Job 39
1 Knowest thou the time when the chamois of the rock bring forth? or markest thou when the hinds do calve?
Do you know at what time the wild goats have given birth among the rocks, or do you observe the deer when they go into labor?
2 Numberest thou the months of gestation which they complete and knowest thou the time when they bring forth?
Have you numbered the months since their conception, and do you know at what time they gave birth?
3 They bend themselves: they drop their young ones; throw off their pains.
They bend themselves for their offspring, and they give birth, and they emit roars.
4 Their little ones become strong; they grow up in the open field; they go forth, and return not unto them.
Their young are weaned and go out to feed; they depart and do not return to them.
5 Who sent out the wild ass free? or who loosened the bonds of the forest-ass?
Who has set the wild ass free, and who has released his bonds?
6 To whom I assigned the wilderness as his house, and the salty land as his dwellings.
I have given a house in solitude to him, and his tabernacle is in the salted land.
7 He laugheth at the noise of a town, and the shoutings of the driver he heareth not.
He despises the crowded city; he does not pay attention to the bellow of the tax collector.
8 What he espieth on the mountains is his pasture, and after every green thing doth he search.
He looks around the mountains of his pasture, and he searches everywhere for green plants.
9 Will the forest-ox be willing to serve thee, or will he stay over night at thy crib?
Will the rhinoceros be willing to serve you, and will he remain in your stall?
10 Canst thou bind the forest-ox with a rope [to labor] in the furrow? or will he harrow valleys, following after thee?
Can you detain the rhinoceros with your harness to plough for you, and will he loosen the soil of the furrows behind you?
11 Wilt thou trust him, because his strength is great? and wilt thou leave to him thy labor?
Will you put your faith in his great strength, and delegate your labors to him?
12 Wilt thou confide in him, that he should bring home thy seed, and gather it into thy threshing-floor?—
Will you trust him to return to you the seed, and to gather it on your drying floor?
13 The wing of the ostrich moveth joyfully: hath she the pinions and plumage of the careful stork?
The wing of the ostrich is like the wings of the heron, and of the hawk.
14 [No, ] for she intrusteth her eggs to the earth, and letteth them be hatched out on the dust:
When she leaves eggs behind in the earth, will you perhaps warm them in the dust?
15 And she forgetteth that a foot may crush them, or that the beast of the field may stamp them down.
She forgets that feet may trample them, or that the beasts of the field may shatter them.
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;
She is hardened against her young, as if they were not hers; she has labored in vain, with no fear compelling her.
17 Because God hath denied her wisdom, and he hath not imparted to her understanding.
For God has deprived her of wisdom; neither has he given her understanding.
18 At the time she raiseth herself up on high, she laugheth at the horse and his rider.
Yet, when the time is right, she raises her wings on high; she ridicules the horse and his rider.
19 Dost thou give the horse strength? dost thou clothe his neck with the rolling mane?
Will you supply strength to the horse, or envelope his throat with neighing?
20 Canst thou make him jump like a locust? his majestic snort is terrible.
Will you alarm him as the locusts do? His panic is revealed by the display of his nostrils.
21 Men spy about in the valley, and he rejoiceth in his strength: he goeth forth to meet the armed array.
He digs at the earth with his hoof; he jumps around boldly; he advances to meet armed men.
22 He laugheth at fear, and is not dismayed; and turneth not back from before the sword.
He despises fear; he does not turn away from the sword.
23 Over him rattle the quiver, the glittering spear and the lance.
Above him, the quiver rattles, the spear and the shield shake.
24 With impatient noise and rage he holloweth [with his hoof] the ground, and keepeth not quiet when the cornet's voice [is heard].
Seething and raging, he drinks up the earth; neither does he pause when the blast of the trumpet sounds.
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.—
When he hears the bugle, he says, “Ha!” He smells the battle from a distance, the exhortation of the officers, and the battle cry of the soldiers.
26 Is it through thy understanding that the hawk flieth along, and spreadeth out his wings toward the south?
Does the hawk grow feathers by means of your wisdom, spreading her wings towards the south?
27 Or is it by your order that the eagle doth mount upward, and buildeth high up his nest?
Will the eagle lift herself up at your command and make her nest in steep places?
28 On a rock he dwelleth, and spendeth his nights, on a rocky crag and mountain fastness.
She dwells among the rocks, and she lingers among broken boulders and inaccessible cliffs.
29 From there he espieth his food, from afar can his eyes behold.
From there, she looks for food, and her eyes catch sight of it from far away.
30 His young ones, also, sip up blood: and where the slain be, there is he.
Her young will drink blood, and wherever the carcass will be, she is there immediately.
