Job 37

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	NEW JERUSALEM
1 At this my heart trembles and leaps out of its place,	1 At this, my very heart quakes and leaps out of its place.
2 To hear his angry voice as it rumbles forth from his mouth!	2 Listen, oh listen, to the blast of his voice and the sound that issues from his mouth.
3 Everywhere under the heavens he sends it, with his lightning, to the ends of the earth.	3 His lightning is hurled across the heaven, it strikes to the extremities of earth.
4 Again his voice roars-- the majestic sound of his thunder.	4 After it comes a roaring sound, God thunders with majestic voice. He does not check his thunderboltsuntil his voice resounds no more.
5 He does great things beyond our knowing; wonders past our searching out.	5 Yes, certainly God shows us marvels and does great deeds that we cannot understand.
6 For he says to the snow, "Fall to the earth"; likewise to his heavy, drenching rain.	6 When he says to the snow, 'Fal on the earth!' to the showers, 'Now rain hard!'
7 He shuts up all mankind indoors;	7 he brings al human activity to a standstil , for everyone to acknowledge his work.
8 the wild beasts take to cover and remain quietly in their dens.	8 The animals go back to their dens and take shelter in their lairs.
9 Out of its chamber comes forth the tempest; from the north winds, the cold.	9 The storm wind comes from the Mansion of the South, and the north winds usher in the cold.
10 With his breath God brings the frost, and the broad waters become congealed.	10 At the breath of God, ice comes next, the surface of the waters hardens over.
11 With hail, also, the clouds are laden, as they scatter their flashes of light.	11 He weighs the clouds down with moisture, and the storm clouds radiate his lightning.
12 He it is who changes their rounds, according to his plans, in their task upon the surface of the earth,	12 He himself guides their wheeling motion presiding over their seasonal changes. They carry out hisorders to the letter al over this earthly world.
13 whether for punishment or mercy, as he commands.	13 Whether to punish earth's peoples or as a work of faithful love, he despatches them.
14 Hearken to this, O Job! Stand and consider the wondrous works of God!	14 Listen to this, Job, without flinching and reflect on the marvel ous works of God.
15 Do you know how God lays his commands upon them, and makes the light shine forth from his clouds?	15 Do you know how God controls them or how his clouds make the lightning flash?
16 Do you know how the clouds are banked, the wondrous work of him who is perfect in knowledge?	16 Do you know how he balances the clouds -- a miracle of consummate skil ?
17 You, whom the streams of water fail when a calm from the south comes over the land,	17 When your clothes are hot to your body and the earth lies stil under the south wind,
18 Do you spread out with him the firmament of the skies, hard as a brazen mirror?	18 can you, like him, stretch out the sky, tempered like a mirror of cast metal?
19 Teach us then what we shall say to him; we cannot, for the darkness, make our plea.	19 Teach me what we should say to him: but better discuss no further, since we are in the dark.
20 Will he be told about it when I speak, or when a man says he is being destroyed?	20 Does he take note when I speak? When human beings give orders, does he take it in?
21 Nay, rather, it is as the light which men see not while it is obscured among the clouds, till the wind comes by and sweeps the clouds away.	21 There are times when the light vanishes, behind darkening clouds; then comes the wind, sweepingthem away.
22 From the North the splendor comes, surrounding God's awesome majesty!	22 and brightness spreads from the north. God is clothed in fearful splendour:
23 The Almighty! we cannot discover him, pre-eminent in power and judgment; his great justice owes no one an accounting.	23 he, Shaddai, is far beyond our reach. Supreme in power, in equity, excel ing in saving justice, yet nooppressor-
24 Therefore men revere him, though none can see him, however wise their hearts.	24 no wonder then that people fear him: everyone thoughtful holds him in awe!