Job 39
1 Do thou know the time when the wild goats of the rock bring forth? Or can thou mark when the hinds do calve?
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 Can thou number the months that they fulfill? Or do thou know the time when they bring forth?
Have you numbered the months since their conception, and do you know at what time they gave birth?
3 They bow themselves. They bring forth their young. They cast out their pains.
They bend themselves for their offspring, and they give birth, and they emit roars.
4 Their young ones become strong. They grow up in the open field. They go forth, and return not again.
Their young are weaned and go out to feed; they depart and do not return to them.
5 Who has sent out the wild donkey free? Or who has loosed the bonds of the swift donkey
Who has set the wild ass free, and who has released his bonds?
6 whose home I have made the wilderness, and the salt land his dwelling-place?
I have given a house in solitude to him, and his tabernacle is in the salted land.
7 He scorns the tumult of the city, neither does he hear the shoutings of the driver.
He despises the crowded city; he does not pay attention to the bellow of the tax collector.
8 The range of the mountains is his pasture, and he searches after every green thing.
He looks around the mountains of his pasture, and he searches everywhere for green plants.
9 Will the wild-ox be content to serve thee? Or will he abide by thy crib?
Will the rhinoceros be willing to serve you, and will he remain in your stall?
10 Can thou bind the wild-ox with his band in the furrow? Or will he harrow the valleys after thee?
Can you detain the rhinoceros with your harness to plough for you, and will he loosen the soil of the furrows behind you?
11 Will thou trust him because his strength is great? Or will thou leave to him thy labor?
Will you put your faith in his great strength, and delegate your labors to him?
12 Will thou confide in him that he will bring home thy seed, and gather the grain of thy threshing-floor?
Will you trust him to return to you the seed, and to gather it on your drying floor?
13 The wings of the ostrich wave proudly, but are they the pinions and plumage of love?
The wing of the ostrich is like the wings of the heron, and of the hawk.
14 For she leaves her eggs on the ground, and warms them in the dust.
When she leaves eggs behind in the earth, will you perhaps warm them in the dust?
15 And she forgets that the foot may crush them, or that the wild beast may trample them.
She forgets that feet may trample them, or that the beasts of the field may shatter them.
16 She deals hardly with her young ones, as if they were not hers. Though her labor be in vain, she is without fear,
She is hardened against her young, as if they were not hers; she has labored in vain, with no fear compelling her.
17 because God has deprived her of wisdom, nor has he imparted understanding to her.
For God has deprived her of wisdom; neither has he given her understanding.
18 The time she lifts up herself on high she scorns the horse and his rider.
Yet, when the time is right, she raises her wings on high; she ridicules the horse and his rider.
19 Have thou given the horse his might? Have thou clothed his neck with the quivering mane?
Will you supply strength to the horse, or envelope his throat with neighing?
20 Have thou made him to leap as a locust? The glory of his snorting is awesome.
Will you alarm him as the locusts do? His panic is revealed by the display of his nostrils.
21 He paws in the valley, and rejoices in his strength. He goes out to meet the armed men.
He digs at the earth with his hoof; he jumps around boldly; he advances to meet armed men.
22 He mocks at fear, and is not dismayed. Neither does he turn back from the sword.
He despises fear; he does not turn away from the sword.
23 The quiver rattles against him, the flashing spear and the javelin.
Above him, the quiver rattles, the spear and the shield shake.
24 He swallows the ground with fierceness and rage, nor does he believe that it is the voice of the trumpet.
Seething and raging, he drinks up the earth; neither does he pause when the blast of the trumpet sounds.
25 As often as the trumpet sounds he says, Aha! And he smells the battle afar off, the thunder of the captains, and the shouting.
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 Is it by thy wisdom that the hawk soars, and stretches her wings toward the south?
Does the hawk grow feathers by means of your wisdom, spreading her wings towards the south?
27 Is it at thy command that the eagle mounts up, and makes her nest on high?
Will the eagle lift herself up at your command and make her nest in steep places?
28 She dwells on the cliff, and makes her home upon the point of the cliff and the stronghold.
She dwells among the rocks, and she lingers among broken boulders and inaccessible cliffs.
29 From there she spies out the prey. Her eyes behold it afar off.
From there, she looks for food, and her eyes catch sight of it from far away.
30 Her young ones also suck up blood. And where the slain are, there is she.
Her young will drink blood, and wherever the carcass will be, she is there immediately.
