Study Desk

"Do you know when the mountain goats^(a) give birth? Do you watch when the doe bears her fawn?^(b)

Do you count the months till they bear? Do you know the time they give birth?^(c)

They crouch down and bring forth their young; their labor pains are ended.

Their young thrive and grow strong in the wilds; they leave and do not return.

"Who let the wild donkey^(d) go free? Who untied its ropes?

I gave it the wasteland^(e) as its home, the salt flats^(f) as its habitat.^(g)

It laughs^(h) at the commotion in the town; it does not hear a driver's shout.⁽ⁱ⁾

It ranges the hills^(j) for its pasture and searches for any green thing.

"Will the wild ox^(k) consent to serve you?^(l) Will it stay by your manger^(m) at night?

Can you hold it to the furrow with a harness?⁽ⁿ⁾ Will it till the valleys behind you?

Will you rely on it for its great strength?^(o) Will you leave your heavy work to it?

Can you trust it to haul in your grain and bring it to your threshing floor?

"The wings of the ostrich flap joyfully, though they cannot compare with the wings and feathers of the stork.^(p)

She lays her eggs on the ground and lets them warm in the sand,

unmindful that a foot may crush them, that some wild animal may trample them.^(q)

She treats her young harshly,^(r) as if they were not hers; she cares not that her labor was in vain,

for God did not endow her with wisdom or give her a share of good sense.^(s)

Yet when she spreads her feathers to run, she laughs^(t) at horse and rider.

"Do you give the horse its strength^(u) or clothe its neck with a flowing mane?

Do you make it leap like a locust,^(v) striking terror^(w) with its proud snorting?^(x)

It paws fiercely, rejoicing in its strength,^(y) and charges into the fray.^(z)

It laughs^(aa) at fear, afraid of nothing; it does not shy away from the sword.

The quiver^(ab) rattles against its side, along with the flashing spear^(ac) and lance.

In frenzied excitement it eats up the ground; it cannot stand still when the trumpet sounds.^(ad)

At the blast of the trumpet^(ae) it snorts, ‘Aha!' It catches the scent of battle from afar, the shout of commanders and the battle cry.^(af)

"Does the hawk take flight by your wisdom and spread its wings toward the south?^(ag)

Does the eagle soar at your command and build its nest on high?^(ah)

It dwells on a cliff and stays there at night; a rocky crag^(ai) is its stronghold.

From there it looks for food;^(aj) its eyes detect it from afar.

Its young ones feast on blood, and where the slain are, there it is."^(ak)

The Lord said to Job:^(a)

"Will the one who contends with the Almighty^(b) correct him?^(c) Let him who accuses God answer him!"^(d)

Then Job answered the Lord :

"I am unworthy^(e)—how can I reply to you? I put my hand over my mouth.^(f)

I spoke once, but I have no answer^(g)— twice, but I will say no more."^(h)

Then the Lord spoke to Job out of the storm:⁽ⁱ⁾

"Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me.^(j)

"Would you discredit my justice?^(k) Would you condemn me to justify yourself?^(l)

Do you have an arm like God's,^(m) and can your voice⁽ⁿ⁾ thunder like his?^(o)

Then adorn yourself with glory and splendor, and clothe yourself in honor and majesty.^(p)

Unleash the fury of your wrath,^(q) look at all who are proud and bring them low,^(r)

look at all who are proud^(s) and humble them,^(t) crush^(u) the wicked where they stand.

Bury them all in the dust together;^(v) shroud their faces in the grave.^(w)

Then I myself will admit to you that your own right hand can save you.^(x)

"Look at Behemoth, which I made^(y) along with you and which feeds on grass like an ox.^(z)

What strength^(aa) it has in its loins, what power in the muscles of its belly!^(ab)

Its tail sways like a cedar; the sinews of its thighs are close-knit.^(ac)

Its bones are tubes of bronze, its limbs^(ad) like rods of iron.^(ae)

It ranks first among the works of God,^(af) yet its Maker^(ag) can approach it with his sword.^(ah)

The hills bring it their produce,^(ai) and all the wild animals play^(aj) nearby.^(ak)

Under the lotus plants it lies, hidden among the reeds^(al) in the marsh.^(am)

The lotuses conceal it in their shadow; the poplars by the stream^(an) surround it.

A raging river^(ao) does not alarm it; it is secure, though the Jordan^(ap) should surge against its mouth.

Can anyone capture it by the eyes, or trap it and pierce its nose?^(aq)