Job 39

1 Knowest thou the time when the wild goats of the rock bring forth? or canst thou mark when the hinds do calve?

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

2 Canst thou number the months that they fulfil? or knowest thou the time when they bring forth?

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

3 They bow themselves, they bring forth their young ones, they cast out their sorrows.

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

4 Their young ones are become strong, they grow strong with grain; they go forth, and return not to them.

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

5 Who hath sent out the wild donkey free? or who hath loosed the bands of the wild donkey?

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

6 Whose house I have made the wilderness, and the barren land his dwellings.

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

7 He scorneth the multitude of the city, neither regardeth he the crying of the driver.

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

8 The range of the mountains is his pasture, and he searcheth after every green thing.

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

9 Will the unicorn be willing to serve thee, or abide by thy crib?

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

10 Canst thou bind the unicorn with his band in the furrow? or will he harrow the valleys after thee?

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

11 Wilt thou trust him, because his strength is great? or wilt thou leave thy labour to him?

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

12 Wilt thou believe him, that he will bring home thy seed, and gather it into thy barn?

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

13 Gavest thou the goodly wings to the peacocks? or wings and feathers to the ostrich?

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

14 Which leaveth her eggs in the earth, and warmeth them in the dust,

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

15 And forgetteth that the foot may crush them, or that the wild beast may break them.

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

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

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

17 Because God hath withheld wisdom from her, neither hath he imparted to her understanding.

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

18 When she lifteth herself on high, she scorneth the horse and his rider.

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

19 Hast thou given the horse strength? hast thou clothed his neck with thunder?

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

20 Canst thou make him afraid as a grasshopper? the glory of his nostrils is terrible.

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

21 He paweth in the valley, and rejoiceth in his strength: he goeth on to meet the armed men.

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

22 He mocketh at fear, and is not dismayed; neither turneth he back from the sword.

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

23 The quiver rattleth against him, the glittering spear and the shield.

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

24 He swalloweth the ground with fierceness and rage: neither believeth he that it is the sound of the trumpet.

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

25 He saith among the trumpets, Ha, ha; and he smelleth the battle afar off, the thunder of the captains, and the shouting.

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

26 Doth the hawk fly by thy wisdom, and stretch her wings toward the south?

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

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

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

28 She dwelleth and abideth on the rock, upon the crag of the rock, and the strong place.

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

29 From there she seeketh the prey, and her eyes behold afar off.

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

30 Her young ones also suck up blood: and where the slain are, there is she.

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