²⁴ a wild donkey^(A) accustomed to the desert,^(B)
    sniffing the wind in her craving—
    in her heat who can restrain her?
Any males that pursue her need not tire themselves;
    at mating time they will find her.

⁶ Wild donkeys stand on the barren heights^(A)
    and pant like jackals;
their eyes fail
    for lack of food.”^(B)

¹⁵ Then I will return to my lair^(A)
    until they have borne their guilt^(B)
    and seek my face^(C)—
in their misery^(D)
    they will earnestly seek me.^(E)”

²⁷ They say to wood,^(A) ‘You are my father,’
    and to stone,^(B) ‘You gave me birth.’
They have turned their backs^(C) to me
    and not their faces;^(D)
yet when they are in trouble,^(E) they say,
    ‘Come and save^(F) us!’

⁵ “Who let the wild donkey^(A) go free?
    Who untied its ropes?
⁶ I gave it the wasteland^(B) as its home,
    the salt flats^(C) as its habitat.^(D)
7 It laughs^(E) at the commotion in the town;
    it does not hear a driver’s shout.^(F)
8 It ranges the hills^(G) for its pasture
    and searches for any green thing.

¹² But the witless can no more become wise
    than a wild donkey’s colt^(A) can be born human.^[a](B)