God Speaks of His Creation
1Knowest thou the time when the wild goats of the rock bring forth? or canst thou mark when the hinds do calve?
2Canst thou number the months that they fulfil? or knowest thou the time when they bring forth?
3They bow themselves, they bring forth their young ones, they cast out their sorrows.
4Their young ones are in good liking, they grow up with corn; they go forth, and return not unto them.
5Who hath sent out the wild ass free? or who hath loosed the bands of the wild ass?
6Whose house I have made the wilderness, and the barren land his dwellings.
7He scorneth the multitude of the city, neither regardeth he the crying of the driver.
8The range of the mountains is his pasture, and he searcheth after every green thing.
9Will the unicorn be willing to serve thee, or abide by thy crib?
10Canst thou bind the unicorn with his band in the furrow? or will he harrow the valleys after thee?
11Wilt thou trust him, because his strength is great? or wilt thou leave thy labour to him?
12Wilt thou believe him, that he will bring home thy seed, and gather it into thy barn?
13Gavest thou the goodly wings unto the peacocks? or wings and feathers unto the ostrich?
14Which leaveth her eggs in the earth, and warmeth them in dust,
15And forgetteth that the foot may crush them, or that the wild beast may break them.
16She is hardened against her young ones, as though they were not hers: her labour is in vain without fear;
17Because God hath deprived her of wisdom, neither hath he imparted to her understanding.
18What time she lifteth up herself on high, she scorneth the horse and his rider.
19Hast thou given the horse strength? hast thou clothed his neck with thunder?
20Canst thou make him afraid as a grasshopper? the glory of his nostrils is terrible.
21He paweth in the valley, and rejoiceth in his strength: he goeth on to meet the armed men.
22He mocketh at fear, and is not affrighted; neither turneth he back from the sword.
23The quiver rattleth against him, the glittering spear and the shield.
24He swalloweth the ground with fierceness and rage: neither believeth he that it is the sound of the trumpet.
25He saith among the trumpets, Ha, ha; and he smelleth the battle afar off, the thunder of the captains, and the shouting.
26Doth the hawk fly by thy wisdom, and stretch her wings toward the south?
27Doth the eagle mount up at thy command, and make her nest on high?
28She dwelleth and abideth on the rock, upon the crag of the rock, and the strong place.
29From thence she seeketh the prey, and her eyes behold afar off.
30Her young ones also suck up blood: and where the slain are, there is she.
King James Bible
Text courtesy of BibleProtector.com.
The LORD Speaks of His Creation
1 “Do you know the time when the mountain goats give birth? Do you watch when the doe bears fawns?
2 Can you number the months that they fulfill? Or do you know the time when they give birth?
3 They bow themselves, they bring forth their young, they end their labor pains.
4 Their young ones become strong. They grow up in the open field. They go forth, and don’t return again.
5 “Who has set the wild donkey free? Or who has loosened the bonds of the swift donkey,
6 Whose home I have made the wilderness, and the salt land his dwelling place?
7 He scorns the tumult of the city, neither does he hear the shouting of the driver.
8 The range of the mountains is his pasture, He searches after every green thing.
9 “Will the wild ox be content to serve you? Or will he stay by your feeding trough?
10 Can you hold the wild ox in the furrow with his harness? Or will he till the valleys after you?
11 Will you trust him, because his strength is great? Or will you leave to him your labor?
12 Will you confide in him, that he will bring home your seed, and gather the grain of your threshing floor?
13 “The wings of the ostrich wave proudly; but are they the feathers and plumage of love?
14 For she leaves her eggs on the earth, warms them in the dust,
15 and forgets that the foot may crush them, or that the wild animal may trample them.
16 She deals harshly with her young ones, as if they were not hers. Though her labor is in vain, she is without fear,
17 because God has deprived her of wisdom, neither has he imparted to her understanding.
18 When she lifts up herself on high, she scorns the horse and his rider.
19 “Have you given the horse might? Have you clothed his neck with a quivering mane?
20 Have you made him to leap as a locust? The glory of his snorting is awesome.
21 He paws in the valley, and rejoices in his strength. He goes out to meet the armed men.
22 He mocks at fear, and is not dismayed, neither does he turn back from the sword.
23 The quiver rattles against him, the flashing spear and the javelin.
24 He eats up the ground with fierceness and rage, neither does he stand still at the sound of the trumpet.
25 As often as the trumpet sounds he snorts, ‘Aha!’ He smells the battle afar off, the thunder of the captains, and the shouting.
26 “Is it by your wisdom that the hawk soars, and stretches her 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 makes his home, on the point of the cliff, and the stronghold.
29 From there he spies out the prey. His eyes see it afar off.
30 His young ones also suck up blood. Where the slain are, there he is.”
The LORD Speaks of His Creation
1 “Do you know when mountain goats give birth?
