1 “ Do you know the time the mountain goats give birth? Do you observe the calving of the deer?

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

2 “ Can you count the months they fulfill, Or do you know the time they give birth?

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

3 “ They kneel down, they bring forth their young, They get rid of their labor pains.

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

4 “ Their offspring become strong, they grow up in the open field; They leave and do not return to them.

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

5 “ Who sent out the wild donkey free? And who loosed the bonds of the swift donkey,

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

6 T o whom I gave the wilderness for a home And the salt land for his dwelling place?

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

7 “ He scorns the tumult of the city, The shoutings of the driver he does not hear.

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

8 “ He explores the mountains for his pasture And searches after every green thing.

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

9 “ Will the wild ox consent to serve you, Or will he spend the night at your manger?

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

10 “ Can you bind the wild ox in a furrow with ropes, Or will he harrow the valleys after you?

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

11 “ Will you trust him because his strength is great And leave your labor to him?

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

12 “ Will you have faith in him that he will return your grain And gather it from your threshing floor?

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

13 “ The ostriches’ wings flap joyously With the pinion and plumage of love,

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

14 F or she abandons her eggs to the earth And warms them in the dust,

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

15 A nd she forgets that a foot may crush them, Or that a wild beast may trample them.

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

16 “ She treats her young cruelly, as if they were not hers; Though her labor be in vain, she is unconcerned;

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 has made her forget wisdom, And has not given her a share of understanding.

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

18 “ When she lifts herself on high, She laughs at the horse and his rider.

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

19 “ Do you give the horse his might? Do you clothe his neck with a mane?

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

20 “ Do you make him leap like the locust? His majestic snorting is terrible.

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

21 “ He paws in the valley, and rejoices in his strength; He goes out to meet the weapons.

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

22 “ He laughs at fear and is not dismayed; And he does not turn back from the sword.

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

23 “ The quiver rattles against him, The flashing spear and javelin.

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

24 “ With shaking and rage he races over the ground, And he does not stand still at the voice of the trumpet.

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

25 “ As often as the trumpet sounds he says, ‘Aha!’ And he scents the battle from afar, And the thunder of the captains and the war cry.

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 “ Is it by your understanding that the hawk soars, Stretching his wings toward the south?

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

27 “ Is it at your command that the eagle mounts up And makes his nest on high?

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

28 “ On the cliff he dwells and lodges, Upon the rocky crag, an inaccessible place.

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

29 “ From there he spies out food; His eyes see it from afar.

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

30 “ His young ones also suck up blood; And where the slain are, there is he.”

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