< Job 39 >
1 Knowest thou the time when the wild goats bring forth among the rocks, or hast thou observed the hinds when they fawn?
“Have you known the time of The bearing of the wild goats of the rock? Do you mark the bringing forth of does?
2 Hast thou numbered the months of their conceiving, or knowest thou the time when they bring forth?
Do you number the months they fulfill? And have you known the time of their bringing forth?
3 They bow themselves to bring forth young, and they cast them, and send forth roarings.
They bow down, They bring forth their young ones safely, They cast forth their pangs.
4 Their young are weaned and go to feed: they go forth, and return not to them.
Their young ones are safe, They grow up in the field, they have gone out, And have not returned to them.
5 Who hath sent out the wild ass free, and who hath loosed his bonds?
Who has sent forth the wild donkey free? Indeed, who opened the bands of the wild donkey?
6 To whom I have given a house in the wilderness, and his dwellings in the barren land.
Whose house I have made the wilderness, And his dwellings the barren land,
7 He scorneth the multitude of the city, he heareth not the cry of the driver.
He laughs at the multitude of a city, He does not hear the cries of an exactor.
8 He looketh round about the mountains of his pasture, and seeketh for every green thing.
The range of mountains [is] his pasture, And he seeks after every green thing.
9 Shall the rhinoceros be willing to serve thee, or will he stay at thy crib?
Is a wild ox willing to serve you? Does he lodge by your crib?
10 Canst thou bind the rhinoceros with thy thong to plough, or will he break the clods of the valleys after thee?
Do you bind a wild ox in a furrow [with] his thick band? Does he harrow valleys after you?
11 Wilt thou have confidence in his great strength, and leave thy labours to him?
Do you trust in him because his power [is] great? And do you leave your labor to him?
12 Wilt thou trust him that he will render thee the seed, and gather it into thy barnfloor?
Do you trust in him That he brings back your seed, And gathers [it to] your threshing-floor?
13 The wing of the ostrich is like the wings of the heron, and of the hawk.
[The] wing of the crying ostriches exults, but as a pinion and feather of a stork?
14 When she leaveth her eggs on the earth, thou perhaps wilt warm them in the dust.
For she leaves her eggs on the earth, And she warms them on the dust,
15 She forgetteth that the foot may tread upon them, or that the beasts of the field may break them.
And she forgets that a foot may press it, And a beast of the field treads it down.
16 She is hardened against her young ones, as though they were not hers, she hath laboured in vain, no fear constraining her.
It has hardened her young ones without her, Her labor [is] in vain, without fear.
17 For God hath deprived her of wisdom, neither hath he given her understanding.
For God has caused her to forget wisdom, And He has not given a portion To her in understanding;
18 When time shall be, she setteth up her wings on high: she scorneth the horse and his rider.
At the time she lifts herself up on high, She laughs at the horse and his rider.
19 Wilt thou give strength to the horse, or clothe his neck with neighing?
Do you give might to the horse? Do you clothe his neck [with] a mane?
20 Wilt thou lift him up like the locusts? the glory of his nostrils is terror.
Do you cause him to rush as a locust? The splendor of his snorting [is] terrible.
21 He breaketh up the earth with his hoof, he pranceth boldly, he goeth forward to meet armed men.
They dig in a valley, and he rejoices in power, He goes forth to meet the armor.
22 He despiseth fear, he turneth not his back to the sword,
He laughs at fear, and is not frightened, And he does not turn back from the face of the sword.
23 Above him shall the quiver rattle, the spear and shield shall glitter.
Quiver rattles against him, The flame of a spear, and a javelin.
24 Chasing and raging he swalloweth the ground, neither doth he make account when the noise of the trumpet soundeth.
He swallows the ground with trembling and rage, And does not remain steadfast Because of the sound of a horn.
25 When he heareth the trumpet he saith: Ha, ha: he smelleth the battle afar off, the encouraging of the captains, and the shouting of the army.
Among the horns he says, Aha, And from afar he smells battle, Roaring of princes and shouting.
26 Doth the hawk wax feathered by thy wisdom, spreading her wings to the south?
By your understanding does a hawk fly? Does he spread his wings to the south?
27 Will the eagle mount up at thy command, and make her nest in high places?
At your command does an eagle go up high? Or lift up his nest?
28 She abideth among the rocks, and dwelleth among cragged flints, and stony hills, where there is no access.
He inhabits a rock, Indeed, he lodges on the tooth of a rock, and fortress.
29 From thence she looketh for the prey, and her eyes behold afar off.
From there he has sought food, His eyes look attentively to a far-off place,
30 Her young ones shall suck up blood: and wheresoever the carcass shall be, she is immediately there.
And his brood sucks up blood, And where the pierced [are]—there [is] he!”