Knowest 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 mountain goats give birth? Have you watched the doe bear her fawn?

Canst thou number the months that they fulfil? or knowest thou the time when they bring forth?

Can you count the months they are pregnant? Do you know the time they give birth?

They bow themselves, they bring forth their young ones, they cast out their sorrows.

They crouch down and bring forth their young; they deliver their newborn.

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

Their young ones thrive and grow up in the open field; they leave and do not return.

Who hath sent out the wild ass free? or who hath loosed the bands of the wild ass?

Who set the wild donkey free? Who released the swift donkey from the harness?

Whose house I have made the wilderness, and the barren land his dwellings.

I made the wilderness his home and the salt flats his dwelling.

He scorneth the multitude of the city, neither regardeth he the crying of the driver.

He scorns the tumult of the city and never hears the shouts of a driver.

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

He roams the mountains for pasture, searching for any green thing.

Will the unicorn be willing to serve thee, or abide by thy crib?

Will the wild ox consent to serve you? Will he stay by your manger at night?

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

Can you hold him to the furrow with a harness? Will he plow the valleys behind you?

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

Can you rely on his great strength? Will you leave your hard work to him?

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

Can you trust him to bring in your grain and gather it to your threshing floor?

Gavest thou the goodly wings unto the peacocks? or wings and feathers unto the ostrich?

The wings of the ostrich flap joyfully, but cannot match the pinions and feathers of the stork.

Which leaveth her eggs in the earth, and warmeth them in dust,

For she leaves her eggs on the ground and lets them warm in the sand.

And forgetteth that the foot may crush them, or that the wild beast may break them.

She forgets that a foot may crush them, or a wild animal may trample them.

She is hardened against her young ones, as though they were not hers: her labour is in vain without fear;

She treats her young harshly, as if not her own, with no concern that her labor was in vain.

Because God hath deprived her of wisdom, neither hath he imparted to her understanding.

For God has deprived her of wisdom; He has not endowed her with understanding.

What time she lifteth up herself on high, she scorneth the horse and his rider.

Yet when she proudly spreads her wings, she laughs at the horse and its rider.

Hath thou given the horse strength? hast thou clothed his neck with thunder?

Do you give strength to the horse or adorn his neck with a mane?

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

Do you make him leap like a locust, striking terror with his proud snorting?

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

He paws in the valley and rejoices in his strength; he charges into battle.

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

He laughs at fear, frightened of nothing; he does not turn back from the sword.

The quiver rattleth against him, the glittering spear and the shield.

A quiver rattles at his side, along with a flashing spear and lance.

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

Trembling with excitement, he devours the distance; he cannot stand still when the ram’s horn sounds.

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

At the blast of the horn, he snorts with fervor. He catches the scent of battle from afar— the shouts of captains and the cry of war.

Doth the hawk fly by thy wisdom, and stretch her wings toward the south?

Does the hawk take flight by your understanding and spread his wings toward the south?

Doth the eagle mount up at thy command, and make her nest on high?

Does the eagle soar at your command and make his nest on high?

She dwelleth and abideth on the rock, upon the crag of the rock, and the strong place.

He dwells on a cliff and lodges there; his stronghold is on a rocky crag.

From thence she seeketh the prey, and her eyes behold afar off.

From there he spies out food; his eyes see it from afar.

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

His young ones feast on blood; and where the slain are, there he is.”