Job 39

1 Knowest thou the time when the wild goats of the rock bring forth? dost thou mark the calving of the hinds?

“Do you know the time when the mountain goats give birth? Do you watch when the doe bears fawns?

2 Dost thou number the months that they fulfil? and knowest thou the time when they bring forth?

Can you count the months that they fulfill? Or do you know the time when they give birth?

3 They bow themselves, they give birth to their young ones, they cast out their pains;

They bow themselves. They bear their young. They end their labor pains.

4 Their young ones become strong, they grow up in the open field, they go forth, and return not unto 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 out the wild ass free? and who hath loosed the bands of the onager,

“Who has set the wild donkey free? Or who has loosened the bonds of the swift donkey,

6 Whose house I made the wilderness, and the salt plain his dwellings?

whose home I have made the wilderness, and the salt land his dwelling place?

7 He laugheth at the tumult of the city, and heareth not the shouts 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, and he searcheth after every green thing.

The range of the mountains is his pasture. He searches after every green thing.

9 Will the buffalo be willing to serve thee, or will he lodge by thy crib?

“Will the wild ox be content to serve you? Or will he stay by your feeding trough?

10 Canst thou bind the buffalo with his cord in 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 put confidence in him, because his strength is great? and wilt thou leave thy labour to him?

Will you trust him, because his strength is great? Or will you leave to him your labor?

12 Wilt thou trust him to bring home thy seed, and gather it into thy threshing-floor?

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 beats joyously — But is it the stork's pinion and plumage?

“The wings of the ostrich wave proudly, but are they the feathers and plumage of love?

14 For she leaveth her eggs to the earth, and 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, or that the beast of the field may trample them.

and forgets that the foot may crush them, or that the wild animal may trample them.

16 She is hardened against her young ones, as though they were not hers; her labour is in vain, without her concern.

She deals harshly with her young ones, as if they were not hers. Though her labor is in vain, she is without fear,

17 For God hath deprived her of wisdom, and hath not furnished her with understanding.

because God has deprived her of wisdom, neither has he imparted to her understanding.

18 What time she lasheth herself on high, she scorneth the horse and his rider.

When she lifts up herself on high, she scorns the horse and his rider.

19 Hast thou given strength to the horse? hast thou clothed his neck with the quivering mane?

“Have you given the horse might? Have you clothed his neck with a quivering mane?

20 Dost thou make him to leap as a locust? His majestic snorting is terrible.

Have you made him to leap as a locust? The glory of his snorting is awesome.

21 He paweth in the valley, and rejoiceth in [his] strength; he goeth forth to meet the armed host.

He paws in the valley, and rejoices in his strength. He goes out to meet the armed men.

22 He laugheth at fear, and is not affrighted; neither turneth he back from before the sword.

He mocks at fear, and is not dismayed, neither does he turn back from the sword.

23 The quiver rattleth upon him, the glittering spear and the javelin.

The quiver rattles against him, the flashing spear and the javelin.

24 He swalloweth the ground with fierceness and rage, and cannot contain himself at the sound of the trumpet:

He eats up the ground with fierceness and rage, neither does he stand still at the sound of the trumpet.

25 At the noise of the trumpets he saith, Aha! and he smelleth the battle afar off, the thunder of the captains, and the shouting.

As often as the trumpet sounds he snorts, ‘Aha!’ He smells the battle afar off, the thunder of the captains, and the shouting.

26 Doth the hawk fly by thine intelligence, [and] stretch his wings toward the south?

“Is it by your wisdom that the hawk soars, and stretches her wings toward the south?

27 Doth the eagle mount up at thy command, and make his nest on high?

Is it at your command that the eagle mounts up, and makes his nest on high?

28 He inhabiteth the rock and maketh his dwelling on the point of the cliff, and the fastness:

On the cliff he dwells and makes his home, on the point of the cliff and the stronghold.

29 From thence he spieth out the prey, his eyes look into the distance;

From there he spies out the prey. His eyes see it afar off.

30 And 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.”