Job 39
1 Knowest thou the time when the chamois of the rock bring forth? or markest thou when the hinds do calve?
Knowest thou the time when the wild goats of the rock bring forth? Or canst thou observe when the hinds are in labor?
2 Numberest thou the months of gestation which they complete and knowest thou the time when they bring forth?
Canst thou number the months they fulfill, And know the season 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 forth 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 are strong; they grow up in the fields; They go away, and return not to them.
5 Who sent out the wild ass free? or who loosened the bonds of the forest-ass?
Who hath sent forth the wild ass free? Who hath loosed the bands of the wild ass,
6 To whom I assigned the wilderness as his house, and the salty land as his dwellings.
To whom I have given the wilderness for his house, And the barren land for his dwelling-place?
7 He laugheth at the noise of a town, and the shoutings of the driver he heareth not.
He scorneth the tumult of the city, And heedeth not the shouting 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; He seeketh 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 consent to serve thee? Will he pass the night at 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?
Canst thou bind the wild-ox with the harness to 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?
Wilt thou rely upon him because his strength is great, And commit to him thy labor?
12 Wilt thou confide in him, that he should bring home thy seed, and gather it into thy threshing-floor?—
Wilt thou trust him to bring home thy grain, And gather in thy harvest?
13 The wing of the ostrich moveth joyfully: hath she the pinions and plumage of the careful stork?
The wing of the ostrich moveth joyfully; But is it with loving pinion and feathers?
14 [No, ] for she intrusteth her eggs to the earth, and letteth them be hatched out on the dust:
Nay, she layeth her eggs on the ground; She warmeth 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 forgetteth that the foot may crush them, And that the wild beast may break 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 is cruel to her young, as if they were not hers; Her labor is in vain, yet she feareth not;
17 Because God hath denied her wisdom, and he hath not imparted to her understanding.
Because God hath denied her wisdom, And hath not given her understanding.
18 At the time she raiseth herself up on high, she laugheth at the horse and his rider.
Yet when she lasheth herself up on high, She laugheth at the horse and his rider.
19 Dost thou give the horse strength? dost thou clothe his neck with the rolling mane?
Hast thou given the horse strength? Hast thou clothed his neck with his trembling mane?
20 Canst thou make him jump like a locust? his majestic snort is terrible.
Hast thou taught him to bound like the locust? How majestic his snorting! how terrible!
21 Men spy about in the valley, and he rejoiceth in his strength: he goeth forth to meet the armed array.
He paweth in the valley; he exulteth in his strength, And rusheth into the midst of arms.
22 He laugheth at fear, and is not dismayed; and turneth not back from before the sword.
He laugheth at fear; he trembleth not, And turneth not back from the sword.
23 Over him rattle the quiver, the glittering spear and the lance.
Against him rattle the quiver, The flaming spear, and the lance.
24 With impatient noise and rage he holloweth [with his hoof] the ground, and keepeth not quiet when the cornet's voice [is heard].
With rage and fury he devoureth the ground; He will not believe that the trumpet soundeth.
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.—
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 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 flieth, And spreadeth his wings toward the south?
27 Or is it by your order that the eagle doth mount upward, and buildeth high up his nest?
Doth the eagle soar at thy command, And build his nest on high?
28 On a rock he dwelleth, and spendeth his nights, on a rocky crag and mountain fastness.
He dwelleth and lodgeth upon the rock, Upon the peak of the rock, and the stronghold.
29 From there he espieth his food, from afar can his eyes behold.
From thence he spieth out prey; His eyes discern it from afar.
30 His young ones, also, sip up blood: and where the slain be, there is he.
His young ones suck up blood; And where the slain are, there is he.
