Yahweh Speaks of His Creation

1  הֲיָדַ֗עְתָּ (Do you know) עֵ֭ת (the time) לֶ֣דֶת (of the bearing) יַעֲלֵי־ (of the goats) סָ֑לַע (of the rock)?

חֹלֵ֖ל (The twisting) אַיָּל֣וֹת (of the does) תִּשְׁמֹֽר׃ (can you observe)?

2  תִּסְפֹּ֣ר (Can you number) יְרָחִ֣ים (the months) תְּמַלֶּ֑אנָה (they fulfill)?

וְ֝יָדַ֗עְתָּ (Or do you know) עֵ֣ת (the time of) לִדְתָּֽנָה׃ (their giving birth)?

3  תִּ֭כְרַעְנָה (They bend down), יַלְדֵיהֶ֣ן (and their young) תְּפַלַּ֑חְנָה (they squeeze out),

חֶבְלֵיהֶ֥ם (their labor pains) תְּשַׁלַּֽחְנָה׃ (they send forth).

4  יַחְלְמ֣וּ (Are healthy) בְ֭נֵיהֶם (their young ones); יִרְבּ֣וּ (they increase) בַבָּ֑ר (in the field);

יָ֝צְא֗וּ (they go forth) וְלֹא־ (and not) שָׁ֥בוּ (do they return) לָֽמוֹ׃ (to them).

5  מִֽי־ (Who) שִׁלַּ֣ח (sent away) פֶּ֣רֶא (the wild donkey) חָפְשִׁ֑י (free)?

וּמֹסְר֥וֹת (And the bonds) עָ֝ר֗וֹד (of the swift donkey) מִ֣י (who) פִתֵּֽחַ׃ (opened)?

6  אֲשֶׁר־ (Whose) שַׂ֣מְתִּי (I have made) עֲרָבָ֣ה (the Arabah) בֵית֑וֹ (house),

וּֽמִשְׁכְּנוֹתָ֥יו (and as his dwelling) מְלֵֽחָה׃ (the salt land).

7  יִ֭שְׂחַק (He laughs) לַהֲמ֣וֹן (at the tumult) קִרְיָ֑ה (of the city),

תְּשֻׁא֥וֹת (the shouts) נ֝וֹגֵ֗שׂ (of the driver) לֹ֣א (not) יִשְׁמָֽע׃ (he does hear).

8  יְת֣וּר (He searches out) הָרִ֣ים (the mountains) מִרְעֵ֑הוּ (for his pasture),

וְאַחַ֖ר (and after) כָּל־ (every) יָר֣וֹק (green thing) יִדְרֽוֹשׁ׃ (he searches).

9  הֲיֹ֣אבֶה (Is he willing) רֵּ֣ים (the wild ox) עָבְדֶ֑ךָ (to serve you)

אִם־ (or) יָ֝לִ֗ין (will he lodge) עַל־ (by) אֲבוּסֶֽךָ׃ (your manger)?

10  הֲ‍ֽתִקְשָׁר־ (Can you bind) רֵ֭ים (the wild ox) בְּתֶ֣לֶם (in the furrow) עֲבֹת֑וֹ (with a cord)?

אִם־ (Or) יְשַׂדֵּ֖ד (will he harrow) עֲמָקִ֣ים (the valleys) אַחֲרֶֽיךָ׃ (after you)?

11  הֲֽתִבְטַח־ (Will you trust) בּ֭וֹ (in him) כִּי־ (because) רַ֣ב (great is) כֹּח֑וֹ (his strength)?

וְתַעֲזֹ֖ב (And will you leave) אֵלָ֣יו (to him) יְגִיעֶֽךָ׃ (your labor)?

12  הֲתַאֲמִ֣ין (Will you trust) בּ֭וