Good News Translation GNT
Revised Standard Version RSV
1 The storm makes my heart beat wildly.
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"At this also my heart trembles, and leaps out of its place.
2 Listen, all of you, to the voice of God, to the thunder that comes from his mouth.
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Hearken to the thunder of his voice and the rumbling that comes from his mouth.
3 He sends the lightning across the sky, from one end of the earth to the other.
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Under the whole heaven he lets it go, and his lightning to the corners of the earth.
4 Then the roar of his voice is heard, the majestic sound of thunder, and all the while the lightning flashes.
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After it his voice roars; he thunders with his majestic voice and he does not restrain the lightnings when his voice is heard.
5 At God's command amazing things happen, wonderful things that we can't understand.
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God thunders wondrously with his voice; he does great things which we cannot comprehend.
6 He commands snow to fall on the earth, and sends torrents of drenching rain.
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For to the snow he says, 'Fall on the earth'; and to the shower and the rain, 'Be strong.'
7 He brings our work to a stop; he shows us what he can do.
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He seals up the hand of every man, that all men may know his work.
8 The wild animals go to their dens.
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Then the beasts go into their lairs, and remain in their dens.
9 The storm winds come from the south, and the biting cold from the north.
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From its chamber comes the whirlwind, and cold from the scattering winds.
10 The breath of God freezes the waters, and turns them to solid ice.
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By the breath of God ice is given, and the broad waters are frozen fast.
11 Lightning flashes from the clouds,
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He loads the thick cloud with moisture; the clouds scatter his lightning.
12 as they move at God's will. They do all that God commands, everywhere throughout the world.
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They turn round and round by his guidance, to accomplish all that he commands them on the face of the habitable world.
13 God sends rain to water the earth; he may send it to punish us, or to show us his favor.
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Whether for correction, or for his land, or for love, he causes it to happen.
14 Pause a moment, Job, and listen; consider the wonderful things God does.
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"Hear this, O Job; stop and consider the wondrous works of God.
15 Do you know how God gives the command and makes lightning flash from the clouds?
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Do you know how God lays his command upon them, and causes the lightning of his cloud to shine?
16 Do you know how clouds float in the sky, the work of God's amazing skill?
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Do you know the balancings of the clouds, the wondrous works of him who is perfect in knowledge,
17 No, you can only suffer in the heat when the south wind oppresses the land.
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you whose garments are hot when the earth is still because of the south wind?
18 Can you help God stretch out the sky and make it as hard as polished metal?
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Can you, like him, spread out the skies, hard as a molten mirror?
19 Teach us what to say to God; our minds are blank; we have nothing to say.
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Teach us what we shall say to him; we cannot draw up our case because of darkness.
20 I won't ask to speak with God; why should I give him a chance to destroy me?
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Shall it be told him that I would speak? Did a man ever wish that he would be swallowed up?
21 And now the light in the sky is dazzling, too bright for us to look at it; and the sky has been swept clean by the wind.
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"And now men cannot look on the light when it is bright in the skies, when the wind has passed and cleared them.
22 A golden glow is seen in the north, and the glory of God fills us with awe.
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Out of the north comes golden splendor; God is clothed with terrible majesty.
23 God's power is so great that we cannot come near him; he is righteous and just in his dealings with us.
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The Almighty--we cannot find him; he is great in power and justice, and abundant righteousness he will not violate.
24 No wonder, then, that everyone is awed by him, and that he ignores those who claim to be wise.
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Therefore men fear him; he does not regard any who are wise in their own conceit."
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.