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1 Knowest thou the time when the wild goats of the rock bring forth? or canst thou mark when the hinds do calve?
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2 Canst thou number the months that they fulfil? or knowest thou the time when they bring forth?
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3 They bow themselves, they bring forth their young ones, they cast out their sorrows.
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4 Their young ones are in good liking, they grow up with corn; they go forth, and return not unto them.
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5 Who hath sent out the wild ass free? or who hath loosed the bands of the wild ass?
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6 Whose house I have made the wilderness, and the barren land his dwellings.
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7 He scorneth the multitude of the city, neither regardeth he the crying of the driver.
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8 The range of the mountains is his pasture, and he searcheth after every green thing.
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9 Will the unicorn be willing to serve thee, or abide by thy crib?
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10 Canst thou bind the unicorn with his band in the furrow? or will he harrow the valleys after thee?
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11 Wilt thou trust him, because his strength is great? or wilt thou leave thy labour to him?
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12 Wilt thou believe him, that he will bring home thy seed, and gather it into thy barn?
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13 Gavest thou the goodly wings unto the peacocks? or wings and feathers unto the ostrich?
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14 Which leaveth her eggs in the earth, and warmeth them in dust,
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15 And forgetteth that the foot may crush them, or that the wild beast may break them.
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16 She is hardened against her young ones, as though they were not hers: her labour is in vain without fear;
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17 Because God hath deprived her of wisdom, neither hath he imparted to her understanding.
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18 What time she lifteth up herself on high, she scorneth the horse and his rider.
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19 Hast thou given the horse strength? hast thou clothed his neck with thunder?
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20 Canst thou make him afraid as a grasshopper? the glory of his nostrils is terrible.
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21 He paweth in the valley, and rejoiceth in his strength: he goeth on to meet the armed men.
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22 He mocketh at fear, and is not affrighted; neither turneth he back from the sword.
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23 The quiver rattleth against him, the glittering spear and the shield.
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24 He swalloweth the ground with fierceness and rage: neither believeth he that it is the sound of the trumpet.
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25 He saith among the trumpets, Ha, ha; and he smelleth the battle afar off, the thunder of the captains, and the shouting.
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26 Doth the hawk fly by thy wisdom, and stretch her wings toward the south?
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27 Doth the eagle mount up at thy command, and make her nest on high?
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28 She dwelleth and abideth on the rock, upon the crag of the rock, and the strong place.
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29 From thence she seeketh the prey, and her eyes behold afar off.
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30 Her young ones also suck up blood: and where the slain are, there is she.
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- 1 “Do you know the time the mountain goats give birth? Do you observe the calving of the deer?
- 2 “Can you count the months they fulfill, Or do you know the time they give birth?
- 3 “They kneel down, they bring forth their young, They get rid of their labor pains.
- 4 “Their offspring become strong, they grow up in the open field; They leave and do not return to them.
- 5 “Who sent out the wild donkey free? And who loosed the bonds of the swift donkey,
- 6 To whom I gave the wilderness for a home And the salt land for his dwelling place?
- 7 “He scorns the tumult of the city, The shoutings of the driver he does not hear.
- 8 “He explores the mountains for his pasture And searches after every green thing.
- 9 “Will the wild ox consent to serve you, Or will he spend the night at your manger?
- 10 “Can you bind the wild ox in a furrow with ropes, Or will he harrow the valleys after you?
- 11 “Will you trust him because his strength is great And leave your labor to him?
- 12 “Will you have faith in him that he will return your grain And gather it from your threshing floor?
- 13 “The ostriches' wings flap joyously With the pinion and plumage of love,
- 14 For she abandons her eggs to the earth And warms them in the dust,
- 15 And she forgets that a foot may crush them, Or that a wild beast may trample them.
- 16 “She treats her young cruelly, as if they were not hers; Though her labor be in vain, she is unconcerned;
- 17 Because God has made her forget wisdom, And has not given her a share of understanding.
- 18 “When she lifts herself on high, She laughs at the horse and his rider.
- 19 “Do you give the horse his might? Do you clothe his neck with a mane?
- 20 “Do you make him leap like the locust? His majestic snorting is terrible.
- 21 “He paws in the valley, and rejoices in his strength; He goes out to meet the weapons.
- 22 “He laughs at fear and is not dismayed; And he does not turn back from the sword.
- 23 “The quiver rattles against him, The flashing spear and javelin.
- 24 “With shaking and rage he races over the ground, And he does not stand still at the voice of the trumpet.
- 25 “As often as the trumpet sounds he says, 'Aha!' And he scents the battle from afar, And the thunder of the captains and the war cry.
- 26 “Is it by your understanding that the hawk soars, Stretching his wings toward the south?
- 27 “Is it at your command that the eagle mounts up And makes his nest on high?
- 28 “On the cliff he dwells and lodges, Upon the rocky crag, an inaccessible place.
- 29 “From there he spies out food; His eyes see it from afar.
- 30 “His young ones also suck up blood; And where the slain are, there is he.”
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