1At this also my heart pounds
and leaps from its place.

2Listen carefully to the thunder of his voice,
to the rumbling that proceeds from his mouth.

3Under the whole heaven he lets it go,
even his lightning to the far corners of the earth.

4After that a voice roars;
he thunders with an exalted voice,
and he does not hold back his lightning bolts
when his voice is heard.

5God thunders with his voice in marvelous ways;
he does great things beyond our understanding.

6For to the snow he says, ‘Fall to earth,’
and to the torrential rains, ‘Pour down.’

7He causes everyone to stop working,
so that all people may know his work.

8The wild animals go to their lairs,
and in their dens they remain.

9A tempest blows out from its chamber,
icy cold from the driving winds.

10The breath of God produces ice,
and the breadth of the waters freeze solid.

11He loads the clouds with moisture;
he scatters his lightning through the clouds.

12The clouds go round in circles,
wheeling about according to his plans,
to carry out all that he commands them
over the face of the whole inhabited world.

13Whether it is for punishment for his land,
or whether it is for mercy,
he causes it to find its mark.

14“Pay attention to this, Job!
Stand still and consider the wonders God works.

15Do you know how God commands them,
how he makes lightning flash in his storm cloud?

16Do you know about the balancing of the clouds,
that wondrous activity of him who is perfect in knowledge?

17You, whose garments are hot
when the earth is still because of the south wind,

18will you, with him, spread out the clouds,
solid as a mirror of molten metal?

19Tell us what we should say to him.
We cannot prepare a case
because of the darkness.

20Should he be informed that I want to speak?
If a man speaks, surely he would be swallowed up!

21But now, the sun cannot be looked at –
it is bright in the skies –
after a wind passed and swept the clouds away.

22From the north he comes in golden splendor;
around God is awesome majesty.

23As for the Almighty, we cannot attain to him!
He is great in power,
but justice and abundant righteousness he does not oppress.

24Therefore people fear him,
for he does not regard all the wise in heart.”