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37. Elihu Continues

¹ “At this my heart pounds
   and leaps from its place.
² Listen! Listen to the roar of his voice,
   to the rumbling that comes from his mouth.
³ He unleashes his lightning beneath the whole heaven
   and sends it to the ends of the earth.
⁴ After that comes the sound of his roar;
   he thunders with his majestic voice.
When his voice resounds,
   he holds nothing back.
⁵ God’s voice thunders in marvelous ways;
   he does great things beyond our understanding.
⁶ He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth,’
   and to the rain shower, ‘Be a mighty downpour.’
⁷ So that everyone he has made may know his work,
   he stops all people from their labor. Or work, / he fills all people with fear by his power
⁸ The animals take cover;
   they remain in their dens.
⁹ The tempest comes out from its chamber,
   the cold from the driving winds.
¹⁰ The breath of God produces ice,
   and the broad waters become frozen.
¹¹ He loads the clouds with moisture;
   he scatters his lightning through them.
¹² At his direction they swirl around
   over the face of the whole earth
   to do whatever he commands them.
¹³ He brings the clouds to punish people,
   or to water his earth and show his love.

    ¹⁴ “Listen to this, Job;
   stop and consider God’s wonders.
¹⁵ Do you know how God controls the clouds
   and makes his lightning flash?
¹⁶ Do you know how the clouds hang poised,
   those wonders of him who has perfect knowledge?
¹⁷ You who swelter in your clothes
   when the land lies hushed under the south wind,
¹⁸ can you join him in spreading out the skies,
   hard as a mirror of cast bronze?

    ¹⁹ “Tell us what we should say to him;
   we cannot draw up our case because of our darkness.
²⁰ Should he be told that I want to speak?
   Would anyone ask to be swallowed up?
²¹ Now no one can look at the sun,
   bright as it is in the skies
   after the wind has swept them clean.
²² Out of the north he comes in golden splendor;
   God comes in awesome majesty.
²³ The Almighty is beyond our reach and exalted in power;
   in his justice and great righteousness, he does not oppress.
²⁴ Therefore, people revere him,
   for does he not have regard for all the wise in heart? Or for he does not have regard for any who think they are wise.”