Have you watched the doe bear her fawn?
2 Can you count the months they are pregnant?
Do you know the time they give birth?
3 They crouch down and bring forth their young;
they deliver their newborn.
4 Their young ones thrive and grow up in the open field;
they leave and do not return.
5 Who set the wild donkey free?
Who released the swift donkey from the harness?
6 I made the wilderness his home
and the salt flats his dwelling.
7 He scorns the tumult of the city
and never hears the shouts of a driver.
8 He roams the mountains for pasture,
searching for any green thing.
9 Will the wild ox consent to serve you?
Will he stay by your manger at night?
10 Can you hold him to the furrow with a harness?
Will he plow the valleys behind you?
11 Can you rely on his great strength?
Will you leave your hard work to him?
12 Can you trust him to bring in your grain
and gather it to your threshing floor?
13 The wings of the ostrich flap joyfully,
but cannot match the pinions a and feathers of the stork.
14 For she leaves her eggs on the ground
and lets them warm in the sand.
15 She forgets that a foot may crush them,
or a wild animal may trample them.
16 She treats her young harshly, as if not her own,
with no concern that her labor was in vain.
17 For God has deprived her of wisdom;
He has not endowed her with understanding.
18 Yet when she proudly spreads her wings,
she laughs at the horse and its rider.
19 Do you give strength to the horse
or adorn his neck with a mane?
20 Do you make him leap like a locust,
striking terror with his proud snorting?
21 He paws in the valley and rejoices in his strength;
he charges into battle.
22 He laughs at fear, frightened of nothing;
he does not turn back from the sword.
23 A quiver rattles at his side,
along with a flashing spear and lance. b
24 Trembling with excitement, he devours the distance;
he cannot stand still when the ram’s horn sounds.
25 At the blast of the horn, he snorts with fervor. c
He catches the scent of battle from afar—
the shouts of captains and the cry of war.
26 Does the hawk take flight by your understanding
and spread his wings toward the south?
27 Does the eagle soar at your command
and make his nest on high?
28 He dwells on a cliff and lodges there;
his stronghold is on a rocky crag.
29 From there he spies out food;
his eyes see it from afar.
30 His young ones feast on blood;
and where the slain are, there he is.”
Footnotes:
13 a Pinions are the outer parts of a bird’s wings, including the flight feathers.
23 b Or javelin
25 c Or he snorts, ‘Aha!’
God Speaks of His Creation
1Hast thou known the time of The bearing of the wild goats of the rock? The bringing forth of hinds thou dost mark!
2Thou dost number the months they fulfil? And thou hast known the time of their bringing forth!
3They bow down, Their young ones they bring forth safely, Their pangs they cast forth.
4Safe are their young ones, They grow up in the field, they have gone out, And have not returned to them.
5Who hath sent forth the wild ass free? Yea, the bands of the wild ass who opened?
6Whose house I have made the wilderness, And his dwellings the barren land,
7He doth laugh at the multitude of a city, The cries of an exactor he heareth not.
8The range of mountains is his pasture, And after every green thing he seeketh.
9Is a Reem willing to serve thee? Doth he lodge by thy crib?
10Dost thou bind a Reem in a furrow with his thick band? Doth he harrow valleys after thee?
11Dost thou trust in him because great is his power? And dost thou leave unto him thy labour?
12Dost thou trust in him That he doth bring back thy seed? And to thy threshing-floor doth gather it?
13The wing of the rattling ones exulteth, Whether the pinion of the ostrich or hawk.
14For she leaveth on the earth her eggs, And on the dust she doth warm them,
15And she forgetteth that a foot may press it, And a beast of the field tread it down.
16Her young ones it hath hardened without her, In vain is her labour without fear.
17For God hath caused her to forget wisdom, And He hath not given a portion To her in understanding:
18At the time on high she lifteth herself up, She laugheth at the horse and at his rider.
19Dost thou give to the horse might? Dost thou clothe his neck with a mane?
20Dost thou cause him to rush as a locust? The majesty of his snorting is terrible.
21They dig in a valley, and he rejoiceth in power, He goeth forth to meet the armour.
22He laugheth at fear, and is not affrighted, And he turneth not back from the face of the sword.
23Against him rattle doth quiver, The flame of a spear, and a halbert.
24With trembling and rage he swalloweth the ground, And remaineth not stedfast Because of the sound of a trumpet.
25Among the trumpets he saith, Aha, And from afar he doth smell battle, Roaring of princes and shouting.
26By thine understanding flieth a hawk? Spreadeth he his wings to the south?
27At thy command goeth an eagle up high? Or lifteth he up his nest?
28A rock he doth inhabit, Yea, he lodgeth on the tooth of a rock, and fortress.
29From thence he hath sought food, To a far off place his eyes look attentively,
30And his brood gulp up blood, And where the pierced are -- there is he!
