The Complete Jewish Bible CJB
The Bible in Basic English BBE
1 "At this, my own heart trembles and leaps out of its place.
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At this my heart is shaking; it is moved out of its place.
2 Just listen to the rumbling of his voice, to the thunder that comes from his mouth!
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Give ear to the rolling noise of his voice; to the hollow sound which goes out of his mouth.
3 He sends it out under all of heaven, his lightning to the ends of the earth.
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He sends it out through all the heaven, and his thunder-flame to the ends of the earth.
4 There follows a sound, a roar -he is thundering with his majestic voice, and he keeps releasing [the lightning] even while his voice is being heard.
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After it a voice is sounding, thundering out the word of his power; he does not keep back his thunder-flames; from his mouth his voice is sounding.
5 "God thunders wonderfully with his voice, he does great things beyond our understanding.
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He does wonders, more than may be searched out; great things of which we have no knowledge;
6 He says to the snow, 'Fall on the earth!'-likewise to the light rain, also to the downpour.
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For he says to the snow, Make the earth wet; and to the rain-storm, Come down.
7 He brings all human activity to a stop, so that everyone he has made can know it.
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He puts an end to the work of every man, so that all may see his work.
8 Then the animals go into their lairs and hibernate in their dens.
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Then the beasts go into their holes, and take their rest.
9 "Out of its chamber comes the storm, with cold out of the north.
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Out of its place comes the storm-wind, and the cold out of its store-houses.
10 By the breath of God, ice is given, and the wide waters freeze over.
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By the breath of God ice is made, and the wide waters are shut in.
11 He weighs the clouds down with moisture, and they flash forth his lightning.
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The thick cloud is weighted with thunder-flame, and the cloud sends out its light;
12 He, by his plans, turns them around, so they do what he commands them anywhere on earth;
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And it goes this way and that, round about, turning itself by his guiding, to do whatever he gives orders to be done, on the face of his world of men,
13 he brings them forth on the earth sometimes to punish, sometimes to express his grace.
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For a rod, or for a curse, or for mercy, causing it to come on the mark.
14 "Listen to this, Iyov! Stop, and consider God's wonders.
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Give ear to this, O Job, and keep quiet in your place; and take note of the wonders worked by God.
15 Do you know how God puts them in place, how he causes lightning to flash from his cloud?
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Have you knowledge of God's ordering of his works, how he makes the light of his cloud to be seen?
16 Do you know how he balances the clouds? These are marvels of him who knows everything!
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Have you knowledge of the balancings of the clouds, the wonders of him who has all wisdom?
17 "You, sweltering in your clothing as the earth lies still under a sultry south wind,
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You, whose clothing is warm, when the earth is quiet because of the south wind,
18 can you, with him, spread out the sky, hard as a cast metal mirror?
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Will you, with him, make the skies smooth, and strong as a polished looking-glass?
19 Teach us what we should tell him, for the darkness keeps us from organizing our case.
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Make clear to me what we are to say to him; we are unable to put our cause before him, because of the dark.
20 Is he to be told that I will speak? Can a man speak at all when he is already swallowed up?
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How may he have knowledge of my desire for talk with him? or did any man ever say, May destruction come on me?
21 Now people don't see the light, which is bright in the sky; but then the wind blows and clears [the clouds] away.
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And now the light is not seen, for it is dark because of the clouds; but a wind comes, clearing them away.
22 Out of the north comes a golden glow, fearsome majesty surrounding God.
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A bright light comes out of the north; God's glory is greatly to be feared.
23 Shaddai, whom we cannot find, whose power is immense, in his great righteousness does not pervert justice.
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There is no searching out of the Ruler of all: his strength and his judging are great; he is full of righteousness, doing no wrong.
24 This is why people fear him; he does not consider those who think of themselves as wise."
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For this cause men go in fear of him; he has no respect for any who are wise in heart.
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.