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

“Do you know the time when the mountain goats give birth? Do you watch when the doe bears fawns?

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

Can you number the months that they fulfill? Or do you know the time when they give birth?

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

They bow themselves, they bear their young. They end their labor 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 go out, and don’t return again.

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

“Who has set the wild donkey free? Or who has loosened the bonds of the swift donkey,

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

Whose home I have made the wilderness, and the salt land his dwelling place?

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

He scorns the tumult of the city, neither does he hear the shouting of the driver.

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

The range of the mountains is his pasture, He searches after 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 content to serve you? Or will he stay by your feeding trough?

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

Can you hold the wild ox in the furrow with his harness? Or will he till the valleys after you?

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

Will you trust him, because his strength is great? Or will you leave to him your labor?

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

Will you confide in him, that he will bring home your seed, and gather the grain of your threshing floor?

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

“The wings of the ostrich wave proudly; but are they the feathers and plumage of love?

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

For she leaves her eggs on the earth, warms them in the dust,

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

and forgets that the foot may crush them, or that the wild animal may trample them.

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

She deals harshly with her young ones, as if they were not hers. Though her labor is in vain, she is without fear,

17 B ecause God has made her forget wisdom, And has not given her a share of understanding.

because God has deprived her of wisdom, neither has he imparted to her understanding.

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

When she lifts up herself on high, she scorns the horse and his rider.

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

“Have you given the horse might? Have you clothed his neck with a quivering mane?

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

Have you made him to leap as a locust? The glory of his snorting is awesome.

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

He paws in the valley, and rejoices in his strength. He goes out to meet the armed men.

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

He mocks at fear, and is not dismayed, neither does he turn back from the sword.

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

The quiver rattles against him, the flashing spear and the javelin.

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

He eats up the ground with fierceness and rage, neither does he stand still at the sound of the trumpet.

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.

As often as the trumpet sounds he snorts, ‘Aha!’ He smells the battle afar off, the thunder of the captains, and the shouting.

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

“Is it by your wisdom that the hawk soars, and stretches her wings toward the south?

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

Is it at your command that the eagle mounts up, and makes his nest on high?

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

On the cliff he dwells, and makes his home, on the point of the cliff, and the stronghold.

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

From there he spies out the prey. His eyes see it afar off.

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

His young ones also suck up blood. Where the slain are, there he is.”