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¹ Whethir thou knowist the tyme of birthe of wielde geet in stoonys, ethir hast thou aspied hyndis bryngynge forth calues?² Hast thou noumbrid the monethis of her conseyuyng, and hast thou knowe the tyme of her caluyng?³ Tho ben bowid to the calf, and caluen; and senden out roryngis.⁴ Her calues ben departid, and goen to pasture; tho goen out, and turnen not ayen to `tho hyndis.⁵ Who let go the wielde asse fre, and who loside the boondis of hym?⁶ To whom Y haue youe an hows in wildirnesse, and the tabernacles of hym in the lond of saltnesse.⁷ He dispisith the multitude of citee; he herith not the cry of an axere.⁸ He lokith aboute the hillis of his lesewe, and he sekith alle greene thingis.⁹ Whether an vnycorn schal wilne serue thee, ethir schal dwelle at thi cratche?¹⁰ Whether thou schalt bynde the vnicorn with thi chayne, for to ere, ethir schal he breke the clottis of valeis aftir thee?¹¹ Whether thou schalt haue trist in his grete strengthe, and schalt thou leeue to hym thi traueils?¹² Whether thou schalt bileue to hym, that he schal yelde seed to thee, and schal gadere togidere thi cornfloor?

¹³ The fethere of an ostriche is lijk the fetheris of a gerfawcun, and of an hauk;¹⁴ which ostrige forsakith hise eirun in the erthe, in hap thou schalt make tho hoot in the dust.¹⁵ He foryetith, that a foot tredith tho, ethir that a beeste of the feeld al tobrekith tho.¹⁶ He is maad hard to hise briddis, as if thei ben not hise; he traueilide in veyn, while no drede constreynede.¹⁷ For God hath priued hym fro wisdom, and `yaf not vnderstondyng to hym.¹⁸ Whanne tyme is, he reisith the wengis an hiy; he scorneth the hors, and his ridere.

¹⁹ Whether thou schalt yyue strengthe to an hors, ether schal yyue neiyng `aboute his necke?<sup>20</sup> Whether thou schalt reyse hym as locustis? The glorie of hise nosethirlis is drede.<sup>21</sup> He diggith erthe with the foot, he `fulli ioieth booldli; he goith ayens armed men.²² He dispisith ferdfulnesse, and he yyueth not stide to swerd.²³ An arowe caas schal sowne on hym; a spere and scheeld schal florische.²⁴ He is hoot, and gnastith, and swolewith the erthe; and he arettith not that the crie of the trumpe sowneth.²⁵ Whanne he herith a clarioun, he `seith, Joie! he smellith batel afer; the excityng of duykis, and the yellyng of the oost.

²⁶ Whether an hauk spredinge abrood hise wyngis to the south, bigynneth to haue fetheris bi thi wisdom?²⁷ Whether an egle schal be reisid at thi comaundement, and schal sette his nest in hiy places?²⁸ He dwellith in stoonys, and he dwellith in flyntis brokun bifor, and in rochis, to whiche `me may not neiye.²⁹ Fro thennus he biholdith mete, and hise iyen loken fro fer.³⁰ Hise briddis souken blood, and where euere a careyn is, anoon he is present.