Job 39

¹ Knowest thou the time when the wild goats bring forth among the rocks, or hast thou observed the hinds when they fawn? ² Hast thou numbered the months of their conceiving, or knowest thou the time when they bring forth? ³ They bow themselves to bring forth young, and they cast them, and send forth roarings. ⁴ Their young are weaned and go to feed: they go forth, and return not to them. ⁵ Who hath sent out the wild ass free, and who hath loosed his bonds? ⁶ To whom I have given a house in the wilderness, and his dwellings in the barren land. ⁷ He scorneth the multitude of the city, he heareth not the cry of the driver. ⁸ He looketh round about the mountains of his pasture, and seeketh for every green thing. ⁹ Shall the rhinoceros be willing to serve thee, or will he stay at thy crib? ¹⁰ Canst thou bind the rhinoceros with thy thong to plough, or will he break the clods of the valleys after thee? ¹¹ Wilt thou have confidence in his great strength, and leave thy labours to him? ¹² Wilt thou trust him that he will render thee the seed, and gather it into thy barnfloor? ¹³ The wing of the ostrich is like the wings of the heron, and of the hawk. ¹⁴ When she leaveth her eggs on the earth, thou perhaps wilt warm them in the dust. ¹⁵ She forgetteth that the foot may tread upon them, or that the beasts of the field may break them. ¹⁶ She is hardened against her young ones, as though they were not hers, she hath laboured in vain, no fear constraining her. ¹⁷ For God hath deprived her of wisdom, neither hath he given her understanding. ¹⁸ When time shall be, she setteth up her wings on high: she scorneth the horse and his rider. ¹⁹ Wilt thou give strength to the horse, or clothe his neck with neighing? ²⁰ Wilt thou lift him up like the locusts? the glory of his nostrils is terror. ²¹ He breaketh up the earth with his hoof, he pranceth boldly, he goeth forward to meet armed men. ²² He despiseth fear, he turneth not his back to the sword, ²³ Above him shall the quiver rattle, the spear and shield shall glitter. ²⁴ Chasing and raging he swalloweth the ground, neither doth he make account when the noise of the trumpet soundeth. ²⁵ When he heareth the trumpet he saith: Ha, ha: he smelleth the battle afar off, the encouraging of the captains, and the shouting of the army. ²⁶ Doth the hawk wax feathered by thy wisdom, spreading her wings to the south? ²⁷ Will the eagle mount up at thy command, and make her nest in high places? ²⁸ She abideth among the rocks, and dwelleth among cragged flints, and stony hills, where there is no access. ²⁹ From thence she looketh for the prey, and her eyes behold afar off. ³⁰ Her young ones shall suck up blood: and wheresoever the carcass shall be, she is immediately there. ³¹ And the Lord went on, and said to Job: ³² Shall he that contendeth with God be so easily silenced? surely he that reproveth God, ought to answer him. ³³ Then Job answered the Lord, and said: ³⁴ What can I answer, who hath spoken inconsiderately? I will lay my hand upon my mouth. ³⁵ One thing I have spoken, which I wish I had not said: and another, to which I will add no more.