Job 39

1 Knowest thou the season when the Wild Goats of the crags beget? The bringing forth of the hinds, canst thou observe?

“Have you known the time of The bearing of the wild goats of the rock? Do you mark the bringing forth of does?

2 Canst thou count the months they fulfil? Or knowest thou the time when they give birth?

Do you number the months they fulfill? And have you known the time of their bringing forth?

3 They kneel down, their young, they bring forth; their pains, they throw off;

They bow down, They bring forth their young ones safely, They cast forth their pangs.

4 Their young become strong, they grow up in the open field, they go out, and return not unto them.

Their young ones are safe, They grow up in the field, they have gone out, And have not returned to them.

5 Who hath sent forth the Wild Ass free? And, the bands of the swift-runner, who hath loosed?

Who has sent forth the wild donkey free? Indeed, who opened the bands of the wild donkey?

6 Whose house I have made the waste plain, and his dwellings, the land of salt:

Whose house I have made the wilderness, And his dwellings the barren land,

7 He laugheth at the throng of the city, The shoutings of the driver, he heareth not;

He laughs at the multitude of a city, He does not hear the cries of an exactor.

8 He espieth the mountains, his pasture-ground, and, after every green thing, maketh search.

The range of mountains [is] his pasture, And he seeks after every green thing.

9 Will the Wild-Ox be pleased to be thy servant? or lodge for the night by thy crib?

Is a wild ox willing to serve you? Does he lodge by your crib?

10 Canst thou bind the wild-ox, so that—with the ridge—shall run his cord? Or will he harrow the furrows after thee?

Do you bind a wild ox in a furrow [with] his thick band? Does he harrow valleys after you?

11 Wilt thou trust in him, because of the greatness of his strength? Wilt thou leave unto him thy toil?

Do you trust in him because his power [is] great? And do you leave your labor to him?

12 Wilt thou put faith in him, that he will bring back thy seed? and that, corn for thy threshing-floor, he will gather?

Do you trust in him That he brings back your seed, And gathers [it to] your threshing-floor?

13 The wing of the Ostrich that waveth itself joyfully, Is it the pinion of lovingkindness or the plumage?

[The] wing of the crying ostriches exults, but as a pinion and feather of a stork?

14 For she leaveth—to the earth—her eggs, and, on the dust, she letteth them be warmed;

For she leaves her eggs on the earth, And she warms them on the dust,

15 And hath forgotten, that, a foot, may crush them, —or, the wild beast, tread on them!

And she forgets that a foot may press it, And a beast of the field treads it down.

16 Dealing hardly with her young, as none-of-hers, In vain, her labour, without dread.

It has hardened her young ones without her, Her labor [is] in vain, without fear.

17 For GOD hath suffered her to forget wisdom, and given her no share in understanding.

For God has caused her to forget wisdom, And He has not given a portion To her in understanding;

18 What time, on high, she vibrateth her wings, she laugheth at the horse and his rider.

At the time she lifts herself up on high, She laughs at the horse and his rider.

19 Couldst thou give—to the Horse—strength? Couldst thou clothe his neck with the quivering mane?

Do you give might to the horse? Do you clothe his neck [with] a mane?

20 Couldst thou cause him to leap like a locust? The majesty of his snort, is a terror!

Do you cause him to rush as a locust? The splendor of his snorting [is] terrible.

21 He diggeth into the plain, and rejoiceth in vigour, he goeth forth to meet armour;

They dig in a valley, and he rejoices in power, He goes forth to meet the armor.

22 He laugheth at dread, and is not dismayed, neither turneth he back, from the face of the sword;

He laughs at fear, and is not frightened, And he does not turn back from the face of the sword.

23 Against him, whiz [the arrows of] the quiver, the flashing head of spear and javelin;

Quiver rattles against him, The flame of a spear, and a javelin.

24 With stamping and rage, he drinketh up the ground, —he will not stand still when the horn soundeth;

He swallows the ground with trembling and rage, And does not remain steadfast Because of the sound of a horn.

25 As oft as the horn soundeth, he saith, Aha! And, from afar, he scenteth the battle, —the thunder of commanders and the war-cry.

Among the horns he says, Aha, And from afar he smells battle, Roaring of princes and shouting.

26 Is it, by thine understanding, that the Bird of Passage betaketh him to his pinions? spreadeth out his wings to the south?

By your understanding does a hawk fly? Does he spread his wings to the south?

27 Or, at thy bidding, that the Eagle mounteth, and that he setteth on high his nest?

At your command does an eagle go up high? Or lift up his nest?

28 The crag, he inhabiteth, and so lodgeth himself, on the tooth of the crag, and high fort;

He inhabits a rock, Indeed, he lodges on the tooth of a rock, and fortress.

29 From thence, he searcheth out food, far away, his eyes do pierce;

From there he has sought food, His eyes look attentively to a far-off place,

30 And, his young brood, suck up blood, and, where the slain are, there, is he.

And his brood sucks up blood, And where the pierced [are]—there [is] he!”