[1] "The thunder and lightning frighten me; my heart pounds in my chest. [2] Listen to God's thundering voice! Listen to the sound coming from his mouth. [3] He sends his lightning to flash across the whole sky. It lights up the earth from one end to the other. [4] After the flashes of lightning you can hear his roaring voice. He thunders with his wonderful voice! And while his voice thunders, the lightning flashes continue. [5] God's thundering voice is amazing! He does great things that we cannot understand. [6] He says to the snow, 'Fall on the earth.' And he says to the rain, 'Pour down on the earth.' [7] God does this to stop everyone's work and to show the people he made what he can do. [8] The animals run into their dens and stay there. [9] Whirlwinds come from the south. The cold winds come from the north. [10] God's breath makes ice and freezes even large bodies of water. [11] He fills the clouds with water and scatters his lightning through them. [12] He orders the clouds to be blown all around the earth. The clouds do whatever he commands. [13] He causes the clouds to punish people with floods or to water his earth and show his love. [14] "Job, stop for a minute and listen. Think about the wonderful things God does. [15] Do you know how God controls the clouds? Do you know how he makes his lightning flash? [16] Do you know how the clouds hang in the sky? This is just one of the amazing works of the one who knows everything. [17] All you know is that you sweat, your clothes stick to you, and all is still and quiet when the heat wave comes from the south. [18] Can you help God spread out the sky and make it shine like polished brass? [19] "Job, tell us what we should say to God! We cannot think of what to say because of our ignorance. [20] I would not tell God that I wanted to talk to him. That would be like asking to be destroyed. [21] A person cannot look at the sun. It is too bright as it shines in the sky after the wind blows the clouds away. [22] In the same way God's golden glory shines from the Holy Mountain. He is surrounded by the brightest light. [23] We have seen that God All-Powerful really is all powerful! But he is just and never treats anyone unfairly. [24] That is why people fear and respect him. He shows no respect for those who think they are wise."
