Job 39
1 Knowest thou the time when the wild goats of the rock bring forth? Or canst 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 Canst thou number the months that they fulfil? Or knowest thou 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 fruit.
They bend themselves for their offspring, and they give birth, and they emit roars.
4 Their young ones wax 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 hath sent out the wild ass free? Or who hath loosed the bands of the wild ass?
Who has set the wild ass free, and who has released his bonds?
6 Whose house 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 scorneth the tumult of the city, neither heareth he 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 searcheth 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 willing 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 Canst 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 Wilt thou trust him, because his strength is great? Or wilt thou leave thy labour to him?
Will you put your faith in his great strength, and delegate your labors to him?
12 Wilt thou rely on him, that he will bring home thy seed, and gather the corn of thy threshing-floor?
Will you trust him to return to you the seed, and to gather it on your drying floor?
13 The wing of the ostrich beateth joyously; but are her pinions and feathers the kindly stork's?
The wing of the ostrich is like the wings of the heron, and of the hawk.
14 For she leaveth her eggs on the earth, and warmeth them in dust,
When she leaves eggs behind in the earth, will you perhaps warm them in the dust?
15 And forgetteth 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 is hardened against her young ones, as if they were not hers; though her labour 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 hath deprived her of wisdom, neither hath He imparted to her understanding.
For God has deprived her of wisdom; neither has he given her understanding.
18 When the time cometh, she raiseth her wings on high, and scorneth 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 Hast thou given the horse his strength? Hast thou clothed his neck with fierceness?
Will you supply strength to the horse, or envelope his throat with neighing?
20 Hast thou made him to leap as a locust? The glory of his snorting is terrible.
Will you alarm him as the locusts do? His panic is revealed by the display of his nostrils.
21 He paweth in the valley, and rejoiceth in his strength; he goeth out to meet the clash of arms.
He digs at the earth with his hoof; he jumps around boldly; he advances to meet armed men.
22 He mocketh at fear, and is not affrighted; neither turneth he back from the sword.
He despises fear; he does not turn away from the sword.
23 The quiver rattleth upon him, the glittering spear and the javelin.
Above him, the quiver rattles, the spear and the shield shake.
24 He swalloweth the ground with storm and rage; neither believeth he that it is the voice of the horn.
Seething and raging, he drinks up the earth; neither does he pause when the blast of the trumpet sounds.
25 As oft as he heareth the horn he saith: 'Ha, ha!' and he smelleth 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 Doth the hawk soar by thy wisdom, and stretch her wings toward the south?
Does the hawk grow feathers by means of your wisdom, spreading her wings towards the south?
27 Doth the vulture mount up at thy command, and make her nest on high?
Will the eagle lift herself up at your command and make her nest in steep places?
28 She dwelleth and abideth on the rock, upon the crag of the rock, and the stronghold.
She dwells among the rocks, and she lingers among broken boulders and inaccessible cliffs.
29 From thence she spieth 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.
