English Standard Version ESV
New Revised Standard NRS
1 “Do you know when the mountain goats give birth? Do you observe the calving of the does?
1
"Do you know when the mountain goats give birth? Do you observe the calving of the deer?
2 Can you number the months that they fulfill, and do you know the time when they give birth,
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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?
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when they crouch to give birth to 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.
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Their young ones become strong, they grow up in the open; they go forth, and do not return to them.
5 “Who has let the wild donkey go free? Who has loosed the bonds of the swift donkey,
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"Who has let the wild ass go free? Who has loosed the bonds of the swift ass,
6 to whom I have given the arid plain for his home and the salt land for his dwelling place?
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to which I have given the steppe for its home, the salt land for its dwelling place?
7 He scorns the tumult of the city; he hears not the shouts of the driver.
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It scorns the tumult of the city; it does not hear the shouts of the driver.
8 He ranges the mountains as his pasture, and he searches after every green thing.
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It ranges the mountains as its pasture, and it searches after every green thing.
9 “Is the wild ox willing to serve you? Will he spend the night at your manger?
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"Is the wild ox willing to serve you? Will it spend the night at your crib?
10 Can you bind him in the furrow with ropes, or will he harrow the valleys after you?
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Can you tie it in the furrow with ropes, or will it harrow the valleys after you?
11 Will you depend on him because his strength is great, and will you leave to him your labor?
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Will you depend on it because its strength is great, and will you hand over your labor to it?
12 Do you have faith in him that he will return your grain and gather it to your threshing floor?
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Do you have faith in it that it will return, and bring your grain to your threshing floor?
13 “The wings of the ostrich wave proudly, but are they the pinions and plumage of love?
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"The ostrich's wings flap wildly, though its pinions lack plumage.
14 For she leaves her eggs to the earth and lets them be warmed on the ground,
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For it leaves its 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.
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forgetting that a foot may crush them, and that a wild animal 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,
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It deals cruelly with its young, as if they were not its own; though its labor should be in vain, yet it has no fear;
17 because God has made her forget wisdom and given her no share in understanding.
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because God has made it forget wisdom, and given it no share in understanding.
18 When she rouses herself to flee, she laughs at the horse and his rider.
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When it spreads its plumes aloft, it laughs at the horse and its rider.
19 “Do you give the horse his might? Do you clothe his neck with a mane?
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"Do you give the horse its might? Do you clothe its neck with mane?
20 Do you make him leap like the locust? His majestic snorting is terrifying.
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Do you make it leap like the locust? Its majestic snorting is terrible.
21 He paws in the valley and exults in his strength; he goes out to meet the weapons.
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It paws violently, exults mightily; it goes out to meet the weapons.
22 He laughs at fear and is not dismayed; he does not turn back from the sword.
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It laughs at fear, and is not dismayed; it does not turn back from the sword.
23 Upon him rattle the quiver, the flashing spear, and the javelin.
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Upon it 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.
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With fierceness and rage it swallows the ground; it 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.
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When the trumpet sounds, it says "Aha!' From a distance it smells the battle, 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?
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"Is it by your wisdom that the hawk soars, and spreads its wings toward the south?
27 Is it at your command that the eagle mounts up and makes his nest on high?
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Is it at your command that the eagle mounts up and makes its nest on high?
28 On the rock he dwells and makes his home, on the rocky crag and stronghold.
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It lives on the rock and makes its home in the fastness of the rocky crag.
29 From there he spies out the prey; his eyes behold it from far away.
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From there it spies the prey; its eyes see it from far away.
30 His young ones suck up blood, and where the slain are, there is he. ”
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Its young ones suck up blood; and where the slain are, there it is."
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2025
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, 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.