Study Desk

"Do you know the time the mountain goats give birth? Do you observe the calving of the deer?

Knowest thou the time when the wild goats of the rock bring forth? or canst thou mark when the hinds do calve?

"Can you count the months they fulfill, Or do you know the time they give birth?

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

"They kneel down, they deliver their young, They get rid of their labor pains.

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

"Their offspring become strong, they grow up in the open field; They leave and do not return to them.

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

"Who sent the wild donkey out free? And who opened the bonds of the swift donkey,

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

To whom I gave the wilderness as his home, And the salt land as his dwelling place?

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

"He laughs at the turmoil of the city, He does not hear the shouting of the taskmaster.

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

"He explores the mountains of his pasture, And searches after every green thing.

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

"Will the wild bull be willing to serve you, Or will he spend the night at your feeding trough?

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

"Can you tie down the wild bull in a furrow with ropes, Or will he plow the valleys after you?

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

"Will you trust him because his strength is great, And leave your labor to him?

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

"Will you have faith in him that he will return your grain And gather it from your threshing floor?

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

"The wings of the ostrich flap joyously, With the pinion and feathers of love,

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

For she abandons her eggs to the earth And warms them in the dust,

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

And she forgets that a foot may crush them, Or that a wild animal may trample them.

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

"She treats her young cruelly, as if they were not hers; Though her labor is for nothing, she is unconcerned,

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

Because God has made her forget wisdom, And has not given her a share of understanding.

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

"When she rushes away on high, She laughs at the horse and his rider.

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

"Do you give the horse his might? Do you clothe his neck with a mane?

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

"Do you make him leap like locusts? His majestic snorting is frightening.

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

"He paws in the valley, and rejoices in his strength; He goes out to meet the battle.

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

"He laughs at fear and is not dismayed; And he does not turn back from the sword.

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

"The quiver rattles against him, The flashing spear and javelin.

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

"He races over the ground with a roar and fury, And he does not stand still when he hears the sound of the trumpet.

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

"As often as the trumpet sounds he says, 'Aha!' And he senses the battle from afar, And the thunder of the captains and the war cry.

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

"Is it by your understanding that the hawk soars, Stretching his wings toward the south?

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

"Is it at your command that the eagle flies high, And makes his nest on high?

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

"He dwells and spends his nights on the cliff, On the rocky cliff, an inaccessible place.

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

"From there he tracks food; His eyes look at it from afar.

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

"His young ones also lick up blood greedily; And where the slain are, there he is."

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