Who has put wisdom in the clouds…? is clear except for the words translated as clouds in line a and mists in line b. The Revised Standard Version note says the meaning of both words is uncertain. The suggestions put forth by interpreters are numerous and confusing, but there are four major lines of interpretation: (1) psychological terms such as New Jerusalem Bible “hidden parts” and “mind,” or New English Bible “darkness” and “secrecy”; (2) meteorological (weather) terms such as Revised Standard Version “clouds” and “mist”; (3) mythological terms: Pope has “Thoth,” the Egyptian God, and “Sekwi,” the Coptic name for Mercury; (4) zoological terms (names of creatures) such as Dhorme “ibis” and “cock.” Good News Translation has followed the lead of Dhorme and made the wisdom of the “ibis” and “cock” specific by “… ibis when the Nile will flood or … rooster that rain will fall.” Good News Translation also gives a note on the “ibis” and a note on the Hebrew text of this verse. Hebrew Old Testament Text Project admits the possibility of the meanings “ibis” and “cock,” but denies the possibility of psychological meanings such as “inward parts” and “heart.” Rowley, who summarizes many views, concludes “while there can be no certainty of the meaning, Revised Standard Version gives the most probable sense.” The meteorological line of interpretation seems to fit the context of verses 34-38 best. However, Good News Translation cannot be ruled out and is secondarily based on weather conditions. If the translator follows Revised Standard Version, the expression put wisdom in the clouds may have to be restructured to say, for example, “Who has enabled the clouds to rain?” or “Who has made the clouds so that they know how to rain?” The second line may be rendered as “And who has shown the mist how to rise?” If these solutions are not satisfactory, translators may be able to follow a widely-used version of the language area.

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, Wiliam. A Handbook on Job. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1992. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .