Job 37
1 “My heart pounds [DOU] when [I think about] that.
At this my heart trembles, beating rapidly within me!
2 Listen, all of you, to the thunder, which is like God’s voice [DOU].
Listen carefully to God's thunderous voice that rumbles as he speaks.
3 He causes thunder to be heard all across the sky, and he causes lighting to flash to the most distant places on the earth.
He sends it across the heaven; his lightning flashes to the ends of the earth.
4 After [the lightning flashes], we hear the thunder which is like [MET] God’s majestic voice; he does not restrain the lightning when he speaks.
Then comes the roar of thunder, his majestic voice holding nothing back when he speaks.
5 When God speaks, it is awesome, like thunder; he does amazing things which we cannot [fully] understand.
God's thunderous voice is wonderful! We can't comprehend the great things he does!
6 He commands the snow to fall on the ground, and [sometimes] he causes it to rain very hard.
He tells the snow to fall and the rain to pour down on the earth.
7 And [when God does that, ] it prevents people [SYN] from working, in order that all people may know that he is the one who has done that (OR, what he can do).
By this he stops people working so that everyone can understand what he does.
8 [When it rains, ] animals go into their hiding places, and they remain there [until the rain stops].
Even the animals take shelter and remain in their dens.
9 The storms/hurricanes come from the place [in the south where they start], and the cold wind comes from the north.
The south wind blows in storms, while the north wind blows in cold weather.
10 [In the (winter/cold season), the cold north wind is like] God’s breath [that] causes [MET] water to freeze; he causes the lakes/streams to become ice.
God's breath produces ice, freezing the surface of water solid.
11 God fills the clouds with moisture/hail, and lightning flashes from the clouds.
He fills the clouds with moisture; he scatters his lightning from them.
12 He guides the clouds and causes them to move back and forth in order that they may accomplish all that he commands them to do, all over the world.
They swirl around under his control; they move over all the earth as he commands.
13 Sometimes God sends rain to punish us, and sometimes he sends rain to show us that he acts kindly toward us.
He does this to accomplish his will, either to discipline or to show his goodness.
14 “Job, listen to this; stop and think about the wonderful things that God does.
Listen to this, Job! Stop for a moment and consider the wonderful things God does.
15 (Do you know how God commands the lightning to flash down from the clouds?/We do not know how God commands the lightning to flash down from the clouds.) [RHQ]
Do you know how God controls the clouds, or makes his lightning flash from them?
16 Only God knows everything perfectly; so (do you know how he causes the clouds to (move/float) (amazingly/wonderfully) across the sky?/you certainly do not know how he causes the clouds to (move/float) (amazingly/wonderfully) across the sky!) [RHQ]
Do you know how clouds float in the sky—the wonderful work of him who knows everything.
17 No, you just sweat there in your clothes; [it is very oppressive] when the [hot] wind stops blowing from the south and [all the leaves on the trees] (become still/do not move).
You know how your clothes drip with sweat when the south wind brings air that is hot and heavy.
18 (Can you stretch out the skies like God does and make them as hard as [SIM] a sheet of polished brass?/You certainly cannot stretch out the skies like God does and make them as hard as [SIM] a sheet of polished brass!) [RHQ]
Can you hammer out the sky so it becomes like a molten mirror, as he does?
19 “Job, tell us(exc) what we should say to God; we do not know anything [IDM]. As a result, we do not know what to say to him to defend ourselves.
So why don't you teach us what to tell God? We cannot make our case because we are in the dark!
20 Should I tell God that I want to speak to him? No, because [if I did that, ] he might destroy me.
Should God be told that I want to speak? Anyone who wanted to would be destroyed!
21 Now, people cannot look [directly] at the sun when it shines brightly in the sky after the wind has blown the clouds away; [so, we certainly cannot look at the brightness of God].
After all, we can't look at the sun when it blazes brightly in the sky, after the wind has cleared away the clouds.
22 God comes out of the north with a light [that shines like] gold; his glory causes us to be afraid.
Out of the north God comes shining like gold, surrounded in awesome majesty.
23 Almighty God is very powerful, and we cannot come near to him. He always acts righteously, and he will never oppress us.
We cannot approach the Almighty for he is far beyond us in power and justice, and doing right.
24 That is the reason that we have an awesome respect for him; he does not pay attention to those who proudly, [but wrongly], think that they are wise.”
He does not act like a tyrant—no wonder people are in awe of him, though he does not value those who think they're wise.”
