Job 37
Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
37 “At this also my heart trembles,
and leaps out of its place.
2 Hearken to the thunder of his voice
and the rumbling that comes from his mouth.
3 Under the whole heaven he lets it go,
and his lightning to the corners of the earth.
4 After it his voice roars;
he thunders with his majestic voice
and he does not restrain the lightnings[a] when his voice is heard.
5 God thunders wondrously with his voice;
he does great things which we cannot comprehend.
6 For to the snow he says, ‘Fall on the earth’;
and to the shower and the rain,[b] ‘Be strong.’
7 He seals up the hand of every man,
that all men may know his work.[c]
8 Then the beasts go into their lairs,
and remain in their dens.
9 From its chamber comes the whirlwind,
and cold from the scattering winds.
10 By the breath of God ice is given,
and the broad waters are frozen fast.
11 He loads the thick cloud with moisture;
the clouds scatter his lightning.
12 They turn round and round by his guidance,
to accomplish all that he commands them
on the face of the habitable world.
13 Whether for correction, or for his land,
or for love, he causes it to happen.
14 “Hear this, O Job;
stop and consider the wondrous works of God.
15 Do you know how God lays his command upon them,
and causes the lightning of his cloud to shine?
16 Do you know the balancings of the clouds,
the wondrous works of him who is perfect in knowledge,
17 you whose garments are hot
when the earth is still because of the south wind?
18 Can you, like him, spread out the skies,
hard as a molten mirror?
19 Teach us what we shall say to him;
we cannot draw up our case because of darkness.
20 Shall it be told him that I would speak?
Did a man ever wish that he would be swallowed up?
21 “And now men cannot look on the light
when it is bright in the skies,
when the wind has passed and cleared them.
22 Out of the north comes golden splendor;
God is clothed with terrible majesty.
23 The Almighty—we cannot find him;
he is great in power and justice,
and abundant righteousness he will not violate.
24 Therefore men fear him;
he does not regard any who are wise in their own conceit.”
Job 37
GOD’S WORD Translation
Elihu Continues: God’s Ways Are Beyond Human Understanding
37 “My heart pounds because of this
and jumps out of its place.
2 Listen! Listen to the roar of God’s voice,
to the rumbling that comes from his mouth.
3 He flashes his lightning everywhere under heaven.
His light flashes to the ends of the earth.
4 It is followed by the roar of his voice.
He thunders with his majestic voice.
He doesn’t hold the lightning back when his thunder is heard.
5 God’s voice thunders in miraculous ways.
It does great things that we cannot understand.
6 “He says to the snow, ‘Fall to the ground,’
and to the pouring rain, ‘Rain harder!’
7 He makes it impossible to do anything [a]
so that people will recognize his work.
8 Animals go into their dens
and stay in their lairs.
9 A storm comes out of its chamber.
It is cold because of the strong winds.
10 God’s breath produces ice,
and the seas freeze over.
11 Yes, he loads the thick clouds with moisture
and scatters his lightning from the clouds.
12 He guides the clouds as they churn round and round
over the face of the inhabited earth
to do everything he orders them.
13 Whether for discipline,
or for ⌞the good of⌟ his earth,
or out of mercy,
he makes the storm appear.
14 “Open your ears to this, Job.
Stop and consider God’s miracles.
15 Do you know how God controls them
and makes the lightning flash from his clouds?
16 Do you know how the clouds drift
(these are the miracles of the one who knows everything),
17 you whose clothes are hot and sweaty,
when the earth is calm under a south wind?
18 Can you stretch out the skies with him
and make them as firm as a mirror made of metal?
19 Teach us what we should say to him.
We are unable to prepare ⌞a case⌟ because of darkness.
20 Should he be told that I want to speak?
Can a person speak when he is confused?
21 People can’t look at the sun
when it’s bright among the clouds
or after the wind has blown and cleared those clouds away.
22 A golden light comes from the north.
A terrifying majesty is around God.
23 The Almighty, whom we can’t reach,
is great in power and judgment,
has more than enough righteousness,
and does not oppress.
24 That is why people should fear him.
He does not respect those who think they’re wise.”
Footnotes
- 37:7 Or “He seals up every person’s hand.”
The Revised Standard Version of the Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1965, 1966 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God’s Word to the Nations Mission Society. All rights reserved.