Job 39
1 Knowest thou the season when the Wild Goats of the crags beget? The bringing forth of the hinds, canst thou observe?
“Do you know the time when the mountain goats give birth? Do you watch when the doe bears fawns?
2 Canst thou count the months they fulfil? Or knowest thou the time when they give birth?
Can you count the months that they fulfil? Or do you know the time when they give birth?
3 They kneel down, their young, they bring forth; their pains, they throw off;
They bow themselves. They bear their young. They end their labour pains.
4 Their young become strong, they grow up in the open field, they go out, 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 forth the Wild Ass free? And, the bands of the swift-runner, who hath loosed?
“Who has set the wild donkey free? Or who has loosened the bonds of the swift donkey,
6 Whose house I have made the waste plain, and his dwellings, the land of salt:
whose home I have made the wilderness, and the salt land his dwelling place?
7 He laugheth at the throng of the city, 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 He espieth the mountains, his pasture-ground, and, after every green thing, maketh search.
The range of the mountains is his pasture. He searches after every green thing.
9 Will the Wild-Ox be pleased to be thy servant? or lodge for the night 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 wild-ox, so that—with the ridge—shall run his cord? Or will he harrow the furrows 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 in him, because of the greatness of his strength? Wilt thou leave unto him thy toil?
Will you trust him, because his strength is great? Or will you leave to him your labour?
12 Wilt thou put faith in him, that he will bring back thy seed? and that, corn for thy threshing-floor, he will gather?
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 that waveth itself joyfully, Is it the pinion of lovingkindness or the plumage?
“The wings of the ostrich wave proudly, but are they the feathers and plumage of love?
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, warms them in the dust,
15 And hath forgotten, that, a foot, may crush them, —or, the wild beast, tread on them!
and forgets that the foot may crush them, or that the wild animal may trample them.
16 Dealing hardly with her young, as none-of-hers, In vain, her labour, without dread.
She deals harshly with her young ones, as if they were not hers. Though her labour is in vain, she is without fear,
17 For GOD hath suffered her to forget wisdom, and given her no share in understanding.
because God has deprived her of wisdom, neither has he imparted to her understanding.
18 What time, on high, she vibrateth her wings, she laugheth at the horse and his rider.
When she lifts up herself on high, she scorns the horse and his rider.
19 Couldst thou give—to the Horse—strength? Couldst thou clothe his neck with the quivering mane?
“Have you given the horse might? Have you clothed his neck with a quivering mane?
20 Couldst thou cause him to leap like a locust? The majesty of his snort, is a terror!
Have you made him to leap as a locust? The glory of his snorting is awesome.
21 He diggeth into the plain, and rejoiceth in vigour, he goeth forth to meet armour;
He paws in the valley, and rejoices in his strength. He goes out to meet the armed men.
22 He laugheth at dread, and is not dismayed, neither turneth he back, from the face of the sword;
He mocks at fear, and is not dismayed, neither does he turn back from the sword.
23 Against him, whiz [the arrows of] the quiver, the flashing head of spear and javelin;
The quiver rattles against him, the flashing spear and the javelin.
24 With stamping and rage, he drinketh up the ground, —he will not stand still when the horn soundeth;
He eats up the ground with fierceness and rage, neither does he stand still at the sound of the trumpet.
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.
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, by thine understanding, that the Bird of Passage betaketh him to his pinions? spreadeth out his wings to the south?
“Is it by your wisdom that the hawk soars, and stretches her wings towards the south?
27 Or, at thy bidding, that the Eagle mounteth, and that he setteth on high his nest?
Is it at your command that the eagle mounts up, and makes his nest on high?
28 The crag, he inhabiteth, and so lodgeth himself, on the tooth of the crag, and high fort;
On the cliff he dwells and makes his home, on the point of the cliff and the stronghold.
29 From thence, he searcheth out food, far away, his eyes do pierce;
From there he spies out the prey. His eyes see it afar off.
30 And, his young brood, 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.”
