Add parallel Print Page Options

37 Mon cœur est tout tremblant,
Il bondit hors de sa place.
Ecoutez, écoutez le frémissement de sa voix,
Le grondement qui sort de sa bouche!
Il le fait rouler dans toute l’étendue des cieux,
Et son éclair brille jusqu’aux extrémités de la terre.
Puis éclate un rugissement: il tonne de sa voix majestueuse;
Il ne retient plus l’éclair, dès que sa voix retentit.
Dieu tonne avec sa voix d’une manière merveilleuse;
Il fait de grandes choses que nous ne comprenons pas.
Il dit à la neige: Tombe sur la terre!
Il le dit à la pluie, même aux plus fortes pluies.
Il met un sceau sur la main de tous les hommes,
Afin que tous se reconnaissent comme ses créatures.
L’animal sauvage se retire dans une caverne,
Et se couche dans sa tanière.
L’ouragan vient du midi,
Et le froid, des vents du nord.
10 Par son souffle Dieu produit la glace,
Il réduit l’espace où se répandaient les eaux.
11 Il charge de vapeurs les nuages,
Il les disperse étincelants;
12 Leurs évolutions varient selon ses desseins,
Pour l’accomplissement de tout ce qu’il leur ordonne,
Sur la face de la terre habitée;
13 C’est comme une verge dont il frappe sa terre,
Ou comme un signe de son amour, qu’il les fait apparaître.

14 Job, sois attentif à ces choses!
Considère encore les merveilles de Dieu!
15 Sais-tu comment Dieu les dirige,
Et fait briller son nuage étincelant?
16 Comprends-tu le balancement des nuées,
Les merveilles de celui dont la science est parfaite?
17 Sais-tu pourquoi tes vêtements sont chauds
Quand la terre se repose par le vent du midi?
18 Peux-tu comme lui étendre les cieux,
Aussi solides qu’un miroir de métal fondu?
19 Fais-nous connaître ce que nous devons lui dire;
Nous sommes trop ignorants pour nous adresser à lui.
20 Lui annoncera-t-on que je parlerai?
Mais quel est l’homme qui désire sa perte?
21 On ne peut fixer le soleil qui resplendit dans les cieux,
Lorsqu’un vent passe et en ramène la pureté;
22 Le septentrion le rend éclatant comme l’or.
Oh! que la majesté de Dieu est redoutable!
23 Nous ne saurions parvenir jusqu’au Tout-Puissant,
Grand par la force,
Par la justice, par le droit souverain:
Il ne répond pas!
24 C’est pourquoi les hommes doivent le craindre;
Il ne porte les regards sur aucun sage.

Elihu Continues

I Am Frightened

37 I am frightened
    and tremble all over,
when I hear the roaring voice
    of God in the thunder,
and when I see his lightning
    flash across the sky.
God's majestic voice
    thunders his commands,[a]
creating miracles too marvelous
    for us to understand.
Snow and heavy rainstorms
make us stop and think
    about God's power,[b]
and they force animals
    to seek shelter.
The windstorms of winter strike,
10 and the breath of God
    freezes streams and rivers.
11 Rain clouds filled with lightning
    appear at God's command,
12 traveling across the sky
13     to release their cargo—
sometimes as punishment for sin,
    sometimes as kindness.

Consider Carefully

14 Job, consider carefully
    the many wonders of God.
15 Can you explain why lightning
flashes at the orders
16     of God who knows all things?
Or how he hangs the clouds
    in empty space?
17 You almost melt in the heat
of fierce desert winds
    when the sky is like brass.
18 God can hammer out the clouds
in spite of the oppressive heat,
    but can you?

19 Tell us what to say to God!
    Our minds are in the dark,
and we don't know how
    to argue our case.
20 Should I risk my life
by telling God
    that I want to speak?
21 No one can stare at the sun
after a breeze has blown
    the clouds from the sky.
22 Yet the glorious splendor
of God All-Powerful
    is brighter by far.
23 God cannot be seen—
but his power is great,
    and he is always fair.
24 And so we humans fear God,
    because he shows no respect
for those who are proud
    and think they know so much.

Footnotes

  1. 37.4 commands: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 4.
  2. 37.7 God's power: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 7.

37 At this also my heart trembleth, and is moved out of his place.

Hear attentively the noise of his voice, and the sound that goeth out of his mouth.

He directeth it under the whole heaven, and his lightning unto the ends of the earth.

After it a voice roareth: he thundereth with the voice of his excellency; and he will not stay them when his voice is heard.

God thundereth marvellously with his voice; great things doeth he, which we cannot comprehend.

For he saith to the snow, Be thou on the earth; likewise to the small rain, and to the great rain of his strength.

He sealeth up the hand of every man; that all men may know his work.

Then the beasts go into dens, and remain in their places.

Out of the south cometh the whirlwind: and cold out of the north.

10 By the breath of God frost is given: and the breadth of the waters is straitened.

11 Also by watering he wearieth the thick cloud: he scattereth his bright cloud:

12 And it is turned round about by his counsels: that they may do whatsoever he commandeth them upon the face of the world in the earth.

13 He causeth it to come, whether for correction, or for his land, or for mercy.

14 Hearken unto this, O Job: stand still, and consider the wondrous works of God.

15 Dost thou know when God disposed them, and caused the light of his cloud to shine?

16 Dost thou know the balancings of the clouds, the wondrous works of him which is perfect in knowledge?

17 How thy garments are warm, when he quieteth the earth by the south wind?

18 Hast thou with him spread out the sky, which is strong, and as a molten looking glass?

19 Teach us what we shall say unto him; for we cannot order our speech by reason of darkness.

20 Shall it be told him that I speak? if a man speak, surely he shall be swallowed up.

21 And now men see not the bright light which is in the clouds: but the wind passeth, and cleanseth them.

22 Fair weather cometh out of the north: with God is terrible majesty.

23 Touching the Almighty, we cannot find him out: he is excellent in power, and in judgment, and in plenty of justice: he will not afflict.

24 Men do therefore fear him: he respecteth not any that are wise of heart.