1“When I hear the thunder, my heart pounds.
It beats faster inside me.
2Listen! Listen to the roar of his voice!
Listen to the thunder that comes from him!
3He sends his lightning across the sky.
It reaches from one end of the earth to the other.
4Next comes the sound of his roaring thunder.
He thunders with his majestic voice.
When his voice fills the air,
he doesn’t hold anything back.
5God’s voice thunders in wonderful ways.
We’ll never understand the great things he does.
6He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth.’
He tells the rain, ‘Pour down your mighty waters.’
7He stops everyone from working.
He wants them to see his work.
8The animals go inside.
They remain in their dens.
9The storm comes out of its storeroom in the heavens.
The cold comes from the driving winds.
10The breath of God produces ice.
The shallow water freezes over.
11He loads the clouds with moisture.
He scatters his lightning through them.
12He directs the clouds to circle
above the surface of the whole earth.
They do everything he commands them to do.
13He tells the clouds to punish people.
Or he brings them to water his earth and show his love.
14“Job, listen to me.
Stop and think about the wonderful things God does.
15Do you know how he controls the clouds?
Do you understand how he makes his lightning flash?
16Do you know how the clouds stay up in the sky?
Do you understand the wonders of the God who has perfect knowledge?
17Even your clothes are too hot for you
when the land lies quiet under the south wind.
18Can you help God spread out the skies?
They are as hard as a mirror
that’s made out of bronze.
19“Job, tell us what we should say to God.
We can’t prepare our case
because our minds are dark.
20Should he be told that I want to speak?
Would anyone ask to be destroyed by him?
21No one can look at the sun.
It’s too bright after the wind has swept the skies clean.
22Out of the north, God comes in his shining glory.
He comes in all his wonderful majesty.
23We can’t reach up to the Mighty One.
He is lifted high because of his power.
Everything he does is fair and right.
So he doesn’t crush people.
24That’s why they have respect for him.
He cares about all those who are wise.”
Guds uendelige storhed
1Det får mit hjerte til at banke voldsomt,
det hopper næsten helt op i halsen.
2Hør efter, når Gud taler fra stormvejret,
når hans tordenrøst ruller hen over os.
3Lynene glimter hen over himlen
og rækker helt til jordens ende.
4Derefter kommer tordenskraldet,
hans majestætiske, tordnende røst.
Han sparer ikke på lynene,
når han lader sin røst høre.
5Guds storslåede stemme høres i bulderet,
han gør store og ufattelige ting.
6Han befaler sneen at falde på jorden
og sender regnskyl i tykke tove.
7Folk må standse op midt i deres arbejde
og anerkende Guds vældige magt.
8Dyrene søger i skjul,
de bliver i deres huler.
9Den bidende blæst lukkes ud fra sit hus
og kommer med kulde fra nord.
10Gud ånder på vandet,
så overfladen fryser til is.
11Han fylder skyerne med vand,
og fra dem udspringer hans lyn.
12Skyerne farer frem og tilbage,
de bevæger sig efter hans vilje.
De udfører hans befalinger
ud over den vide jord,
13hvad enten lynet kommer for at straffe,
eller regnen kommer for at velsigne.
14Tænk dig om et øjeblik, Job,
læg mærke til Guds forunderlige gerninger.
15Ved du, hvordan han styrer naturens kræfter,
hvordan han får lynene til at glimte fra skyerne?
16Forstår du, hvordan skyerne kan svæve i luften?
Det er den Almægtiges underværker.
17Du, som lider under den brændende sol,
når søndenvinden bringer en hedebølge,
18var det dig, der hjalp ham udspænde himlens bue,
så den skinner som et spejl af blankt metal?
19Job, hvad med at dele noget af din visdom med Gud,
for vi andre ved jo ingenting!
20Tør du sige til Gud, at du vil fortælle ham noget?
Risikerer du ikke at dø ved at træde frem for ham?
21Når vinden har blæst skyerne væk,
og solen kommer frem i al sin skarphed,
kan intet menneske holde ud at se på dens strålende lys.
22Mod nord kan man se et gyldent skær,
men Guds herlighed er langt mere strålende.
23Vi kan ikke mødes på lige fod med den almægtige Gud,
for hans magt er uendelig.
Hans godhed er uden grænser,
og han kan umuligt være uretfærdig.
24Derfor har mennesker ærefrygt for ham,
men de selvretfærdige kan Gud ikke hjælpe.”
