Job 39
1 Knowest thou the time when the wild goats of the rock bring forth? Or canst thou observe when the hinds are in labor?
Knowest thou the season when the Wild Goats of the crags beget? The bringing forth of the hinds, canst thou observe?
2 Canst thou number the months they fulfill, And know the season when they bring forth?
Canst thou count the months they fulfil? Or knowest thou the time when they give birth?
3 They bow themselves; they bring forth their young; They cast forth their pains.
They kneel down, their young, they bring forth; their pains, they throw off;
4 Their young ones are strong; they grow up in the fields; They go away, and return not to them.
Their young become strong, they grow up in the open field, they go out, and return not unto them.
5 Who hath sent forth the wild ass free? Who hath loosed the bands of the wild ass,
Who hath sent forth the Wild Ass free? And, the bands of the swift-runner, who hath loosed?
6 To whom I have given the wilderness for his house, And the barren land for his dwelling-place?
Whose house I have made the waste plain, and his dwellings, the land of salt:
7 He scorneth the tumult of the city, And heedeth not the shouting of the driver;
He laugheth at the throng of the city, The shoutings of the driver, he heareth not;
8 The range of the mountains is his pasture; He seeketh after every green thing,
He espieth the mountains, his pasture-ground, and, after every green thing, maketh search.
9 Will the wild-ox consent to serve thee? Will he pass the night at thy crib?
Will the Wild-Ox be pleased to be thy servant? or lodge for the night by thy crib?
10 Canst thou bind the wild-ox with the harness to the furrow? Or will he harrow the valleys after thee?
Canst thou bind the wild-ox, so that—with the ridge—shall run his cord? Or will he harrow the furrows after thee?
11 Wilt thou rely upon him because his strength is great, And commit to him thy labor?
Wilt thou trust in him, because of the greatness of his strength? Wilt thou leave unto him thy toil?
12 Wilt thou trust him to bring home thy grain, And gather in thy harvest?
Wilt thou put faith in him, that he will bring back thy seed? and that, corn for thy threshing-floor, he will gather?
13 The wing of the ostrich moveth joyfully; But is it with loving pinion and feathers?
The wing of the Ostrich that waveth itself joyfully, Is it the pinion of lovingkindness or the plumage?
14 Nay, she layeth her eggs on the ground; She warmeth them in the dust,
For she leaveth—to the earth—her eggs, and, on the dust, she letteth them be warmed;
15 And forgetteth that the foot may crush them, And that the wild beast may break them.
And hath forgotten, that, a foot, may crush them, —or, the wild beast, tread on them!
16 She is cruel to her young, as if they were not hers; Her labor is in vain, yet she feareth not;
Dealing hardly with her young, as none-of-hers, In vain, her labour, without dread.
17 Because God hath denied her wisdom, And hath not given her understanding.
For GOD hath suffered her to forget wisdom, and given her no share in understanding.
18 Yet when she lasheth herself up on high, She laugheth at the horse and his rider.
What time, on high, she vibrateth her wings, she laugheth at the horse and his rider.
19 Hast thou given the horse strength? Hast thou clothed his neck with his trembling mane?
Couldst thou give—to the Horse—strength? Couldst thou clothe his neck with the quivering mane?
20 Hast thou taught him to bound like the locust? How majestic his snorting! how terrible!
Couldst thou cause him to leap like a locust? The majesty of his snort, is a terror!
21 He paweth in the valley; he exulteth in his strength, And rusheth into the midst of arms.
He diggeth into the plain, and rejoiceth in vigour, he goeth forth to meet armour;
22 He laugheth at fear; he trembleth not, And turneth not back from the sword.
He laugheth at dread, and is not dismayed, neither turneth he back, from the face of the sword;
23 Against him rattle the quiver, The flaming spear, and the lance.
Against him, whiz [the arrows of] the quiver, the flashing head of spear and javelin;
24 With rage and fury he devoureth the ground; He will not believe that the trumpet soundeth.
With stamping and rage, he drinketh up the ground, —he will not stand still when the horn soundeth;
25 At every blast of the trumpet, he saith, Aha! And snuffeth the battle afar off, —The thunder of the captains, and the war-shout.
As oft as the horn soundeth, he saith, Aha! And, from afar, he scenteth the battle, —the thunder of commanders and the war-cry.
26 Is it by thy wisdom that the hawk flieth, And spreadeth his wings toward the south?
Is it, by thine understanding, that the Bird of Passage betaketh him to his pinions? spreadeth out his wings to the south?
27 Doth the eagle soar at thy command, And build his nest on high?
Or, at thy bidding, that the Eagle mounteth, and that he setteth on high his nest?
28 He dwelleth and lodgeth upon the rock, Upon the peak of the rock, and the stronghold.
The crag, he inhabiteth, and so lodgeth himself, on the tooth of the crag, and high fort;
29 From thence he spieth out prey; His eyes discern it from afar.
From thence, he searcheth out food, far away, his eyes do pierce;
30 His young ones suck up blood; And where the slain are, there is he.
And, his young brood, suck up blood, and, where the slain are, there, is he.
