1 Sabes tu o tempo em que as cabras monteses têm os filhos

ou cuidaste das corças quando dão suas crias?

2 Podes contar os meses que cumprem?

Ou sabes o tempo do seu parto?

3 Elas encurvam-se, para terem seus filhos,

e lançam de si as suas dores.

4 Seus filhos se tornam robustos, crescem no campo aberto,

saem e nunca mais tornam para elas.

5 Quem despediu livre o jumento selvagem,

e quem soltou as prisões ao asno veloz,

6 ao qual dei o ermo por casa

e a terra salgada por moradas?

7 Ri-se do tumulto da cidade,

não ouve os muitos gritos do arrieiro.

8 Os montes são o lugar do seu pasto,

e anda à procura de tudo o que está verde.

9 Acaso, quer o boi selvagem servir-te?

Ou passará ele a noite junto da tua manjedoura?

10 Porventura, podes prendê-lo ao sulco com cordas?

Ou gradará ele os vales após ti?

11 Confiarás nele, por ser grande a sua força,

ou deixarás a seu cuidado o teu trabalho?

12 Fiarás dele que te traga para a casa o que semeaste

e o recolha na tua eira?

13 O avestruz bate alegre as asas;

acaso, porém, tem asas e penas de bondade?

14 Ele deixa os seus ovos na terra, e os aquenta no pó,

15 e se esquece de que algum pé os pode esmagar

ou de que podem pisá-los os animais do campo.

16 Trata com dureza os seus filhos, como se não fossem seus;

embora seja em vão o seu trabalho, ele está tranquilo,

17 porque Deus lhe negou sabedoria

e não lhe deu entendimento;

18 mas, quando de um salto se levanta para correr,

ri-se do cavalo e do cavaleiro.

19 Ou dás tu força ao cavalo

ou revestirás o seu pescoço de crinas?

20 Acaso, o fazes pular como ao gafanhoto?

Terrível é o fogoso respirar das suas ventas.

21 Escarva no vale, folga na sua força

e sai ao encontro dos armados.

22 Ri-se do temor e não se espanta;

e não torna atrás por causa da espada.

23 Sobre ele chocalha a aljava,

flameja a lança e o dardo.

24 De fúria e ira devora o caminho

e não se contém ao som da trombeta.

25 Em cada sonido da trombeta, ele diz: Avante!

Cheira de longe a batalha,

o trovão dos príncipes e o alarido.

26 Ou é pela tua inteligência que voa o falcão,

estendendo as asas para o Sul?

27 Ou é pelo teu mandado que se remonta a águia

e faz alto o seu ninho?

28 Habita no penhasco onde faz a sua morada,

sobre o cimo do penhasco, em lugar seguro.

29 Dali, descobre a presa;

seus olhos a avistam de longe.

30 Seus filhos chupam sangue;

onde há mortos, ela aí está.

1 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,

They cast out their pains.

4 Their young ones become strong, they grow up in the open field;

They go forth, and return not again.

5 Who hath sent out the wild ass free?

Or who hath loosed the bonds of the swift ass,

6 Whose home I have made the wilderness,

And the salt land his dwelling-place?

7 He scorneth the tumult of the city,

Neither heareth he the shoutings of the driver.

8 The range of the mountains is his pasture,

And he searcheth after every green thing.

9 Will the wild-ox be content to serve thee?

Or will he abide by thy crib?

10 Canst thou bind the wild-ox 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 to him thy labor?

12 Wilt thou confide in him, that he will bring home thy seed,

And gather the grain of thy threshing-floor?

13 The wings of the ostrich wave proudly;

But are they the pinions and plumage of love?

14 For she leaveth her eggs on the earth,

And warmeth them in the dust,

15 And forgetteth that the foot may crush them,

Or that the wild beast may trample them.

16 She dealeth hardly with her young ones, as if they were not hers:

Though her labor be in vain, she is 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 his might?

Hast thou clothed his neck with the quivering mane?

20 Hast thou made him to leap as a locust?

The glory of his snorting is terrible.

21 He paweth in the valley, and rejoiceth in his strength:

He goeth out to meet the armed men.

22 He mocketh at fear, and is not dismayed;

Neither turneth he back from the sword.

23 The quiver rattleth against him,

The flashing spear and the javelin.

24 He swalloweth the ground with fierceness and rage;

Neither believeth he that it is the voice of the trumpet.

25 As oft as the trumpet soundeth he saith, Aha!

And he smelleth the battle afar off,

The thunder of the captains, and the shouting.

26 Is it by thy wisdom that the hawk soareth,

And stretcheth her wings toward the south?

27 Is it at thy command that the eagle mounteth up,

And maketh her nest on high?

28 On the cliff she dwelleth, and maketh her home,

Upon the point of the cliff, and the stronghold.

29 From thence she spieth out the prey;

Her eyes behold it afar off.

30 Her young ones also suck up blood:

And where the slain are, there is she.

1 "Do you know when the mountain goats give birth? Do you watch when the doe bears her fawn?

2 Do you count the months till they bear? Do you know the time they give birth?

3 They crouch down and bring forth their young; their labor pains are ended.

4 Their young thrive and grow strong in the wilds; they leave and do not return.

5 "Who let the wild donkey go free? Who untied its ropes?

6 I gave it the wasteland as its home, the salt flats as its habitat.

7 It laughs at the commotion in the town; it does not hear a driver's shout.

8 It ranges the hills for its pasture and searches for any green thing.

9 "Will the wild ox consent to serve you? Will it stay by your manger at night?

10 Can you hold it to the furrow with a harness? Will it till the valleys behind you?

11 Will you rely on it for its great strength? Will you leave your heavy work to it?

12 Can you trust it to haul in your grain and bring it to your threshing floor?

13 "The wings of the ostrich flap joyfully, though they cannot compare with the wings and feathers of the stork.

14 She lays her eggs on the ground and lets them warm in the sand,

15 unmindful that a foot may crush them, that some wild animal may trample them.

16 She treats her young harshly, as if they were not hers; she cares not that her labor was in vain,

17 for God did not endow her with wisdom or give her a share of good sense.

18 Yet when she spreads her feathers to run, she laughs at horse and rider.

19 "Do you give the horse its strength or clothe its neck with a flowing mane?

20 Do you make it leap like a locust, striking terror with its proud snorting?

21 It paws fiercely, rejoicing in its strength, and charges into the fray.

22 It laughs at fear, afraid of nothing; it does not shy away from the sword.

23 The quiver rattles against its side, along with the flashing spear and lance.

24 In frenzied excitement it eats up the ground; it cannot stand still when the trumpet sounds.

25 At the blast of the trumpet it snorts, 'Aha!' It catches the scent of battle from afar, the shout of commanders and the battle cry.

26 "Does the hawk take flight by your wisdom and spread its wings toward the south?

27 Does the eagle soar at your command and build its nest on high?

28 It dwells on a cliff and stays there at night; a rocky crag is its stronghold.

29 From there it looks for food; its eyes detect it from afar.

30 Its young ones feast on blood, and where the slain are, there it is."