Out of the north comes golden splendor is literally “Out of the north comes gold.” To speak of the precious metal gold is irrelevant to the context. Therefore Revised Standard Version is no doubt correct in understanding “gold” as a description of a quality of God, and so translates golden splendor. Dhorme defends this and translates “rays of gold.” Good News Translation is similar with “golden glow.” New International Version is more explicit in reference to God: “Out of the north he comes in golden splendor.”

God is clothed with terrible majesty is literally “upon God awesome majesty.” Revised Standard Version has translated using a metaphor where there is no figure in the Hebrew; however, a figure may be implied. The sense may also be expressed as in Habel, “around ʾEloah the splendor is awesome.” Good News Translation makes the awe the experience of the imagined onlookers and translates “And the glory of God fills us with awe,” which is a satisfactory model for translating. Verse 22 may be expressed, for example, “From the north God comes bright as gold, and his glory (brightness) causes us to fear him” or “God comes from the north shining like gold, and his brilliance frightens all who see him.”

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 .