Knowest thou the time when the wild goats of the rock bring forth?
Or canst thou mark when the hinds do calve?
Canst thou number the months that they fulfil?
Or knowest thou the time when they bring forth?
They bow themselves, they bring forth their young,
They cast out their pains.
Their young ones become strong, they grow up in the open field;
They go forth, and {Or, return not unto them}return not again.
Who hath sent out the wild ass free?
Or who hath loosed the bonds of the swift ass,
Whose home I have made the wilderness,
And the salt land his dwelling-place?
He scorneth the tumult of the city,
Neither heareth he the shoutings of the {Or, taskmaster}driver.
The range of the mountains is his pasture,
And he searcheth after every green thing.
Will the wild-ox be content to serve thee?
Or will he abide by thy crib?
Canst thou bind the wild-ox with his band in the furrow?
Or will he harrow the valleys after thee?
Wilt thou trust him, because his strength is great?
Or wilt thou leave to him thy labor?
Wilt thou confide in him, that he will bring home thy seed,
And gather the grain of thy threshing-floor?
The wings of the ostrich wave proudly;
But are they the pinions and plumage of {Or, a stork}love?
For she leaveth her eggs on the earth,
And warmeth them in the dust,
And forgetteth that the foot may crush them,
Or that the wild beast may trample them.
She {Or, is hardened against}dealeth hardly with her young ones, as if they were not hers:
Though her labor be in vain, she is without fear;
Because God hath {Hebrew: made her to forget wisdom.}deprived her of wisdom,
Neither hath he imparted to her understanding.
What time she {Or, rouseth herself up to flight}lifteth up herself on high,
She scorneth the horse and his rider.
Hast thou given the horse his might?
Hast thou clothed his neck with the {Hebrew: shaking.}quivering mane?
Hast thou made him to leap as a locust?
The glory of his snorting is terrible.
{Hebrew: They paw.}He paweth in the valley, and rejoiceth in his strength:
He goeth out to meet {Or, the weapons}the armed men.
He mocketh at fear, and is not dismayed;
Neither turneth he back from the sword.
The quiver rattleth {Or, upon}against him,
The flashing spear and the javelin.
He swalloweth the ground with fierceness and rage;
Neither {Or, standeth he still at &c.}believeth he that it is the voice of the trumpet.
As oft as the trumpet soundeth he saith, Aha!
And he smelleth the battle afar off,
The thunder of the captains, and the shouting.
Is it by thy wisdom that the hawk soareth,
And stretcheth her wings toward the south?
Is it at thy command that the eagle mounteth up,
And maketh her nest on high?
On the cliff she dwelleth, and maketh her home,
Upon the point of the cliff, and the stronghold.
From thence she spieth out the prey;
Her eyes behold it afar off.
Her young ones also suck up blood:
And where the slain are, there is she.
Querverweise zu Hiob 39,7 Hiob 39,7
What time she {Or, rouseth herself up to flight}lifteth up herself on high,She scorneth the horse and his rider.
And the taskmasters were urgent saying, Fulfil your works, your daily tasks, as when there was straw.
And the officers of the children of Israel, whom Pharaoh's taskmasters had set over them, were beaten, {Hebrew: saying.}and demanded, Wherefore have ye not fulfilled your task both yesterday and to-day, in making brick as heretofore?
Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried unto Pharaoh, saying, Wherefore dealest thou thus with thy servants?
There is no straw given unto thy servants, and they say to us, Make brick: and, behold, thy servants are beaten; but the fault it in thine own people.
There the prisoners are at ease together;They hear not the voice of the taskmaster.
Go therefore now, and work; for there shall no straw be given you, yet shall ye deliver the number of bricks.
For thus saith Jehovah unto me, As the lion and the young lion growling over his prey, if a multitude of shepherds be called forth against him, will not be dismayed at their voice, nor abase himself for the noise of them: so will Jehovah of hosts come down to fight {Or, against}upon mount Zion, and {Or, against}upon the hill thereof.
Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find your own pleasure, and {Or, oppress all your laborers}exact all your labors.