Job 39
1 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?
Knowest thou the time when the wild goats of the rock bring forth? Or canst thou observe when the hinds are in labor?
2 Have you numbered the months since their conception, and do you know at what time they gave birth?
Canst thou number the months they fulfill, And know the season when they bring forth?
3 They bend themselves for their offspring, and they give birth, and they emit roars.
They bow themselves; they bring forth their young; They cast forth their pains.
4 Their young are weaned and go out to feed; they depart and do not return to them.
Their young ones are strong; they grow up in the fields; They go away, and return not to them.
5 Who has set the wild ass free, and who has released his bonds?
Who hath sent forth the wild ass free? Who hath loosed the bands of the wild ass,
6 I have given a house in solitude to him, and his tabernacle is in the salted land.
To whom I have given the wilderness for his house, And the barren land for his dwelling-place?
7 He despises the crowded city; he does not pay attention to the bellow of the tax collector.
He scorneth the tumult of the city, And heedeth not the shouting of the driver;
8 He looks around the mountains of his pasture, and he searches everywhere for green plants.
The range of the mountains is his pasture; He seeketh after every green thing,
9 Will the rhinoceros be willing to serve you, and will he remain in your stall?
Will the wild-ox consent to serve thee? Will he pass the night at thy crib?
10 Can you detain the rhinoceros with your harness to plough for you, and will he loosen the soil of the furrows behind you?
Canst thou bind the wild-ox with the harness to the furrow? Or will he harrow the valleys after thee?
11 Will you put your faith in his great strength, and delegate your labors to him?
Wilt thou rely upon him because his strength is great, And commit to him thy labor?
12 Will you trust him to return to you the seed, and to gather it on your drying floor?
Wilt thou trust him to bring home thy grain, And gather in thy harvest?
13 The wing of the ostrich is like the wings of the heron, and of the hawk.
The wing of the ostrich moveth joyfully; But is it with loving pinion and feathers?
14 When she leaves eggs behind in the earth, will you perhaps warm them in the dust?
Nay, she layeth her eggs on the ground; She warmeth them in the dust,
15 She forgets that feet may trample them, or that the beasts of the field may shatter them.
And forgetteth that the foot may crush them, And that the wild beast may break them.
16 She is hardened against her young, as if they were not hers; she has labored in vain, with no fear compelling her.
She is cruel to her young, as if they were not hers; Her labor is in vain, yet she feareth not;
17 For God has deprived her of wisdom; neither has he given her understanding.
Because God hath denied her wisdom, And hath not given her understanding.
18 Yet, when the time is right, she raises her wings on high; she ridicules the horse and his rider.
Yet when she lasheth herself up on high, She laugheth at the horse and his rider.
19 Will you supply strength to the horse, or envelope his throat with neighing?
Hast thou given the horse strength? Hast thou clothed his neck with his trembling mane?
20 Will you alarm him as the locusts do? His panic is revealed by the display of his nostrils.
Hast thou taught him to bound like the locust? How majestic his snorting! how terrible!
21 He digs at the earth with his hoof; he jumps around boldly; he advances to meet armed men.
He paweth in the valley; he exulteth in his strength, And rusheth into the midst of arms.
22 He despises fear; he does not turn away from the sword.
He laugheth at fear; he trembleth not, And turneth not back from the sword.
23 Above him, the quiver rattles, the spear and the shield shake.
Against him rattle the quiver, The flaming spear, and the lance.
24 Seething and raging, he drinks up the earth; neither does he pause when the blast of the trumpet sounds.
With rage and fury he devoureth the ground; He will not believe that the trumpet soundeth.
25 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.
At every blast of the trumpet, he saith, Aha! And snuffeth the battle afar off, —The thunder of the captains, and the war-shout.
26 Does the hawk grow feathers by means of your wisdom, spreading her wings towards the south?
Is it by thy wisdom that the hawk flieth, And spreadeth his wings toward the south?
27 Will the eagle lift herself up at your command and make her nest in steep places?
Doth the eagle soar at thy command, And build his nest on high?
28 She dwells among the rocks, and she lingers among broken boulders and inaccessible cliffs.
He dwelleth and lodgeth upon the rock, Upon the peak of the rock, and the stronghold.
29 From there, she looks for food, and her eyes catch sight of it from far away.
From thence he spieth out prey; His eyes discern it from afar.
30 Her young will drink blood, and wherever the carcass will be, she is there immediately.
His young ones suck up blood; And where the slain are, there is he.
