Even the birds find a home there, and the swallow ¹  builds a nest, where she can protect her young ²  near your altars, O Lord who rules over all, my king and my God.

The pomegranates have appeared ¹  in the land, the time for pruning and singing ²  has come; the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land.

“Indeed, there are wicked scoundrels among my people. They lie in wait like bird catchers hiding in ambush. ¹  They set deadly traps ²  to catch people.

My hand discovered the wealth of the nations, as if it were in a nest, as one gathers up abandoned eggs, I gathered up the whole earth. There was no wing flapping, or open mouth chirping.” ¹ 

the eagle owl, ¹  the short-eared owl, the long-eared owl, the hawk of any kind,

the ostrich, ¹  the owl, ²  the seagull, the falcon ³  after its species,

he will certainly rescue you from the snare of the hunter ¹  and from the destructive plague.

You must be sure ¹  to let the mother go, but you may take the young for yourself. Do this so that it may go well with you and you may have a long life.

Owls and wild animals ¹  will live there, ²  all kinds of wild birds ³  will settle in it. The Lord ⁴  will stretch out over her the measuring line of ruin and the plumb line ⁵  of destruction. ⁶ 

Every day one ox, six select sheep, and some birds were prepared for me, and every ten days all kinds of wine in abundance. Despite all this I did not require the food allotted to the governor, for the work was demanding on this people.

Flocks and herds ¹  will lie down in the middle of it, as well as every kind of wild animal. ²  Owls ³  will sleep in the tops of its support pillars; they will hoot through the windows. ⁴  Rubble will cover the thresholds; ⁵  even the cedar work ⁶  will be exposed to the elements. ⁷ 

Moses agreed ¹  to stay with the man, and he gave his daughter Zipporah to Moses in marriage. ² 

In the evening the quail ¹  came up and covered the camp, and in the morning a layer of dew was all around the camp.

They asked for food, ¹  and he sent quails; he satisfied them with food from the sky. ² 

Ephraim has been like a dove, easily deceived and lacking discernment. They called to Egypt for help; they turned to Assyria for protection.

and to offer a sacrifice according to what is specified in the law of the Lord, a pair of doves ¹  or two young pigeons. ² 

For the one who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by people. ¹ 

and tear it open by its wings without dividing it into two parts. ¹  Finally, the priest must offer it up in smoke on the altar on the wood which is in the fire – it is a burnt offering, a gift of a soothing aroma to the Lord.

The person who gathers wealth by unjust means is like the partridge that broods over eggs but does not hatch them. ¹  Before his life is half over he will lose his ill-gotten gains. ²  At the end of his life it will be clear he was a fool.” ³ 

Now ¹  the earth ²  was without shape and empty, ³  and darkness ⁴  was over the surface of the watery deep, ⁵  but the Spirit of God ⁶  was moving ⁷  over the surface ⁸  of the water. ⁹