“Do you know the time when the mountain goats give birth? Do you watch when the doe bears fawns?
Knowest thou the time when the wild goats of the rock bring forth? or canst thou mark when the hinds do calve?
Can you count the months that they fulfill? Or do you know the time when they give birth?
Canst thou number the months that they fulfil? or knowest thou the time when they bring forth?
They bow themselves. They bear their young. They end their labor pains.
They bow themselves, they bring forth their young ones, they cast out their sorrows.
Their young ones become strong. They grow up in the open field. They go out, and don’t return again.
Their young ones are in good liking, they grow up with corn; they go forth, and return not unto them.
“Who has set the wild donkey free? Or who has loosened the bonds of the swift donkey,
Who hath sent out the wild ass free? or who hath loosed the bands of the wild ass?
whose home I have made the wilderness, and the salt land his dwelling place?
Whose house I have made the wilderness, and the barren land his dwellings.
He scorns the tumult of the city, neither does he hear the shouting of the driver.
He scorneth the multitude of the city, neither regardeth he the crying of the driver.
The range of the mountains is his pasture. He searches after every green thing.
The range of the mountains is his pasture, and he searcheth after every green thing.
“Will the wild ox be content to serve you? Or will he stay by your feeding trough?
Will the unicorn be willing to serve thee, or abide by thy crib?
Can you hold the wild ox in the furrow with his harness? Or will he till the valleys after you?
Canst thou bind the unicorn with his band in the furrow? or will he harrow the valleys after thee?
Will you trust him, because his strength is great? Or will you leave to him your labor?
Wilt thou trust him, because his strength is great? or wilt thou leave thy labour to him?
Will you confide in him, that he will bring home your seed, and gather the grain of your threshing floor?
Wilt thou believe him, that he will bring home thy seed, and gather it into thy barn?
“The wings of the ostrich wave proudly, but are they the feathers and plumage of love?
Gavest thou the goodly wings unto the peacocks? or wings and feathers unto the ostrich?
For she leaves her eggs on the earth, warms them in the dust,
Which leaveth her eggs in the earth, and warmeth them in dust,
and forgets that the foot may crush them, or that the wild animal may trample them.
And forgetteth that the foot may crush them, or that the wild beast may break them.
She deals harshly with her young ones, as if they were not hers. Though her labor is in vain, she is without fear,
She is hardened against her young ones, as though they were not hers: her labour is in vain without fear;
because God has deprived her of wisdom, neither has he imparted to her understanding.
Because God hath deprived her of wisdom, neither hath he imparted to her understanding.
When she lifts up herself on high, she scorns the horse and his rider.
What time she lifteth up herself on high, she scorneth the horse and his rider.
“Have you given the horse might? Have you clothed his neck with a quivering mane?
Hast thou given the horse strength? hast thou clothed his neck with thunder?
Have you made him to leap as a locust? The glory of his snorting is awesome.
Canst thou make him afraid as a grasshopper? the glory of his nostrils is terrible.
He paws in the valley, and rejoices in his strength. He goes out to meet the armed men.
He paweth in the valley, and rejoiceth in his strength: he goeth on to meet the armed men.
He mocks at fear, and is not dismayed, neither does he turn back from the sword.
He mocketh at fear, and is not affrighted; neither turneth he back from the sword.
The quiver rattles against him, the flashing spear and the javelin.
The quiver rattleth against him, the glittering spear and the shield.
He eats up the ground with fierceness and rage, neither does he stand still at the sound of the trumpet.
He swalloweth the ground with fierceness and rage: neither believeth he that it is the sound of the trumpet.
As often as the trumpet sounds he snorts, ‘Aha!’ He smells the battle afar off, the thunder of the captains, and the shouting.
He saith among the trumpets, Ha, ha; and he smelleth the battle afar off, the thunder of the captains, and the shouting.
“Is it by your wisdom that the hawk soars, and stretches her wings toward the south?
Doth the hawk fly by thy wisdom, and stretch her wings toward the south?
Is it at your command that the eagle mounts up, and makes his nest on high?
Doth the eagle mount up at thy command, and make her nest on high?
On the cliff he dwells and makes his home, on the point of the cliff and the stronghold.
She dwelleth and abideth on the rock, upon the crag of the rock, and the strong place.
From there he spies out the prey. His eyes see it afar off.
From thence she seeketh the prey, and her eyes behold afar off.
His young ones also suck up blood. Where the slain are, there he is.”
Her young ones also suck up blood: and where the slain are , there is she.