Job 39
1 Knowest thou the time when the chamois of the rock bring forth? or markest thou when the hinds do calve?
Do thou know the time when the wild goats of the rock bring forth? Or can thou mark when the hinds do calve?
2 Numberest thou the months of gestation which they complete and knowest thou the time when they bring forth?
Can thou number the months that they fulfill? Or do thou know the time when they bring forth?
3 They bend themselves: they drop their young ones; throw off their pains.
They bow themselves. They bring forth their young. They cast out their pains.
4 Their little ones become strong; they grow up in the open field; they go forth, and return not unto them.
Their young ones become strong. They grow up in the open field. They go forth, and return not again.
5 Who sent out the wild ass free? or who loosened the bonds of the forest-ass?
Who has sent out the wild donkey free? Or who has loosed the bonds of the swift donkey
6 To whom I assigned the wilderness as his house, and the salty land as his dwellings.
whose home I have made the wilderness, and the salt land his dwelling-place?
7 He laugheth at the noise of a town, and the shoutings of the driver he heareth not.
He scorns the tumult of the city, neither does he hear the shoutings of the driver.
8 What he espieth on the mountains is his pasture, and after every green thing doth he search.
The range of the mountains is his pasture, and he searches after every green thing.
9 Will the forest-ox be willing to serve thee, or will he stay over night at thy crib?
Will the wild-ox be content to serve thee? Or will he abide by thy crib?
10 Canst thou bind the forest-ox with a rope [to labor] in the furrow? or will he harrow valleys, following after thee?
Can thou bind the wild-ox with his band in the furrow? Or will he harrow the valleys after thee?
11 Wilt thou trust him, because his strength is great? and wilt thou leave to him thy labor?
Will thou trust him because his strength is great? Or will thou leave to him thy labor?
12 Wilt thou confide in him, that he should bring home thy seed, and gather it into thy threshing-floor?—
Will thou confide in him that he will bring home thy seed, and gather the grain of thy threshing-floor?
13 The wing of the ostrich moveth joyfully: hath she the pinions and plumage of the careful stork?
The wings of the ostrich wave proudly, but are they the pinions and plumage of love?
14 [No, ] for she intrusteth her eggs to the earth, and letteth them be hatched out on the dust:
For she leaves her eggs on the ground, and warms them in the dust.
15 And she forgetteth that a foot may crush them, or that the beast of the field may stamp them down.
And she forgets that the foot may crush them, or that the wild beast may trample them.
16 He hath made her callous against her young, as though they were not hers: her labor is in vain, [but she feeleth] no dread;
She deals hardly with her young ones, as if they were not hers. Though her labor be in vain, she is without fear,
17 Because God hath denied her wisdom, and he hath not imparted to her understanding.
because God has deprived her of wisdom, nor has he imparted understanding to her.
18 At the time she raiseth herself up on high, she laugheth at the horse and his rider.
The time she lifts up herself on high she scorns the horse and his rider.
19 Dost thou give the horse strength? dost thou clothe his neck with the rolling mane?
Have thou given the horse his might? Have thou clothed his neck with the quivering mane?
20 Canst thou make him jump like a locust? his majestic snort is terrible.
Have thou made him to leap as a locust? The glory of his snorting is awesome.
21 Men spy about in the valley, and he rejoiceth in his strength: he goeth forth to meet the armed array.
He paws in the valley, and rejoices in his strength. He goes out to meet the armed men.
22 He laugheth at fear, and is not dismayed; and turneth not back from before the sword.
He mocks at fear, and is not dismayed. Neither does he turn back from the sword.
23 Over him rattle the quiver, the glittering spear and the lance.
The quiver rattles against him, the flashing spear and the javelin.
24 With impatient noise and rage he holloweth [with his hoof] the ground, and keepeth not quiet when the cornet's voice [is heard].
He swallows the ground with fierceness and rage, nor does he believe that it is the voice of the trumpet.
25 Midst the sound of the cornet he uttereth his joyful neigh; and from afar he perceiveth the battle, the loud call of the captains, and the battle-cry.—
As often as the trumpet sounds he says, Aha! And he smells the battle afar off, the thunder of the captains, and the shouting.
26 Is it through thy understanding that the hawk flieth along, and spreadeth out his wings toward the south?
Is it by thy wisdom that the hawk soars, and stretches her wings toward the south?
27 Or is it by your order that the eagle doth mount upward, and buildeth high up his nest?
Is it at thy command that the eagle mounts up, and makes her nest on high?
28 On a rock he dwelleth, and spendeth his nights, on a rocky crag and mountain fastness.
She dwells on the cliff, and makes her home upon the point of the cliff and the stronghold.
29 From there he espieth his food, from afar can his eyes behold.
From there she spies out the prey. Her eyes behold it afar off.
30 His young ones, also, sip up blood: and where the slain be, there is he.
Her young ones also suck up blood. And where the slain are, there is she.
