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New International Version (NIV) |
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1 "Do you know when the mountain goats bring forth? Do you observe the calving of the hinds?
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1 "Do you know when the mountain goats give birth? Do you watch when the doe bears her fawn?
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2 Can you number the months that they fulfil, and do you know the time when they bring forth,
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2 Do you count the months till they bear? Do you know the time they give birth?
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3 when they crouch, bring forth their offspring, and are delivered of their young?
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3 They crouch down and bring forth their young; their labor pains are ended.
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4 Their young ones become strong, they grow up in the open; they go forth, and do not return to them.
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4 Their young thrive and grow strong in the wilds; they leave and do not return.
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5 "Who has let the wild ass go free? Who has loosed the bonds of the swift ass,
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5 "Who let the wild donkey go free? Who untied his ropes?
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6 to whom I have given the steppe for his home, and the salt land for his dwelling place?
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6 I gave him the wasteland as his home, the salt flats as his habitat.
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7 He scorns the tumult of the city; he hears not the shouts of the driver.
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7 He laughs at the commotion in the town; he does not hear a driver's shout.
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8 He ranges the mountains as his pasture, and he searches after every green thing.
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8 He ranges the hills for his pasture and searches for any green thing.
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9 "Is the wild ox willing to serve you? Will he spend the night at your crib?
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9 "Will the wild ox consent to serve you? Will he stay by your manger at night?
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10 Can you bind him in the furrow with ropes, or will he harrow the valleys after you?
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10 Can you hold him to the furrow with a harness? Will he till the valleys behind you?
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11 Will you depend on him because his strength is great, and will you leave to him your labor?
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11 Will you rely on him for his great strength? Will you leave your heavy work to him?
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12 Do you have faith in him that he will return, and bring your grain to your threshing floor?
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12 Can you trust him to bring in your grain and gather it to your threshing floor?
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13 "The wings of the ostrich wave proudly; but are they the pinions and plumage of love?
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13 "The wings of the ostrich flap joyfully, but they cannot compare with the pinions and feathers of the stork.
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14 For she leaves her eggs to the earth, and lets them be warmed on the ground,
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14 She lays her eggs on the ground and lets them warm in the sand,
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15 forgetting that a foot may crush them, and that the wild beast may trample them.
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15 unmindful that a foot may crush them, that some wild animal may trample them.
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16 She deals cruelly with her young, as if they were not hers; though her labor be in vain, yet she has no fear;
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16 She treats her young harshly, as if they were not hers; she cares not that her labor was in vain,
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17 because God has made her forget wisdom, and given her no share in understanding.
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17 for God did not endow her with wisdom or give her a share of good sense.
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18 When she rouses herself to flee, she laughs at the horse and his rider.
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18 Yet when she spreads her feathers to run, she laughs at horse and rider.
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19 "Do you give the horse his might? Do you clothe his neck with strength?
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19 "Do you give the horse his strength or clothe his neck with a flowing mane?
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20 Do you make him leap like the locust? His majestic snorting is terrible.
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20 Do you make him leap like a locust, striking terror with his proud snorting?
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21 He paws in the valley, and exults in his strength; he goes out to meet the weapons.
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21 He paws fiercely, rejoicing in his strength, and charges into the fray.
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22 He laughs at fear, and is not dismayed; he does not turn back from the sword.
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22 He laughs at fear, afraid of nothing; he does not shy away from the sword.
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23 Upon him rattle the quiver, the flashing spear and the javelin.
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23 The quiver rattles against his side, along with the flashing spear and lance.
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24 With fierceness and rage he swallows the ground; he cannot stand still at the sound of the trumpet.
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24 In frenzied excitement he eats up the ground; he cannot stand still when the trumpet sounds.
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25 When the trumpet sounds, he says 'Aha!' He smells the battle from afar, the thunder of the captains, and the shouting.
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25 At the blast of the trumpet he snorts, 'Aha!' He catches the scent of battle from afar, the shout of commanders and the battle cry.
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26 "Is it by your wisdom that the hawk soars, and spreads his wings toward the south?
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26 "Does the hawk take flight by your wisdom and spread his wings toward the south?
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27 Is it at your command that the eagle mounts up and makes his nest on high?
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27 Does the eagle soar at your command and build his nest on high?
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28 On the rock he dwells and makes his home in the fastness of the rocky crag.
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28 He dwells on a cliff and stays there at night; a rocky crag is his stronghold.
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29 Thence he spies out the prey; his eyes behold it afar off.
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29 From there he seeks out his food; his eyes detect it from afar.
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30 His young ones suck up blood; and where the slain are, there is he."
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30 His young ones feast on blood, and where the slain are, there is he."
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| Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. (Revised Standard Version - Holy Bible) |
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide. (New International Version Bible Online) |
