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Even birds and animals have much they could teach you;
    ask the creatures of earth and sea for their wisdom.
All of them know that the Lord's hand made them.
10 It is God who directs the lives of his creatures;
    everyone's life is in his power.

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“But ask the animals, and they will teach you,
    the birds of the air, and they will tell you;
ask the plants of the earth,[a] and they will teach you,
    and the fish of the sea will declare to you.
Who among all these does not know
    that the hand of the Lord has done this?(A)
10 In his hand is the life of every living thing
    and the breath of every human being.(B)

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Footnotes

  1. 12.8 Or speak to the earth

“But ask the animals — they will teach you —
and the birds in the air — they will tell you;
or speak to the earth — it will teach you —
and the fish in the sea will inform you:
every one of them knows
that the hand of Adonai has done this!
10 In his hand is the life of every living thing
and the spirit of every human being.

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7-12 “But ask the animals what they think—let them teach you;
    let the birds tell you what’s going on.
Put your ear to the earth—learn the basics.
    Listen—the fish in the ocean will tell you their stories.
Isn’t it clear that they all know and agree
    that God is sovereign, that he holds all things in his hand—
Every living soul, yes,
    every breathing creature?
Isn’t this all just common sense,
    as common as the sense of taste?
Do you think the elderly have a corner on wisdom,
    that you have to grow old before you understand life?

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