Job 39
1 Kender du Tiden, da Stengeden føder, tager du Vare paa Hindenes Veer,
Do you know at what time the wild goats have given birth among the rocks, or do you observe the deer when they go into labor?
2 tæller du mon deres Drægtigheds Maaneder, kender du Tiden, de føder?
Have you numbered the months since their conception, and do you know at what time they gave birth?
3 De lægger sig ned og føder og kaster Kuldet,
They bend themselves for their offspring, and they give birth, and they emit roars.
4 Ungerne trives, gror til i det frie, løber bort og kommer ej til dem igen.
Their young are weaned and go out to feed; they depart and do not return to them.
5 Hvem slap Vildæslet løs, hvem løste mon Steppeæslets Reb,
Who has set the wild ass free, and who has released his bonds?
6 som jeg gav Ørkenen til Hjem, den salte Steppe til Bolig?
I have given a house in solitude to him, and his tabernacle is in the salted land.
7 Det ler ad Byens Larm og hører ej Driverens Skælden;
He despises the crowded city; he does not pay attention to the bellow of the tax collector.
8 det ransager Bjerge, der har det sin Græsgang, det leder hvert Græsstraa op.
He looks around the mountains of his pasture, and he searches everywhere for green plants.
9 Er Vildoksen villig at trælle for dig, vil den staa ved din Krybbe om Natten?
Will the rhinoceros be willing to serve you, and will he remain in your stall?
10 Binder du Reb om dens Hals, pløjer den Furerne efter dig?
Can you detain the rhinoceros with your harness to plough for you, and will he loosen the soil of the furrows behind you?
11 Stoler du paa dens store Kræfter; overlader du den din Høst?
Will you put your faith in his great strength, and delegate your labors to him?
12 Tror du, den kommer tilbage og samler din Sæd paa Loen?
Will you trust him to return to you the seed, and to gather it on your drying floor?
13 Mon Strudsens Vinge er lam, eller mangler den Dækfjer og Dun,
The wing of the ostrich is like the wings of the heron, and of the hawk.
14 siden den betror sine Æg til Jorden og lader dem varmes i Sandet,
When she leaves eggs behind in the earth, will you perhaps warm them in the dust?
15 tænker ej paa, at en Fod kan knuse dem, Vildtet paa Marken træde dem sønder?
She forgets that feet may trample them, or that the beasts of the field may shatter them.
16 Haard ved Ungerne er den, som var de ej dens; spildt er dens Møje, det ængster den ikke.
She is hardened against her young, as if they were not hers; she has labored in vain, with no fear compelling her.
17 Thi Gud lod den glemme Visdom og gav den ej Del i Indsigt.
For God has deprived her of wisdom; neither has he given her understanding.
18 Naar Skytterne kommer, farer den bort, den ler ad Hest og Rytter.
Yet, when the time is right, she raises her wings on high; she ridicules the horse and his rider.
19 Giver du Hesten Styrke, klæder dens Hals med Manke
Will you supply strength to the horse, or envelope his throat with neighing?
20 og lærer den Græshoppens Spring? Dens stolte Prusten indgyder Rædsel.
Will you alarm him as the locusts do? His panic is revealed by the display of his nostrils.
21 Den skraber muntert i Dalen, gaar Brynjen væligt i Møde;
He digs at the earth with his hoof; he jumps around boldly; he advances to meet armed men.
22 den ler ad Rædselen, frygter ikke og viger ikke for Sværdet;
He despises fear; he does not turn away from the sword.
23 Koggeret klirrer over den, Spydet og Køllen blinker;
Above him, the quiver rattles, the spear and the shield shake.
24 den sluger Vejen med gungrende Vildskab, den tøjler sig ikke, naar Hornet lyder;
Seething and raging, he drinks up the earth; neither does he pause when the blast of the trumpet sounds.
25 et Stød i Hornet, straks siger den: Huj! Den vejrer Kamp i det fjerne, Kampskrig og Førernes Raab.
When he hears the bugle, he says, “Ha!” He smells the battle from a distance, the exhortation of the officers, and the battle cry of the soldiers.
26 Skyldes det Indsigt hos dig, at Falken svinger sig op og breder sin Vinge mod Sønden?
Does the hawk grow feathers by means of your wisdom, spreading her wings towards the south?
27 Skyldes det Bud fra dig, at Ørnen flyver højt og bygger sin højtsatte Rede?
Will the eagle lift herself up at your command and make her nest in steep places?
28 Den bygger og bor paa Klipper, paa Klippens Tinde og Borg;
She dwells among the rocks, and she lingers among broken boulders and inaccessible cliffs.
29 den spejder derfra efter Æde, viden om skuer dens Øjne.
From there, she looks for food, and her eyes catch sight of it from far away.
30 Ungerne svælger i Blod; hvor Valen findes, der er den!
Her young will drink blood, and wherever the carcass will be, she is there immediately.
