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13 “The ostriches’ wings flap joyously
But are they the pinion and plumage of a [a]stork?
14 For she leaves her eggs to the earth
And warms them in the dust,
15 And she forgets that a foot may crush [b]them,
Or that a beast of the field may trample [c]them.
16 She treats her children (A)cruelly, as if they were not hers;
Though her labor be empty, she is without dread,
17 Because God has made her forget wisdom,
And has not given her a share of understanding.
18 When she raises herself up high,
She laughs at the horse and his rider.

19 “Do you give the horse his might?
Do you clothe his neck with a mane?
20 Do you make him (B)leap like the locust?
His splendid (C)snorting is terrible.
21 [d]He paws in the valley and rejoices in his power;
He (D)goes out to meet the weapons.
22 He laughs at dread and is not dismayed;
And he does not turn back from the sword.
23 The quiver rattles against him,
The flashing spear and javelin.
24 With shaking and rage he [e]races over the ground,
And he does not [f]stand still at the sound of the trumpet.
25 As often as the trumpet sounds he says, ‘Aha!’
And he scents the battle from afar,
And the thunder of the commanders and the shout of war.

26 “Is it by your understanding that the hawk soars,
Stretching his wings toward the south?
27 Is it at your [g]command that the eagle goes on high
And raises (E)his nest high?
28 On the cliff he dwells and lodges,
Upon the rocky crag, a fortress.
29 From there he [h](F)spies out food;
His eyes see it from afar.
30 His young ones also suck up blood;
And (G)where the slain are, there is he.”

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Footnotes

  1. Job 39:13 Or love
  2. Job 39:15 Lit it
  3. Job 39:15 Lit it
  4. Job 39:21 Lit They paw
  5. Job 39:24 Or swallows up
  6. Job 39:24 Lit believe
  7. Job 39:27 Lit mouth
  8. Job 39:29 Or paws, cf. Job 39:21; lit digs

13 “The wings of the ostrich flap joyfully,
    though they cannot compare
    with the wings and feathers of the stork.(A)
14 She lays her eggs on the ground
    and lets them warm in the sand,
15 unmindful that a foot may crush them,
    that some wild animal may trample them.(B)
16 She treats her young harshly,(C) as if they were not hers;
    she cares not that her labor was in vain,
17 for God did not endow her with wisdom
    or give her a share of good sense.(D)
18 Yet when she spreads her feathers to run,
    she laughs(E) at horse and rider.

19 “Do you give the horse its strength(F)
    or clothe its neck with a flowing mane?
20 Do you make it leap like a locust,(G)
    striking terror(H) with its proud snorting?(I)
21 It paws fiercely, rejoicing in its strength,(J)
    and charges into the fray.(K)
22 It laughs(L) at fear, afraid of nothing;
    it does not shy away from the sword.
23 The quiver(M) rattles against its side,
    along with the flashing spear(N) and lance.
24 In frenzied excitement it eats up the ground;
    it cannot stand still when the trumpet sounds.(O)
25 At the blast of the trumpet(P) it snorts, ‘Aha!’
    It catches the scent of battle from afar,
    the shout of commanders and the battle cry.(Q)

26 “Does the hawk take flight by your wisdom
    and spread its wings toward the south?(R)
27 Does the eagle soar at your command
    and build its nest on high?(S)
28 It dwells on a cliff and stays there at night;
    a rocky crag(T) is its stronghold.
29 From there it looks for food;(U)
    its eyes detect it from afar.
30 Its young ones feast on blood,
    and where the slain are, there it is.”(V)

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