Knowest thou the time when the wild goats of the rock bring forth? Or canst thou observe when the hinds are in labor? Canst thou number the months they fulfill, And know the season when they bring forth? They bow themselves; they bring forth their young; They cast forth their pains. Their young ones are strong; they grow up in the fields; They go away, and return not to them. Who hath sent forth the wild ass free? Who hath loosed the bands of the wild ass, To whom I have given the wilderness for his house, And the barren land for his dwelling-place? He scorneth the tumult of the city, And heedeth not the shouting of the driver; The range of the mountains is his pasture; He seeketh after every green thing, Will the wild-ox consent to serve thee? Will he pass the night at thy crib? Canst thou bind the wild-ox with the harness to the furrow? Or will he harrow the valleys after thee? Wilt thou rely upon him because his strength is great, And commit to him thy labor? Wilt thou trust him to bring home thy grain, And gather in thy harvest? The wing of the ostrich moveth joyfully; But is it with loving pinion and feathers? Nay, she layeth her eggs on the ground; She warmeth them in the dust, And forgetteth that the foot may crush them, And that the wild beast may break them. She is cruel to her young, as if they were not hers; Her labor is in vain, yet she feareth not; Because God hath denied her wisdom, And hath not given her understanding. Yet when she lasheth herself up on high, She laugheth at the horse and his rider. Hast thou given the horse strength? Hast thou clothed his neck with his trembling mane? Hast thou taught him to bound like the locust? How majestic his snorting! how terrible! He paweth in the valley; he exulteth in his strength, And rusheth into the midst of arms. He laugheth at fear; he trembleth not, And turneth not back from the sword. Against him rattle the quiver, The flaming spear, and the lance. With rage and fury he devoureth the ground; He will not believe that the trumpet soundeth. At every blast of the trumpet, he saith, Aha! And snuffeth the battle afar off,—The thunder of the captains, and the war-shout. Is it by thy wisdom that the hawk flieth, And spreadeth his wings toward the south? Doth the eagle soar at thy command, And build his nest on high? He dwelleth and lodgeth upon the rock, Upon the peak of the rock, and the stronghold. From thence he spieth out prey; His eyes discern it from afar. His young ones suck up blood; And where the slain are, there is he.
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