< Ἰώβ 39 >
1 εἰ ἔγνως καιρὸν τοκετοῦ τραγελάφων πέτρας ἐφύλαξας δὲ ὠδῖνας ἐλάφων
Knowest thou the time when the wild goats of the rock bring forth? Or canst thou mark when the hinds do calve?
2 ἠρίθμησας δὲ αὐτῶν μῆνας πλήρεις τοκετοῦ ὠδῖνας δὲ αὐτῶν ἔλυσας
Canst thou number the months that they fulfil? Or knowest thou the time when they bring forth?
3 ἐξέθρεψας δὲ αὐτῶν τὰ παιδία ἔξω φόβου ὠδῖνας αὐτῶν ἐξαποστελεῖς
They bow themselves, they bring forth their young, they cast out their fruit.
4 ἀπορρήξουσιν τὰ τέκνα αὐτῶν πληθυνθήσονται ἐν γενήματι ἐξελεύσονται καὶ οὐ μὴ ἀνακάμψουσιν αὐτοῖς
Their young ones wax strong, they grow up in the open field; they go forth, and return not again.
5 τίς δέ ἐστιν ὁ ἀφεὶς ὄνον ἄγριον ἐλεύθερον δεσμοὺς δὲ αὐτοῦ τίς ἔλυσεν
Who hath sent out the wild ass free? Or who hath loosed the bands of the wild ass?
6 ἐθέμην δὲ τὴν δίαιταν αὐτοῦ ἔρημον καὶ τὰ σκηνώματα αὐτοῦ ἁλμυρίδα
Whose house I have made the wilderness, and the salt land his dwelling-place.
7 καταγελῶν πολυοχλίας πόλεως μέμψιν δὲ φορολόγου οὐκ ἀκούων
He scorneth the tumult of the city, neither heareth he the shoutings of the driver.
8 κατασκέψεται ὄρη νομὴν αὐτοῦ καὶ ὀπίσω παντὸς χλωροῦ ζητεῖ
The range of the mountains is his pasture, and he searcheth after every green thing.
9 βουλήσεται δέ σοι μονόκερως δουλεῦσαι ἢ κοιμηθῆναι ἐπὶ φάτνης σου
Will the wild-ox be willing to serve thee? Or will he abide by thy crib?
10 δήσεις δὲ ἐν ἱμᾶσι ζυγὸν αὐτοῦ ἢ ἑλκύσει σου αὔλακας ἐν πεδίῳ
Canst thou bind the wild-ox with his band in the furrow? Or will he harrow the valleys after thee?
11 πέποιθας δὲ ἐπ’ αὐτῷ ὅτι πολλὴ ἡ ἰσχὺς αὐτοῦ ἐπαφήσεις δὲ αὐτῷ τὰ ἔργα σου
Wilt thou trust him, because his strength is great? Or wilt thou leave thy labour to him?
12 πιστεύσεις δὲ ὅτι ἀποδώσει σοι τὸν σπόρον εἰσοίσει δέ σου τὸν ἅλωνα
Wilt thou rely on him, that he will bring home thy seed, and gather the corn of thy threshing-floor?
13 πτέρυξ τερπομένων νεελασα ἐὰν συλλάβῃ ασιδα καὶ νεσσα
The wing of the ostrich beateth joyously; but are her pinions and feathers the kindly stork's?
14 ὅτι ἀφήσει εἰς γῆν τὰ ᾠὰ αὐτῆς καὶ ἐπὶ χοῦν θάλψει
For she leaveth her eggs on the earth, and warmeth them in dust,
15 καὶ ἐπελάθετο ὅτι ποὺς σκορπιεῖ καὶ θηρία ἀγροῦ καταπατήσει
And forgetteth that the foot may crush them, or that the wild beast may trample them.
16 ἀπεσκλήρυνεν τὰ τέκνα αὐτῆς ὥστε μὴ ἑαυτῇ εἰς κενὸν ἐκοπίασεν ἄνευ φόβου
She is hardened against her young ones, as if they were not hers; though her labour be in vain, she is without fear;
17 ὅτι κατεσιώπησεν αὐτῇ ὁ θεὸς σοφίαν καὶ οὐκ ἐμέρισεν αὐτῇ ἐν τῇ συνέσει
Because God hath deprived her of wisdom, neither hath He imparted to her understanding.
18 κατὰ καιρὸν ἐν ὕψει ὑψώσει καταγελάσεται ἵππου καὶ τοῦ ἐπιβάτου αὐτοῦ
When the time cometh, she raiseth her wings on high, and scorneth the horse and his rider.
19 ἦ σὺ περιέθηκας ἵππῳ δύναμιν ἐνέδυσας δὲ τραχήλῳ αὐτοῦ φόβον
Hast thou given the horse his strength? Hast thou clothed his neck with fierceness?
20 περιέθηκας δὲ αὐτῷ πανοπλίαν δόξαν δὲ στηθέων αὐτοῦ τόλμῃ
Hast thou made him to leap as a locust? The glory of his snorting is terrible.
21 ἀνορύσσων ἐν πεδίῳ γαυριᾷ ἐκπορεύεται δὲ εἰς πεδίον ἐν ἰσχύι
He paweth in the valley, and rejoiceth in his strength; he goeth out to meet the clash of arms.
22 συναντῶν βέλει καταγελᾷ καὶ οὐ μὴ ἀποστραφῇ ἀπὸ σιδήρου
He mocketh at fear, and is not affrighted; neither turneth he back from the sword.
23 ἐπ’ αὐτῷ γαυριᾷ τόξον καὶ μάχαιρα
The quiver rattleth upon him, the glittering spear and the javelin.
24 καὶ ὀργῇ ἀφανιεῖ τὴν γῆν καὶ οὐ μὴ πιστεύσῃ ἕως ἂν σημάνῃ σάλπιγξ
He swalloweth the ground with storm and rage; neither believeth he that it is the voice of the horn.
25 σάλπιγγος δὲ σημαινούσης λέγει εὖγε πόρρωθεν δὲ ὀσφραίνεται πολέμου σὺν ἅλματι καὶ κραυγῇ
As oft as he heareth the horn he saith: 'Ha, ha!' and he smelleth the battle afar off, the thunder of the captains, and the shouting.
26 ἐκ δὲ τῆς σῆς ἐπιστήμης ἕστηκεν ἱέραξ ἀναπετάσας τὰς πτέρυγας ἀκίνητος καθορῶν τὰ πρὸς νότον
Doth the hawk soar by thy wisdom, and stretch her wings toward the south?
27 ἐπὶ δὲ σῷ προστάγματι ὑψοῦται ἀετός γὺψ δὲ ἐπὶ νοσσιᾶς αὐτοῦ καθεσθεὶς αὐλίζεται
Doth the vulture mount up at thy command, and make her nest on high?
28 ἐπ’ ἐξοχῇ πέτρας καὶ ἀποκρύφῳ
She dwelleth and abideth on the rock, upon the crag of the rock, and the stronghold.
29 ἐκεῖσε ὢν ζητεῖ τὰ σῖτα πόρρωθεν οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ αὐτοῦ σκοπεύουσιν
From thence she spieth out the prey; her eyes behold it afar off.
30 νεοσσοὶ δὲ αὐτοῦ φύρονται ἐν αἵματι οὗ δ’ ἂν ὦσι τεθνεῶτες παραχρῆμα εὑρίσκονται
Her young ones also suck up blood; and where the slain are, there is she.