JOB 39

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39:1

“Do you know when the mountain goats give birth?

Do you observe the calving of the does? 2

Can you number the months that they fulfill,

and do you know the time when they give birth, 3

when they crouch, bring forth their offspring,

and are delivered of their young? 4

Their young ones become strong; they grow up in the open;

they go out and do not return to them.
5

“Who has let the wild donkey go free?

Who has loosed the bonds of the swift donkey, 6

to whom I have given the arid plain for his home

and the salt land for his dwelling place? 7

He scorns the tumult of the city;

he hears not the shouts of the driver. 8

He ranges the mountains as his pasture,

and he searches after every green thing.
9

“Is the wild ox willing to serve you?

Will he spend the night at your manger? 10

Can you bind him in the furrow with ropes,

or will he harrow the valleys after you? 11

Will you depend on him because his strength is great,

and will you leave to him your labor? 12

Do you have faith in him that he will return your grain

and gather it to your threshing floor?
13

“The wings of the ostrich wave proudly,

but are they the pinions and plumage of love? 14

For she leaves her eggs to the earth

and lets them be warmed on the ground, 15

forgetting that a foot may crush them

and that the wild beast may trample them. 16

She deals cruelly with her young, as if they were not hers;

though her labor be in vain, yet she has no fear, 17

because God has made her forget wisdom

and given her no share in understanding. 18

When she rouses herself to flee,

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 terrifying. 21

He paws in the valley and exults in his strength;

he goes out to meet the weapons. 22

He laughs at fear and is not dismayed;

he does not turn back from the sword. 23

Upon him rattle the quiver,

the flashing spear, and the javelin. 24

With fierceness and rage he swallows the ground;

he cannot stand still at the sound of the trumpet. 25

When the trumpet sounds, he says ‘Aha!’

He smells the battle from afar,

the thunder of the captains, and the shouting.
26

“Is it by your understanding that the hawk soars

and spreads 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 rock he dwells and makes his home,

on the rocky crag and stronghold. 29

From there he spies out the prey;

his eyes behold it from far away. 30

His young ones suck up blood,

and where the slain are, there is he.”

JOB 40

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  40:1 And the Lord said to Job:
2

“Shall a faultfinder contend with the Almighty?

He who argues with God, let him answer it.” Job Promises Silence3 Then Job answered the Lord and said:
4

“Behold, I am of small account; what shall I answer you?

I lay my hand on my mouth. 5

I have spoken once, and I will not answer;

twice, but I will proceed no further.” The Lord Challenges Job6 Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said:
7

“Dress for action like a man;

I will question you, and you make it known to me. 8

Will you even put me in the wrong?

Will you condemn me that you may be in the right? 9

Have you an arm like God,

and can you thunder with a voice like his?
10

“Adorn yourself with majesty and dignity;

clothe yourself with glory and splendor. 11

Pour out the overflowings of your anger,

and look on everyone who is proud and abase him. 12

Look on everyone who is proud and bring him low

and tread down the wicked where they stand. 13

Hide them all in the dust together;

bind their faces in the world below. 14

Then will I also acknowledge to you

that your own right hand can save you.
15

“Behold, Behemoth,

which I made as I made you;

he eats grass like an ox. 16

Behold, his strength in his loins,

and his power in the muscles of his belly. 17

He makes his tail stiff like a cedar;

the sinews of his thighs are knit together. 18

His bones are tubes of bronze,

his limbs like bars of iron.
19

“He is the first of the works of God;

let him who made him bring near his sword! 20

For the mountains yield food for him

where all the wild beasts play. 21

Under the lotus plants he lies,

in the shelter of the reeds and in the marsh. 22

For his shade the lotus trees cover him;

the willows of the brook surround him. 23

Behold, if the river is turbulent he is not frightened;

he is confident though Jordan rushes against his mouth. 24

Can one take him by his eyes,

or pierce his nose with a snare?

PROVERBS 21

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21:1

The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord;

he turns it wherever he will. 2

Every way of a man is right in his own eyes,

but the Lord weighs the heart. 3

To do righteousness and justice

is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice. 4

Haughty eyes and a proud heart,

the lamp of the wicked, are sin. 5

The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance,

but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty. 6

The getting of treasures by a lying tongue

is a fleeting vapor and a snare of death. 7

The violence of the wicked will sweep them away,

because they refuse to do what is just. 8

The way of the guilty is crooked,

but the conduct of the pure is upright. 9

It is better to live in a corner of the housetop

than in a house shared with a quarrelsome wife. 10

The soul of the wicked desires evil;

his neighbor finds no mercy in his eyes. 11

When a scoffer is punished, the simple becomes wise;

when a wise man is instructed, he gains knowledge. 12

The Righteous One observes the house of the wicked;

he throws the wicked down to ruin. 13

Whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor

will himself call out and not be answered. 14

A gift in secret averts anger,

and a concealed bribe, strong wrath. 15

When justice is done, it is a joy to the righteous

but terror to evildoers. 16

One who wanders from the way of good sense

will rest in the assembly of the dead. 17

Whoever loves pleasure will be a poor man;

he who loves wine and oil will not be rich. 18

The wicked is a ransom for the righteous,

and the traitor for the upright. 19

It is better to live in a desert land

than with a quarrelsome and fretful woman. 20

Precious treasure and oil are in a wise man’s dwelling,

but a foolish man devours it. 21

Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness

will find life, righteousness, and honor. 22

A wise man scales the city of the mighty

and brings down the stronghold in which they trust. 23

Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue

keeps himself out of trouble. 24

“Scoffer” is the name of the arrogant, haughty man

who acts with arrogant pride. 25

The desire of the sluggard kills him,

for his hands refuse to labor. 26

All day long he craves and craves,

but the righteous gives and does not hold back. 27

The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination;

how much more when he brings it with evil intent. 28

A false witness will perish,

but the word of a man who hears will endure. 29

A wicked man puts on a bold face,

but the upright gives thought to his ways. 30

No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel

can avail against the Lord. 31

The horse is made ready for the day of battle,

but the victory belongs to the Lord.

PSALM 97

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The Lord Reigns97:1

The Lord reigns, let the earth rejoice;

let the many coastlands be glad! 2

Clouds and thick darkness are all around him;

righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne. 3

Fire goes before him

and burns up his adversaries all around. 4

His lightnings light up the world;

the earth sees and trembles. 5

The mountains melt like wax before the Lord,

before the Lord of all the earth.
6

The heavens proclaim his righteousness,

and all the peoples see his glory. 7

All worshipers of images are put to shame,

who make their boast in worthless idols;

worship him, all you gods!
8

Zion hears and is glad,

and the daughters of Judah rejoice,

because of your judgments, O Lord. 9

For you, O Lord, are most high over all the earth;

you are exalted far above all gods.
10

O you who love the Lord, hate evil!

He preserves the lives of his saints;

he delivers them from the hand of the wicked. 11

Light is sown for the righteous,

and joy for the upright in heart. 12

Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous,

and give thanks to his holy name!