Job 39
1 Whethir thou knowist the tyme of birthe of wielde geet in stoonys, ethir hast thou aspied hyndis bryngynge forth calues?
Knowest thou the time when the wild goats of the rock bring forth? Or canst thou observe when the hinds are in labor?
2 Hast thou noumbrid the monethis of her conseyuyng, and hast thou knowe the tyme of her caluyng?
Canst thou number the months they fulfill, And know the season when they bring forth?
3 Tho ben bowid to the calf, and caluen; and senden out roryngis.
They bow themselves; they bring forth their young; They cast forth their pains.
4 Her calues ben departid, and goen to pasture; tho goen out, and turnen not ayen to `tho hyndis.
Their young ones are strong; they grow up in the fields; They go away, and return not to them.
5 Who let go the wielde asse fre, and who loside the boondis of hym?
Who hath sent forth the wild ass free? Who hath loosed the bands of the wild ass,
6 To whom Y haue youe an hows in wildirnesse, and the tabernacles of hym in the lond of saltnesse.
To whom I have given the wilderness for his house, And the barren land for his dwelling-place?
7 He dispisith the multitude of citee; he herith not the cry of an axere.
He scorneth the tumult of the city, And heedeth not the shouting of the driver;
8 He lokith aboute the hillis of his lesewe, and he sekith alle greene thingis.
The range of the mountains is his pasture; He seeketh after every green thing,
9 Whether an vnycorn schal wilne serue thee, ethir schal dwelle at thi cratche?
Will the wild-ox consent to serve thee? Will he pass the night at thy crib?
10 Whether thou schalt bynde the vnicorn with thi chayne, for to ere, ethir schal he breke the clottis of valeis aftir thee?
Canst thou bind the wild-ox with the harness to the furrow? Or will he harrow the valleys after thee?
11 Whether thou schalt haue trist in his grete strengthe, and schalt thou leeue to hym thi traueils?
Wilt thou rely upon him because his strength is great, And commit to him thy labor?
12 Whether thou schalt bileue to hym, that he schal yelde seed to thee, and schal gadere togidere thi cornfloor?
Wilt thou trust him to bring home thy grain, And gather in thy harvest?
13 The fethere of an ostriche is lijk the fetheris of a gerfawcun, and of an hauk;
The wing of the ostrich moveth joyfully; But is it with loving pinion and feathers?
14 which ostrige forsakith hise eirun in the erthe, in hap thou schalt make tho hoot in the dust.
Nay, she layeth her eggs on the ground; She warmeth them in the dust,
15 He foryetith, that a foot tredith tho, ethir that a beeste of the feeld al tobrekith tho.
And forgetteth that the foot may crush them, And that the wild beast may break them.
16 He is maad hard to hise briddis, as if thei ben not hise; he traueilide in veyn, while no drede constreynede.
She is cruel to her young, as if they were not hers; Her labor is in vain, yet she feareth not;
17 For God hath priued hym fro wisdom, and `yaf not vnderstondyng to hym.
Because God hath denied her wisdom, And hath not given her understanding.
18 Whanne tyme is, he reisith the wengis an hiy; he scorneth the hors, and his ridere.
Yet when she lasheth herself up on high, She laugheth at the horse and his rider.
19 Whether thou schalt yyue strengthe to an hors, ether schal yyue neiyng `aboute his necke?
Hast thou given the horse strength? Hast thou clothed his neck with his trembling mane?
20 Whether thou schalt reyse hym as locustis? The glorie of hise nosethirlis is drede.
Hast thou taught him to bound like the locust? How majestic his snorting! how terrible!
21 He diggith erthe with the foot, he `fulli ioieth booldli; he goith ayens armed men.
He paweth in the valley; he exulteth in his strength, And rusheth into the midst of arms.
22 He dispisith ferdfulnesse, and he yyueth not stide to swerd.
He laugheth at fear; he trembleth not, And turneth not back from the sword.
23 An arowe caas schal sowne on hym; a spere and scheeld schal florische.
Against him rattle the quiver, The flaming spear, and the lance.
24 He is hoot, and gnastith, and swolewith the erthe; and he arettith not that the crie of the trumpe sowneth.
With rage and fury he devoureth the ground; He will not believe that the trumpet soundeth.
25 Whanne he herith a clarioun, he `seith, Joie! he smellith batel afer; the excityng of duykis, and the yellyng of the oost.
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 Whether an hauk spredinge abrood hise wyngis to the south, bigynneth to haue fetheris bi thi wisdom?
Is it by thy wisdom that the hawk flieth, And spreadeth his wings toward the south?
27 Whether an egle schal be reisid at thi comaundement, and schal sette his nest in hiy places?
Doth the eagle soar at thy command, And build his nest on high?
28 He dwellith in stoonys, and he dwellith in flyntis brokun bifor, and in rochis, to whiche `me may not neiye.
He dwelleth and lodgeth upon the rock, Upon the peak of the rock, and the stronghold.
29 Fro thennus he biholdith mete, and hise iyen loken fro fer.
From thence he spieth out prey; His eyes discern it from afar.
30 Hise briddis souken blood, and where euere a careyn is, anoon he is present.
His young ones suck up blood; And where the slain are, there is he.
