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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?
[20]Whether thou schalt reyse hym as locustis? The glorie of hise nosethirlis is drede.
[21]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.
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