37 “My heart trembles at this. 2 Listen, listen to the thunder of his voice. 3 It rolls across the heavens and his lightning flashes out in every direction. 4 Afterwards comes the roaring of the thunder—the tremendous voice of his majesty. 5 His voice is glorious in the thunder. We cannot comprehend the greatness of his power. 6 For he directs the snow, the showers, and storm to fall upon the earth. 7 Man’s work stops at such a time so that all men everywhere may recognize his power. 8 The wild animals hide in the rocks or in their dens.
9 “From the south comes the rain; from the north, the cold. 10 God blows upon the rivers, and even the widest torrents freeze. 11 He loads the clouds with moisture, and they send forth his lightning. 12 The lightning bolts are directed by his hand and do whatever he commands throughout the earth. 13 He sends the storms[a] as punishment or, in his loving-kindness, to encourage.
14 “Listen, O Job, stop and consider the wonderful miracles of God. 15 Do you know how God controls all nature and causes the lightning to flash forth from the clouds? 16-17 Do you understand the balancing of the clouds with wonderful perfection and skill? Do you know why you become warm when the south wind is blowing and everything is still? 18 Can you spread out the gigantic mirror of the skies as he does?
19-20 “You who think you know so much,[b] teach the rest of us how we should approach God. For we are too dull to know! With your wisdom, would we then dare to approach him? Well, does a man wish to be swallowed alive? 21 For as we cannot look at the sun for its brightness when the winds have cleared away the clouds, 22 neither can we gaze at the terrible majesty of God breaking forth upon us from heaven, clothed in dazzling splendor. 23 We cannot imagine the power of the Almighty, and yet he is so just and merciful that he does not destroy us. 24 No wonder men everywhere fear him! For he is not impressed by the world’s wisest men!”