Job 39
1 Whethir thou knowist the tyme of birthe of wielde geet in stoonys, ethir hast thou aspied hyndis bryngynge forth calues?
“Do you know the time when the mountain goats give birth? Do you watch when the doe bears fawns?
2 Hast thou noumbrid the monethis of her conseyuyng, and hast thou knowe the tyme of her caluyng?
Can you count the months that they fulfill? Or do you know the time when they give birth?
3 Tho ben bowid to the calf, and caluen; and senden out roryngis.
They bow themselves. They bear their young. They end their labor pains.
4 Her calues ben departid, and goen to pasture; tho goen out, and turnen not ayen to `tho hyndis.
Their young ones become strong. They grow up in the open field. They go out, and do not return again.
5 Who let go the wielde asse fre, and who loside the boondis of hym?
“Who has set the wild donkey free? Or who has loosened the bonds of the swift donkey,
6 To whom Y haue youe an hows in wildirnesse, and the tabernacles of hym in the lond of saltnesse.
whose home I have made the wilderness, and the salt land his dwelling place?
7 He dispisith the multitude of citee; he herith not the cry of an axere.
He scorns the tumult of the city, neither does he hear the shouting of the driver.
8 He lokith aboute the hillis of his lesewe, and he sekith alle greene thingis.
The range of the mountains is his pasture. He searches after every green thing.
9 Whether an vnycorn schal wilne serue thee, ethir schal dwelle at thi cratche?
“Will the wild ox be content to serve you? Or will he stay by your feeding trough?
10 Whether thou schalt bynde the vnicorn with thi chayne, for to ere, ethir schal he breke the clottis of valeis aftir thee?
Can you hold the wild ox in the furrow with his harness? Or will he till the valleys after you?
11 Whether thou schalt haue trist in his grete strengthe, and schalt thou leeue to hym thi traueils?
Will you trust him, because his strength is great? Or will you leave to him your labor?
12 Whether thou schalt bileue to hym, that he schal yelde seed to thee, and schal gadere togidere thi cornfloor?
Will you confide in him, that he will bring home your seed, and gather the grain of your threshing floor?
13 The fethere of an ostriche is lijk the fetheris of a gerfawcun, and of an hauk;
“The wings of the ostrich wave proudly, but are they the feathers and plumage of love?
14 which ostrige forsakith hise eirun in the erthe, in hap thou schalt make tho hoot in the dust.
For she leaves her eggs on the earth, warms them in the dust,
15 He foryetith, that a foot tredith tho, ethir that a beeste of the feeld al tobrekith tho.
and forgets that the foot may crush them, or that the wild animal may trample them.
16 He is maad hard to hise briddis, as if thei ben not hise; he traueilide in veyn, while no drede constreynede.
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 priued hym fro wisdom, and `yaf not vnderstondyng to hym.
because God has deprived her of wisdom, neither has he imparted to her understanding.
18 Whanne tyme is, he reisith the wengis an hiy; he scorneth the hors, and his ridere.
When she lifts up herself on high, she scorns the horse and his rider.
19 Whether thou schalt yyue strengthe to an hors, ether schal yyue neiyng `aboute his necke?
“Have you given the horse might? Have you clothed his neck with a quivering mane?
20 Whether thou schalt reyse hym as locustis? The glorie of hise nosethirlis is drede.
Have you made him to leap as a locust? The glory of his snorting is awesome.
21 He diggith erthe with the foot, he `fulli ioieth booldli; he goith ayens armed men.
He paws in the valley, and rejoices in his strength. He goes out to meet the armed men.
22 He dispisith ferdfulnesse, and he yyueth not stide to swerd.
He mocks at fear, and is not dismayed, neither does he turn back from the sword.
23 An arowe caas schal sowne on hym; a spere and scheeld schal florische.
The quiver rattles against him, the flashing spear and the javelin.
24 He is hoot, and gnastith, and swolewith the erthe; and he arettith not that the crie of the trumpe sowneth.
He eats up the ground with fierceness and rage, neither does he stand still at the sound of the trumpet.
25 Whanne he herith a clarioun, he `seith, Joie! he smellith batel afer; the excityng of duykis, and the yellyng of the oost.
As often as the trumpet sounds he snorts, ‘Aha!’ He smells the battle afar off, the thunder of the captains, and the shouting.
26 Whether an hauk spredinge abrood hise wyngis to the south, bigynneth to haue fetheris bi thi wisdom?
“Is it by your wisdom that the hawk soars, and stretches her wings toward the south?
27 Whether an egle schal be reisid at thi comaundement, and schal sette his nest in hiy places?
Is it at your command that the eagle mounts up, and makes his nest on high?
28 He dwellith in stoonys, and he dwellith in flyntis brokun bifor, and in rochis, to whiche `me may not neiye.
On the cliff he dwells and makes his home, on the point of the cliff and the stronghold.
29 Fro thennus he biholdith mete, and hise iyen loken fro fer.
From there he spies out the prey. His eyes see it afar off.
30 Hise briddis souken blood, and where euere a careyn is, anoon he is present.
His young ones also suck up blood. Where the slain are, there he is.”
