The Lord Continues
When Do Mountain Goats Give Birth?
1 When do mountain goats
and deer give birth?
Have you been there
when their young are born?
* 2 How long are they pregnant
3 before they deliver?
4 Soon their young grow strong
and then leave
to be on their own.
5 Who set wild donkeys free?
6 I alone help them survive
in salty desert sand.
7 They stay far from crowded cities
and refuse to be tamed.
8 Instead, they roam the hills,
searching for pastureland.
9 Would a wild ox agree
to live in your barn
and labor for you?
10 Could you force him to plow
or to drag a heavy log
to smooth out the soil?
11 Can you depend on him
to use his great strength
and do your heavy work?
12 Can you trust him
to harvest your grain
or take it to your barn
from the threshing place?
An Ostrich Proudly Flaps Her Wings
13 An ostrich proudly
flaps her wings,
but not because
she loves her young.
14 She abandons her eggs
and lets the dusty ground
keep them warm.
15 And she doesn't seem to worry
that the feet of an animal
could crush them all.
16 She treats her eggs as though
they were not her own,
unconcerned that her work
might be for nothing.
17 I myself made her foolish
and without common sense.
18 But once she starts running,
she laughs at a rider
on the fastest horse.
Did You Give Horses Their Strength?
19 Did you give horses their strength
and the flowing hair
along their necks?
20 Did you make them able
to jump like grasshoppers
or to frighten people
with their snorting?
21 Before horses are ridden
into battle,
they paw at the ground,
proud of their strength.
22 Laughing at fear, they rush
toward the fighting,
23 while the weapons of their riders
rattle and flash in the sun.
24 Unable to stand still,
they gallop eagerly into battle
when trumpets blast.
25 Stirred by the distant smells
and sounds of war, they snort
in reply to the trumpet.
26 Did you teach hawks to fly south
for the winter?
* 27 Did you train eagles to build
28 their nests on rocky cliffs,
29 where they can look down
to spot their next meal?
30 Then their young gather to feast
wherever the victim lies.
1 Wilt thou hunt the pray for the lyon? or fill the appetite of the lyons whelpes, 2 When they couch in their places, and remaine in the couert to lye in waite? 3 Who prepareth for the rauen his meate, when his birdes crie vnto God, wandering for lacke of meate? 4 Knowest thou the time when the wilde goates bring foorth yong? or doest thou marke when the hindes doe calue? 5 Canst thou nomber the moneths that they fulfill? or knowest thou the time when they bring foorth? 6 They bow them selues: they bruise their yong and cast out their sorowes. 7 Yet their yong waxe fatte, and growe vp with corne: they goe foorth and returne not vnto them. 8 Who hath set the wilde asse at libertie? or who hath loosed the bondes of the wilde asse? 9 It is I which haue made the wildernesse his house, and the salt places his dwellings. 10 He derideth the multitude of the citie: he heareth not the crie of the driuer. 11 He seeketh out the mountaine for his pasture, and searcheth after euery greene thing. 12 Will the vnicorne serue thee? or will he tary by thy cribbe? 13 Canst thou binde the vnicorne with his band to labour in the furrowe? or will he plowe the valleyes after thee? 14 Wilt thou trust in him, because his strength is great, and cast off thy labour vnto him? 15 Wilt thou beleeue him, that he will bring home thy seede, and gather it vnto thy barne? 16 Hast thou giuen the pleasant wings vnto the peacockes? or winges and feathers vnto the ostriche? 17 Which leaueth his egges in the earth, and maketh them hote in the dust, 18 And forgetteth that the foote might scatter the, or that the wild beast might breake the. 19 He sheweth himselfe cruell vnto his yong ones, as they were not his, and is without feare, as if he trauailed in vaine. 20 For God had depriued him of wisedom, and hath giuen him no part of vnderstanding. 21 When time is, he mounteth on hie: he mocketh the horse and his rider. 22 Hast thou giuen the horse strength? or couered his necke with neying? 23 Hast thou made him afraid as the grashopper? his strong neying is fearefull. 24 He diggeth in the valley, and reioyceth in his strength: he goeth foorth to meete the harnest man. 25 He mocketh at feare, and is not afraid, and turneth not backe from the sworde, 26 Though the quiuer rattle against him, the glittering speare and the shield. 27 He swalloweth the ground for fearcenes and rage, and he beleeueth not that it is the noise of the trumpet. 28 He sayth among the trumpets, Ha, ha: hee smellleth the battell afarre off, and the noyse of the captaines, and the shouting. 29 Shall the hauke flie by thy wisedome, stretching out his wings toward the South? 30 Doeth the eagle mount vp at thy commandement, or make his nest on hie? 31 Shee abideth and remaineth in the rocke, euen vpon the toppe of the rocke, and the tower. 32 From thence she spieth for meate, and her eyes beholde afarre off. 33 His young ones also sucke vp blood: and where the slaine are, there is she. 34 Moreouer ye Lord spake vnto Iob, and said, 35 Is this to learne to striue with the Almightie? he that reprooueth God, let him answere to it. 36 Then Iob answered the Lord, saying, 37 Beholde, I am vile: what shall I answere thee? I will lay mine hand vpon my mouth. 38 Once haue I spoken, but I will answere no more, yea twise, but I will proceede no further.