Chapter 39

  Knowest thou the time when the wild goats of the rock bring forth? dost thou mark the calving of the hinds?  

--

  Dost thou number the months that they fulfil? and knowest thou the time when they bring forth?  

--

  They bow themselves, they give birth to their young ones, they cast out their pains;  

--

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

--

  Who hath sent out the wild ass free? and who hath loosed the bands of the onager,  

--

  Whose house I made the wilderness, and the salt plain his dwellings?  

--

  He laugheth at the tumult of the city, and heareth not the shouts of the driver;  

--

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

--

  Will the buffalo be willing to serve thee, or will he lodge by thy crib?  

--

  Canst thou bind the buffalo with his cord in the furrow? or will he harrow the valleys after thee?  

--

  Wilt thou put confidence in him, because his strength is great? and wilt thou leave thy labour to him?  

--

  Wilt thou trust him to bring home thy seed, and gather it into thy threshing-floor?  

--

  The wing of the ostrich beats joyously -- But is it the stork's pinion and plumage?  

--

  For she leaveth her eggs to the earth, and warmeth them in the dust,  

--

  And forgetteth that the foot may crush them, or that the beast of the field may trample them.  

--

  She is hardened against her young ones, as though they were not hers; her labour is in vain, without her concern.  

--

  For +God hath deprived her of wisdom, and hath not furnished her with understanding.  

--

  What time she lasheth herself on high, she scorneth the horse and his rider.  

--

  Hast thou given strength to the horse? hast thou clothed his neck with the quivering mane?  

--

  Dost thou make him to leap as a locust? His majestic snorting is terrible.  

--

  He paweth in the valley, and rejoiceth in [his] strength; he goeth forth to meet the armed host.  

--

  He laugheth at fear, and is not affrighted; neither turneth he back from before the sword.  

--

  The quiver rattleth upon him, the glittering spear and the javelin.  

--

  He swalloweth the ground with fierceness and rage, and cannot contain himself at the sound of the trumpet:  

--

  At the noise of the trumpets he saith, Aha! and he smelleth the battle afar off, the thunder of the captains, and the shouting.  

--

  Doth the hawk fly by thine intelligence, [and] stretch his wings toward the south?  

--

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

--

  He inhabiteth the rock and maketh his dwelling on the point of the cliff, and the fastness:  

--

  From thence he spieth out the prey, his eyes look into the distance;  

--

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

--