1"Whenever this happens, my heart stops— I'm stunned, I can't catch my breath.
2Listen to it! Listen to his thunder, the rolling, rumbling thunder of his voice.
3He lets loose his lightnings from horizon to horizon, lighting up the earth from pole to pole.
4In their wake, the thunder echoes his voice, powerful and majestic. He lets out all the stops, he holds nothing back. No one can mistake that voice—
5His word thundering so wondrously, his mighty acts staggering our understanding.
6He orders the snow, 'Blanket the earth!' and the rain, 'Soak the whole countryside!'
7No one can escape the weather—it's there. And no one can escape from God.
8Wild animals take shelter, crawling into their dens,
9When blizzards roar out of the north and freezing rain crusts the land.
10It's God's breath that forms the ice, it's God's breath that turns lakes and rivers solid.
11And yes, it's God who fills clouds with rainwater and hurls lightning from them every which way.
12He puts them through their paces—first this way, then that— commands them to do what he says all over the world.
13Whether for discipline or grace or extravagant love, he makes sure they make their mark.
14"Job, are you listening? Have you noticed all this? Stop in your tracks! Take in God's miracle-wonders!
15Do you have any idea how God does it all, how he makes bright lightning from dark storms,
16How he piles up the cumulus clouds— all these miracle-wonders of a perfect Mind?
17Why, you don't even know how to keep cool on a sweltering hot day,
18So how could you even dream of making a dent in that hot-tin-roof sky?
19"If you're so smart, give us a lesson in how to address God. We're in the dark and can't figure it out.
20Do you think I'm dumb enough to challenge God? Wouldn't that just be asking for trouble?
21No one in his right mind stares straight at the sun on a clear and cloudless day.
22As gold comes from the northern mountains, so a terrible beauty streams from God.
23"Mighty God! Far beyond our reach! Unsurpassable in power and justice! It's unthinkable that he'd treat anyone unfairly.
24So bow to him in deep reverence, one and all! If you're wise, you'll most certainly worship him."