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 24

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24:1

Be not envious of evil men,

nor desire to be with them, 2

for their hearts devise violence,

and their lips talk of trouble.
3

By wisdom a house is built,

and by understanding it is established; 4

by knowledge the rooms are filled

with all precious and pleasant riches. 5

A wise man is full of strength,

and a man of knowledge enhances his might, 6

for by wise guidance you can wage your war,

and in abundance of counselors there is victory. 7

Wisdom is too high for a fool;

in the gate he does not open his mouth.
8

Whoever plans to do evil

will be called a schemer. 9

The devising of folly is sin,

and the scoffer is an abomination to mankind.
10

If you faint in the day of adversity,

your strength is small. 11

Rescue those who are being taken away to death;

hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter. 12

If you say, “Behold, we did not know this,”

does not he who weighs the heart perceive it?

Does not he who keeps watch over your soul know it,

and will he not repay man according to his work?
13

My son, eat honey, for it is good,

and the drippings of the honeycomb are sweet to your taste. 14

Know that wisdom is such to your soul;

if you find it, there will be a future,

and your hope will not be cut off.
15

Lie not in wait as a wicked man against the dwelling of the righteous;

do no violence to his home; 16

for the righteous falls seven times and rises again,

but the wicked stumble in times of calamity.
17

Do not rejoice when your enemy falls,

and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles, 18

lest the Lord see it and be displeased,

and turn away his anger from him.
19

Fret not yourself because of evildoers,

and be not envious of the wicked, 20

for the evil man has no future;

the lamp of the wicked will be put out.
21

My son, fear the Lord and the king,

and do not join with those who do otherwise, 22

for disaster will arise suddenly from them,

and who knows the ruin that will come from them both? More Sayings of the Wise23 These also are sayings of the wise.

Partiality in judging is not good. 24

Whoever says to the wicked, “You are in the right,”

will be cursed by peoples, abhorred by nations, 25

but those who rebuke the wicked will have delight,

and a good blessing will come upon them. 26

Whoever gives an honest answer

kisses the lips.
27

Prepare your work outside;

get everything ready for yourself in the field,

and after that build your house.
28

Be not a witness against your neighbor without cause,

and do not deceive with your lips. 29

Do not say, “I will do to him as he has done to me;

I will pay the man back for what he has done.”
30

I passed by the field of a sluggard,

by the vineyard of a man lacking sense, 31

and behold, it was all overgrown with thorns;

the ground was covered with nettles,

and its stone wall was broken down. 32

Then I saw and considered it;

I looked and received instruction. 33

A little sleep, a little slumber,

a little folding of the hands to rest, 34

and poverty will come upon you like a robber,

and want like an armed man.

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!