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?
“Do you know the time when the mountain goats give birth? Do you watch when the doe bears fawns?
2 Canst thou number the months they fulfill, And know the season when they bring forth?
Can you count the months that they fulfil? Or do you know the time when they give birth?
3 They bow themselves; they bring forth their young; They cast forth their pains.
They bow themselves. They bear their young. They end their labour pains.
4 Their young ones are strong; they grow up in the fields; They go away, and return not to them.
Their young ones become strong. They grow up in the open field. They go out, and don’t return again.
5 Who hath sent forth the wild ass free? Who hath loosed the bands of the wild ass,
“Who has set the wild donkey free? Or who has loosened the bonds of the swift donkey,
6 To whom I have given the wilderness for his house, And the barren land for his dwelling-place?
whose home I have made the wilderness, and the salt land his dwelling place?
7 He scorneth the tumult of the city, And heedeth not the shouting of the driver;
He scorns the tumult of the city, neither does he hear the shouting of the driver.
8 The range of the mountains is his pasture; He seeketh after every green thing,
The range of the mountains is his pasture. He searches after every green thing.
9 Will the wild-ox consent to serve thee? Will he pass the night at thy crib?
“Will the wild ox be content to serve you? Or will he stay by your feeding trough?
10 Canst thou bind the wild-ox with the harness to the furrow? Or will he harrow the valleys after thee?
Can you hold the wild ox in the furrow with his harness? Or will he till the valleys after you?
11 Wilt thou rely upon him because his strength is great, And commit to him thy labor?
Will you trust him, because his strength is great? Or will you leave to him your labour?
12 Wilt thou trust him to bring home thy grain, And gather in thy harvest?
Will you confide in him, that he will bring home your seed, and gather the grain of your threshing floor?
13 The wing of the ostrich moveth joyfully; But is it with loving pinion and feathers?
“The wings of the ostrich wave proudly, but are they the feathers and plumage of love?
14 Nay, she layeth her eggs on the ground; She warmeth them in the dust,
For she leaves her eggs on the earth, warms them in the dust,
15 And forgetteth that the foot may crush them, And that the wild beast may break them.
and forgets that the foot may crush them, or that the wild animal may trample them.
16 She is cruel to her young, as if they were not hers; Her labor is in vain, yet she feareth not;
She deals harshly with her young ones, as if they were not hers. Though her labour is in vain, she is without fear,
17 Because God hath denied her wisdom, And hath not given her understanding.
because God has deprived her of wisdom, neither has he imparted to her understanding.
18 Yet when she lasheth herself up on high, She laugheth at the horse and his rider.
When she lifts up herself on high, she scorns the horse and his rider.
19 Hast thou given the horse strength? Hast thou clothed his neck with his trembling mane?
“Have you given the horse might? Have you clothed his neck with a quivering mane?
20 Hast thou taught him to bound like the locust? How majestic his snorting! how terrible!
Have you made him to leap as a locust? The glory of his snorting is awesome.
21 He paweth in the valley; he exulteth in his strength, And rusheth into the midst of arms.
He paws in the valley, and rejoices in his strength. He goes out to meet the armed men.
22 He laugheth at fear; he trembleth not, And turneth not back from the sword.
He mocks at fear, and is not dismayed, neither does he turn back from the sword.
23 Against him rattle the quiver, The flaming spear, and the lance.
The quiver rattles against him, the flashing spear and the javelin.
24 With rage and fury he devoureth the ground; He will not believe that the trumpet soundeth.
He eats up the ground with fierceness and rage, neither does he stand still at the sound of the trumpet.
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 often as the trumpet sounds he snorts, ‘Aha!’ He smells the battle afar off, the thunder of the captains, and the shouting.
26 Is it by thy wisdom that the hawk flieth, And spreadeth his wings toward the south?
“Is it by your wisdom that the hawk soars, and stretches her wings towards the south?
27 Doth the eagle soar at thy command, And build his nest on high?
Is it at your command that the eagle mounts up, and makes his nest on high?
28 He dwelleth and lodgeth upon the rock, Upon the peak of the rock, and the stronghold.
On the cliff he dwells and makes his home, on the point of the cliff and the stronghold.
29 From thence he spieth out prey; His eyes discern it from afar.
From there he spies out the prey. His eyes see it afar off.
30 His young ones suck up blood; And where the slain are, there is he.
His young ones also suck up blood. Where the slain are, there he is.”
