Job 39

¹Knowest thou the time when the wild goats of the rock bring forth? Or canst thou mark when the hinds do calve? ²Canst thou number the months that they fulfil? Or knowest thou the time when they bring forth? ³They bow themselves, they bring forth their young, They cast out their pains. ⁴Their young ones become strong, they grow up in the open field; They go forth, and return not again. ⁵Who hath sent out the wild ass free? Or who hath loosed the bonds of the swift ass, ⁶Whose home I have made the wilderness, And the salt land his dwelling-place? ⁷He scorneth the tumult of the city, Neither heareth he the shoutings of the driver. ⁸The range of the mountains is his pasture, And he searcheth after every green thing. ⁹Will the wild-ox be content to serve thee? Or will he abide by thy crib? ¹⁰Canst thou bind the wild-ox with his band in the furrow? Or will he harrow the valleys after thee? ¹¹Wilt thou trust him, because his strength is great? Or wilt thou leave to him thy labor? ¹²Wilt thou confide in him, that he will bring home thy seed, And gather the grain of thy threshing-floor?

¹³The wings of the ostrich wave proudly; But are they the pinions and plumage of love? ¹⁴For she leaveth her eggs on the earth, And warmeth them in the dust, ¹⁵And forgetteth that the foot may crush them, Or that the wild beast may trample them. ¹⁶She dealeth hardly with her young ones, as if they were not hers: Though her labor be in vain, she is without fear; ¹⁷Because God hath deprived her of wisdom, Neither hath he imparted to her understanding. ¹⁸What time she lifteth up herself on high, She scorneth the horse and his rider.

¹⁹Hast thou given the horse his might? Hast thou clothed his neck with the quivering mane? ²⁰Hast thou made him to leap as a locust? The glory of his snorting is terrible. ²¹He paweth in the valley, and rejoiceth in his strength: He goeth out to meet the armed men. ²²He mocketh at fear, and is not dismayed; Neither turneth he back from the sword. ²³The quiver rattleth against him, The flashing spear and the javelin. ²⁴He swalloweth the ground with fierceness and rage; Neither believeth he that it is the voice of the trumpet. ²⁵As oft as the trumpet soundeth he saith, Aha! And he smelleth the battle afar off, The thunder of the captains, and the shouting.

²⁶Is it by thy wisdom that the hawk soareth, (And) stretcheth her wings toward the south? ²⁷Is it at thy command that the eagle mounteth up, And maketh her nest on high? ²⁸On the cliff she dwelleth, and maketh her home, Upon the point of the cliff, and the stronghold. ²⁹From thence she spieth out the prey; Her eyes behold it afar off. ³⁰Her young ones also suck up blood: And where the slain are, there is she.