Job 39

1 Knowest thou the time when the chamois of the rock bring forth? or markest thou when the hinds do calve?

2 Numberest thou the months of gestation which they complete and knowest thou the time when they bring forth?

3 They bend themselves: they drop their young ones; throw off their pains.

4 Their little ones become strong; they grow up in the open field; they go forth, and return not unto them.

5 Who sent out the wild ass free? or who loosened the bonds of the forest-ass?

6 To whom I assigned the wilderness as his house, and the salty land as his dwellings.

7 He laugheth at the noise of a town, and the shoutings of the driver he heareth not.

8 What he espieth on the mountains is his pasture, and after every green thing doth he search.

9 Will the forest-ox be willing to serve thee, or will he stay over 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?

11 Wilt thou trust him, because his strength is great? and wilt 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?—

13 The wing of the ostrich moveth joyfully: hath she the pinions and plumage of the careful stork?

14 [No, ] for she intrusteth her eggs to the earth, and letteth them be hatched out on the dust:

15 And she forgetteth that a foot may crush them, or that the beast of the field may stamp them down.

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;

17 Because God hath denied her wisdom, and he hath not imparted to her understanding.

18 At the time she raiseth 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?

20 Canst thou make him jump like a locust? his majestic snort is terrible.

21 Men spy about in the valley, and he rejoiceth in his strength: he goeth forth to meet the armed array.

22 He laugheth at fear, and is not dismayed; and turneth not back from before the sword.

23 Over him rattle the quiver, the glittering 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].

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.—

26 Is it through thy understanding that the hawk flieth along, and spreadeth out his wings toward the south?

27 Or is it by your order that the eagle doth mount upward, and buildeth high up his nest?

28 On a rock he dwelleth, and spendeth his nights, on a rocky crag and mountain fastness.

29 From there he espieth his food, from afar can his eyes behold.

30 His young ones, also, sip up blood: and where the slain be, there is he.