13 that it might take the earth by the edges
    and shake the wicked^(EK) out of it?^(EL)
14 The earth takes shape like clay under a seal;^(EM)
    its features stand out like those of a garment.
¹⁵ The wicked are denied their light,^(EN)
    and their upraised arm is broken.^(EO)

¹⁶ “Have you journeyed to the springs of the sea
    or walked in the recesses of the deep?^(EP)
17 Have the gates of death^(EQ) been shown to you?
    Have you seen the gates of the deepest darkness?^(ER)
18 Have you comprehended the vast expanses of the earth?^(ES)
    Tell me, if you know all this.^(ET)

¹⁹ “What is the way to the abode of light?
    And where does darkness reside?^(EU)
20 Can you take them to their places?
    Do you know the paths^(EV) to their dwellings?
²¹ Surely you know, for you were already born!^(EW)
    You have lived so many years!

²² “Have you entered the storehouses of the snow^(EX)
    or seen the storehouses^(EY) of the hail,^(EZ)
23 which I reserve for times of trouble,^(FA)
    for days of war and battle?^(FB)
24 What is the way to the place where the lightning is dispersed,^(FC)
    or the place where the east winds^(FD) are scattered over the earth?^(FE)
25 Who cuts a channel for the torrents of rain,
    and a path for the thunderstorm,^(FF)
26 to water^(FG) a land where no one lives,
    an uninhabited desert,^(FH)
27 to satisfy a desolate wasteland
    and make it sprout with grass?^(FI)
28 Does the rain have a father?^(FJ)
    Who fathers the drops of dew?
²⁹ From whose womb comes the ice?
    Who gives birth to the frost from the heavens^(FK)
30 when the waters become hard as stone,
    when the surface of the deep is frozen?^(FL)

³¹ “Can you bind the chains^[i] of the Pleiades?
    Can you loosen Orion’s belt?^(FM)
32 Can you bring forth the constellations^(FN) in their seasons^[j]
    or lead out the Bear^[k] with its cubs?^(FO)
33 Do you know the laws^(FP) of the heavens?^(FQ)
    Can you set up God’s^[l] dominion over the earth?

³⁴ “Can you raise your voice to the clouds
    and cover yourself with a flood of water?^(FR)
35 Do you send the lightning bolts on their way?^(FS)
    Do they report to you, ‘Here we are’?
³⁶ Who gives the ibis wisdom^[m](FT)
    or gives the rooster understanding?^[n](FU)
37 Who has the wisdom to count the clouds?
    Who can tip over the water jars^(FV) of the heavens^(FW)
38 when the dust becomes hard^(FX)
    and the clods of earth stick together?^(FY)

³⁹ “Do you hunt the prey for the lioness
    and satisfy the hunger of the lions^(FZ)
40 when they crouch in their dens^(GA)
    or lie in wait in a thicket?^(GB)
41 Who provides food^(GC) for the raven^(GD)
    when its young cry out to God
    and wander about for lack of food?^(GE)