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 25

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More Proverbs of Solomon  25:1 These also are proverbs of Solomon which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied.
2

It is the glory of God to conceal things,

but the glory of kings is to search things out. 3

As the heavens for height, and the earth for depth,

so the heart of kings is unsearchable. 4

Take away the dross from the silver,

and the smith has material for a vessel; 5

take away the wicked from the presence of the king,

and his throne will be established in righteousness. 6

Do not put yourself forward in the king’s presence

or stand in the place of the great,
7

for it is better to be told, “Come up here,”

than to be put lower in the presence of a noble.

What your eyes have seen 8

do not hastily bring into court,

for what will you do in the end,

when your neighbor puts you to shame? 9

Argue your case with your neighbor himself,

and do not reveal another’s secret, 10

lest he who hears you bring shame upon you,

and your ill repute have no end.
11

A word fitly spoken

is like apples of gold in a setting of silver. 12

Like a gold ring or an ornament of gold

is a wise reprover to a listening ear. 13

Like the cold of snow in the time of harvest

is a faithful messenger to those who send him;

he refreshes the soul of his masters. 14

Like clouds and wind without rain

is a man who boasts of a gift he does not give.
15

With patience a ruler may be persuaded,

and a soft tongue will break a bone. 16

If you have found honey, eat only enough for you,

lest you have your fill of it and vomit it. 17

Let your foot be seldom in your neighbor’s house,

lest he have his fill of you and hate you. 18

A man who bears false witness against his neighbor

is like a war club, or a sword, or a sharp arrow. 19

Trusting in a treacherous man in time of trouble

is like a bad tooth or a foot that slips. 20

Whoever sings songs to a heavy heart

is like one who takes off a garment on a cold day,

and like vinegar on soda. 21

If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat,

and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink, 22

for you will heap burning coals on his head,

and the Lord will reward you. 23

The north wind brings forth rain,

and a backbiting tongue, angry looks. 24

It is better to live in a corner of the housetop

than in a house shared with a quarrelsome wife. 25

Like cold water to a thirsty soul,

so is good news from a far country. 26

Like a muddied spring or a polluted fountain

is a righteous man who gives way before the wicked. 27

It is not good to eat much honey,

nor is it glorious to seek one’s own glory. 28

A man without self-control

is like a city broken into and left without walls.

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!