Job 39 – read and compare multiple versions
Job 39
[1] “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 that they fulfill?
Or do you know the time when they give birth?
[3] They bow themselves. They bear their young.
They end their labor pains.
[4] Their young ones become strong.
They grow up in the open field.
They go out, and don’t return again. [5] “Who has set the wild donkey free?
Or who has loosened the bonds of the swift donkey,
[6] whose home I have made the wilderness,
and the salt land his dwelling place?
[7] He scorns the tumult of the city,
neither does he hear the shouting of the driver.
[8] The range of the mountains is his pasture.
He searches after every green thing. [9] “Will the wild ox be content to serve you?
Or will he stay by your feeding trough?
[10] 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?
Or will you leave to him your labor?
[12] Will you confide in him, that he will bring home your seed,
and gather the grain of your threshing floor? [13] “The wings of the ostrich wave proudly,
but are they the feathers and plumage of love?
[14] For she leaves her eggs on the earth,
warms them in the dust,
[15] and forgets that the foot may crush them,
or that the wild animal may trample them.
[16] She deals harshly with her young ones, as if they were not hers.
Though her labor is in vain, she is without fear,
[17] because God has deprived her of wisdom,
neither has he imparted to her understanding.
[18] When she lifts up herself on high,
she scorns the horse and his rider. [19] “Have you given the horse might?
Have you clothed his neck with a quivering mane?
[20] 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 armed men.
[22] 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 the javelin.
[24] 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 snorts, ‘Aha!’
He smells the battle afar off,
the thunder of the captains, and the shouting. [26] “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?
[28] On the cliff he dwells and makes his home,
on the point of the cliff and the stronghold.
[29] From there he spies out the prey.
His eyes see it afar off.
[30] His young ones also suck up blood.
Where the slain are, there he is.”
Do you watch when the doe bears fawns?
[2] Can you count the months that they fulfill?
Or do you know the time when they give birth?
[3] They bow themselves. They bear their young.
They end their labor pains.
[4] Their young ones become strong.
They grow up in the open field.
They go out, and don’t return again. [5] “Who has set the wild donkey free?
Or who has loosened the bonds of the swift donkey,
[6] whose home I have made the wilderness,
and the salt land his dwelling place?
[7] He scorns the tumult of the city,
neither does he hear the shouting of the driver.
[8] The range of the mountains is his pasture.
He searches after every green thing. [9] “Will the wild ox be content to serve you?
Or will he stay by your feeding trough?
[10] 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?
Or will you leave to him your labor?
[12] Will you confide in him, that he will bring home your seed,
and gather the grain of your threshing floor? [13] “The wings of the ostrich wave proudly,
but are they the feathers and plumage of love?
[14] For she leaves her eggs on the earth,
warms them in the dust,
[15] and forgets that the foot may crush them,
or that the wild animal may trample them.
[16] She deals harshly with her young ones, as if they were not hers.
Though her labor is in vain, she is without fear,
[17] because God has deprived her of wisdom,
neither has he imparted to her understanding.
[18] When she lifts up herself on high,
she scorns the horse and his rider. [19] “Have you given the horse might?
Have you clothed his neck with a quivering mane?
[20] 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 armed men.
[22] 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 the javelin.
[24] 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 snorts, ‘Aha!’
He smells the battle afar off,
the thunder of the captains, and the shouting. [26] “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?
[28] On the cliff he dwells and makes his home,
on the point of the cliff and the stronghold.
[29] From there he spies out the prey.
His eyes see it afar off.
[30] His young ones also suck up blood.
Where the slain are, there he is.”