1 K nowest thou the time when the wild goats of the rock bring forth? or canst thou mark when the hinds do calve?

“Do you know when the mountain goats give birth? Do you watch the deer giving birth?

2 C anst thou number the months that they fulfil? or knowest thou the time when they bring forth?

Can you number the months that they carry their young? Or do you know the time when their young are born?

3 T hey bow themselves, they bring forth their young ones, they cast out their sorrows.

They get down and give birth to their young, and get rid of their pains.

4 T heir young ones are in good liking, they grow up with corn; they go forth, and return not unto them.

Their young ones become strong. They grow up in the open field. They leave and do not return to them.

5 W ho hath sent out the wild ass free? or who hath loosed the bands of the wild ass?

“Who has let the wild donkey go free? Who has taken off the ropes which held the fast donkey?

6 W hose house I have made the wilderness, and the barren land his dwellings.

I gave him the desert for a home, and the salt land for a place to live.

7 H e scorneth the multitude of the city, neither regardeth he the crying of the driver.

He hates the noise of the city. He does not hear the calls of the man who drives him.

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

He goes looking for grass to eat on the mountains. He looks for every green thing.

9 W ill the unicorn be willing to serve thee, or abide by thy crib?

Will the wild ox be willing to serve you? Will he stay through the night by the food you give him to eat?

10 C anst thou bind the unicorn with his band in the furrow? or will he harrow the valleys after thee?

Can you tie the wild ox to a plow in the field? Will he follow you to plow the valleys?

11 W ilt thou trust him, because his strength is great? or wilt thou leave thy labour to him?

Will you trust in him because he is very strong, and leave your work to him?

12 W ilt thou believe him, that he will bring home thy seed, and gather it into thy barn?

Will you trust him to return and bring your grain to your grain-floor?

13 G avest thou the goodly wings unto the peacocks? or wings and feathers unto the ostrich?

“The wings of the ostrich wave with joy, but are they the wings of love?

14 W hich leaveth her eggs in the earth, and warmeth them in dust,

For she leaves her eggs to the earth and lets them get warm in the dust.

15 A nd forgetteth that the foot may crush them, or that the wild beast may break them.

She forgets that a foot might crush them, or that the wild animal may step on them.

16 S he is hardened against her young ones, as though they were not her's: her labour is in vain without fear;

She is bad in the way she acts toward her young, as if they were not hers. Her work of giving birth is for nothing, for she does not care.

17 B ecause God hath deprived her of wisdom, neither hath he imparted to her understanding.

Because God has not given her wisdom or her share of understanding.

18 W hat time she lifteth up herself on high, she scorneth the horse and his rider.

When she begins to run, she laughs at the horse and the horseman.

19 H ast thou given the horse strength? hast thou clothed his neck with thunder?

“Do you give the horse his strength? Do you dress his neck with long hair?

20 C anst thou make him afraid as a grasshopper? the glory of his nostrils is terrible.

Do you make him jump like the locust? The powerful noise he makes with his nostrils fills men with fear.

21 H e paweth in the valley, and rejoiceth in his strength: he goeth on to meet the armed men.

He hits his foot against the ground in the valley, and has joy in his strength. He goes out to meet the battle.

22 H e mocketh at fear, and is not affrighted; neither turneth he back from the sword.

He laughs at fear and is not afraid. He does not turn back from the sword.

23 T he quiver rattleth against him, the glittering spear and the shield.

The arrows and spears he carries make noise as they hit together.

24 H e swalloweth the ground with fierceness and rage: neither believeth he that it is the sound of the trumpet.

He runs fast over the ground with shaking and anger. He cannot stand still at the sound of the horn.

25 H e saith among the trumpets, Ha, ha; and he smelleth the battle afar off, the thunder of the captains, and the shouting.

When the horn sounds, he laughs without fear. He smells the battle from far away. He hears the thunder of the captains, and the war cry.

26 D oth the hawk fly by thy wisdom, and stretch her wings toward the south?

“Is it by your understanding that the hawk flies, spreading his wings toward the south?

27 D oth the eagle mount up at thy command, and make her nest on high?

Is it because the eagle is obeying you that he flies high and makes his nest in a high place?

28 S he dwelleth and abideth on the rock, upon the crag of the rock, and the strong place.

He lives on a high rock. His strong place is on the mountain-top that is hard to reach.

29 F rom thence she seeketh the prey, and her eyes behold afar off.

From there he looks for his food. His eyes see it from far away.

30 H er young ones also suck up blood: and where the slain are, there is she.

He is where dead bodies are and his young ones drink the blood.”