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 the time when the mountain goats give birth? Do you watch when the doe bears fawns?
2 Numberest thou the months of gestation which they complete 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 bend themselves: they drop their young ones; throw off their pains.
They bow themselves. They bear their young. They end their labor pains.
4 Their little 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 sent out the wild ass free? or who loosened the bonds of the forest-ass?
“Who has set the wild donkey free? Or who has loosened the bonds of the swift donkey,
6 To whom I assigned the wilderness as his house, and the salty land as his dwellings.
whose home I have made the wilderness, and the salt land his dwelling place?
7 He laugheth at the noise of a town, and the shoutings of the driver he heareth not.
He scorns the tumult of the city, neither does he hear the shouting of the driver.
8 What he espieth on the mountains is his pasture, and after every green thing doth he search.
The range of the mountains is his pasture. He searches after every green thing.
9 Will the forest-ox be willing to serve thee, or will he stay over 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 forest-ox with a rope [to labor] in the furrow? or will he harrow valleys, following 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 trust him, because his strength is great? and wilt thou leave to him thy labor?
Will you trust him, because his strength is great? Or will you leave to him your labor?
12 Wilt thou confide in him, that he should 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 moveth joyfully: hath she the pinions and plumage of the careful stork?
“The wings of the ostrich wave proudly, but are they the feathers and plumage of love?
14 [No, ] for she intrusteth her eggs to the earth, and letteth them be hatched out on the dust:
For she leaves her eggs on the earth, warms 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.
and forgets that the foot may crush them, or that the wild animal may trample 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 deals harshly with her young ones, as if they were not hers. Though her labor is in vain, she is without fear,
17 Because God hath denied her wisdom, and he hath not imparted to her understanding.
because God has deprived her of wisdom, neither has he imparted to her understanding.
18 At the time she raiseth 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 Dost thou give the horse strength? dost thou clothe his neck with the rolling mane?
“Have you given the horse might? Have you clothed his neck with a quivering mane?
20 Canst thou make him jump like a locust? his majestic snort is terrible.
Have you made him to leap as a locust? The glory of his snorting is awesome.
21 Men spy about in the valley, and he rejoiceth in his strength: he goeth forth to meet the armed array.
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 dismayed; and turneth not back from before the sword.
He mocks at fear, and is not dismayed, neither does he turn back from the sword.
23 Over him rattle the quiver, the glittering spear and the lance.
The quiver rattles against him, the flashing spear and the javelin.
24 With impatient noise and rage he holloweth [with his hoof] the ground, and keepeth not quiet when the cornet's voice [is heard].
He eats up the ground with fierceness and rage, neither does he stand still at the sound of the trumpet.
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.—
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 through thy understanding that the hawk flieth along, and spreadeth out his wings toward the south?
“Is it by your wisdom that the hawk soars, and stretches her wings toward the south?
27 Or is it by your order that the eagle doth mount upward, and buildeth high up his nest?
Is it at your command that the eagle mounts up, and makes his nest on high?
28 On a rock he dwelleth, and spendeth his nights, on a rocky crag and mountain fastness.
On the cliff he dwells and makes his home, on the point of the cliff and the stronghold.
29 From there he espieth his food, from afar can his eyes behold.
From there he spies out the prey. His eyes see it afar off.
30 His young ones, also, sip up blood: and where the slain be, there is he.
His young ones also suck up blood. Where the slain are, there he is.”
