Elihu Continues

I Am Frightened

1I am frightened

and tremble all over,

2when I hear the roaring voice

of God in the thunder,

3and when I see his lightning

flash across the sky.

4God's majestic voice

thunders his commands,+

5creating miracles too marvelous

for us to understand.

6Snow and heavy rainstorms

7make us stop and think

about God's power,+

8and they force animals

to seek shelter.

9The windstorms of winter strike,

10and the breath of God

freezes streams and rivers.

11Rain clouds filled with lightning

appear at God's command,

12traveling across the sky

13to release their cargo—

sometimes as punishment for sin,

sometimes as kindness.

Consider Carefully

14Job, consider carefully

the many wonders of God.

15Can you explain why lightning

flashes at the orders

16of God who knows all things?

Or how he hangs the clouds

in empty space?

17You almost melt in the heat

of fierce desert winds

when the sky is like brass.

18God can hammer out the clouds

in spite of the oppressive heat,

but can you?

19Tell us what to say to God!

Our minds are in the dark,

and we don't know how

to argue our case.

20Should I risk my life

by telling God

that I want to speak?

21No one can stare at the sun

after a breeze has blown

the clouds from the sky.

22Yet the glorious splendor

of God All-Powerful

is brighter by far.

23God cannot be seen—

but his power is great,

and he is always fair.

24And so we humans fear God,

because he shows no respect

for those who are proud

and think they know so much.