Job 39
King James Version
39 Knowest thou the time when the wild goats of the rock bring forth? or canst thou mark when the hinds do calve?
2 Canst thou number the months that they fulfil? or knowest thou the time when they bring forth?
3 They bow themselves, they bring forth their young ones, they cast out their sorrows.
4 Their young ones are in good liking, they grow up with corn; they go forth, and return not unto them.
5 Who hath sent out the wild ass free? or who hath loosed the bands of the wild ass?
6 Whose house I have made the wilderness, and the barren land his dwellings.
7 He scorneth the multitude of the city, neither regardeth he the crying of the driver.
8 The range of the mountains is his pasture, and he searcheth after every green thing.
9 Will the unicorn be willing to serve thee, or abide by thy crib?
10 Canst thou bind the unicorn with his band in the furrow? or will he harrow the valleys after thee?
11 Wilt thou trust him, because his strength is great? or wilt thou leave thy labour to him?
12 Wilt thou believe him, that he will bring home thy seed, and gather it into thy barn?
13 Gavest thou the goodly wings unto the peacocks? or wings and feathers unto the ostrich?
14 Which leaveth her eggs in the earth, and warmeth them in dust,
15 And forgetteth that the foot may crush them, or that the wild beast may break them.
16 She is hardened against her young ones, as though they were not her's: her labour is in vain without fear;
17 Because God hath deprived her of wisdom, neither hath he imparted to her understanding.
18 What time she lifteth up herself on high, she scorneth the horse and his rider.
19 Hast thou given the horse strength? hast thou clothed his neck with thunder?
20 Canst thou make him afraid as a grasshopper? the glory of his nostrils is terrible.
21 He paweth in the valley, and rejoiceth in his strength: he goeth on to meet the armed men.
22 He mocketh at fear, and is not affrighted; neither turneth he back from the sword.
23 The quiver rattleth against him, the glittering spear and the shield.
24 He swalloweth the ground with fierceness and rage: neither believeth he that it is the sound of the trumpet.
25 He saith among the trumpets, Ha, ha; and he smelleth the battle afar off, the thunder of the captains, and the shouting.
26 Doth the hawk fly by thy wisdom, and stretch her wings toward the south?
27 Doth the eagle mount up at thy command, and make her nest on high?
28 She dwelleth and abideth on the rock, upon the crag of the rock, and the strong place.
29 From thence she seeketh the prey, and her eyes behold afar off.
30 Her young ones also suck up blood: and where the slain are, there is she.
Job 39
Living Bible
39 “Do you know how mountain goats give birth? Have you ever seen them giving birth to their young? 2-3 Do you know how many months of pregnancy they have before they bow themselves to give birth to their young and carry their burden no longer? 4 Their young grow up in the open field, then leave their parents and return to them no more.
5 “Who makes the wild donkeys wild? 6 I have placed them in the wilderness and given them salt plains to live in. 7 For they hate the noise of the city and want no drivers shouting at them! 8 The mountain ranges are their pastureland; there they search for every blade of grass.
9 “Will the wild ox be your happy servant? Will he stay beside your feeding crib? 10 Can you use a wild ox to plow with? Will he pull the harrow for you? 11 Because he is so strong, will you trust him? Will you let him decide where to work? 12 Can you send him out to bring in the grain from the threshing floor?
13 “The ostrich flaps her wings grandly but has no true motherly love. 14 She lays her eggs on top of the earth, to warm them in the dust. 15 She forgets that someone may step on them and crush them, or the wild animals destroy them. 16 She ignores her young as though they weren’t her own and is unconcerned though they die, 17 for God has deprived her of wisdom. 18 But whenever she jumps up to run, she passes the swiftest horse with its rider.
19 “Have you given the horse strength or clothed his neck with a quivering mane? 20 Have you made him able to leap forward like a locust? His majestic snorting is something to hear! 21-23 He paws the earth and rejoices in his strength, and when he goes to war, he is unafraid and does not run away though the arrows rattle against him, or the flashing spear and javelin. 24 Fiercely he paws the ground and rushes forward into battle when the trumpet blows. 25 At the sound of the bugle he shouts, ‘Aha!’ He smells the battle when far away. He rejoices at the shouts of battle and the roar of the captain’s commands.
26 “Do you know how a hawk soars and spreads her wings to the south? 27 Is it at your command that the eagle rises high upon the cliffs to make her nest? 28 She lives upon the cliffs, making her home in her mountain fortress. 29 From there she spies her prey, from a very great distance. 30 Her nestlings gulp down blood, for she goes wherever the slain are.”
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.