- 1
- Knowest thou the time when the wild goats of the rock bring forth?
dost thou mark the calving of the hinds?
- 2
- Dost thou number the months that they fulfil?
and knowest thou the time when they bring forth?
- 3
- They bow themselves, they give birth to their young ones, they cast out their pains;
- 4
- Their young ones become strong, they grow up in the open field, they go forth, and return not unto them.
- 5
- Who hath sent out the wild ass free?
and who hath loosed the bands of the onager,
- 6
- Whose house I made the wilderness, and the salt plain his dwellings?
- 7
- He laugheth at the tumult of the city, and heareth not the shouts of the driver;
- 8
- The range of the mountains is his pasture, and he searcheth after every green thing.
- 9
- Will the buffalo be willing to serve thee, or will he lodge by thy crib?
- 10
- Canst thou bind the buffalo with his cord in the furrow?
or will he harrow the valleys after thee?
- 11
- Wilt thou put confidence in him, because his strength is great?
and wilt thou leave thy labour to him?
- 12
- Wilt thou trust him to bring home thy seed, and gather it into thy threshing-floor?
- 13
- The wing of the ostrich beats joyously — But is it the stork's pinion and plumage?
- 14
- For she leaveth her eggs to the earth, and warmeth them in the dust,
- 15
- And forgetteth that the foot may crush them, or that the beast of the field may trample them.
- 16
- She is hardened against her young ones, as though they were not hers;
her labour is in vain, without her concern.
- 17
- For +God hath deprived her of wisdom, and hath not furnished her with understanding.
- 18
- What time she lasheth herself on high, she scorneth the horse and his rider.
- 19
- Hast thou given strength to the horse?
hast thou clothed his neck with the quivering mane?
- 20
- Dost thou make him to leap as a locust?
His majestic snorting is terrible.
- 21
- He paweth in the valley, and rejoiceth in [his] strength;
he goeth forth to meet the armed host.
- 22
- He laugheth at fear, and is not affrighted;
neither turneth he back from before the sword.
- 23
- The quiver rattleth upon him, the glittering spear and the javelin.
- 24
- He swalloweth the ground with fierceness and rage, and cannot contain himself at the sound of the trumpet:
- 25
- At the noise of the trumpets he saith, Aha!
and he smelleth the battle afar off, the thunder of the captains, and the shouting.
- 26
- Doth the hawk fly by thine intelligence, [and] stretch his wings toward the south?
- 27
- Doth the eagle mount up at thy command, and make his nest on high?
- 28
- He inhabiteth the rock and maketh his dwelling on the point of the cliff, and the fastness:
- 29
- From thence he spieth out the prey, his eyes look into the distance;
- 30
- And his young ones suck up blood;
and where the slain are, there is he.
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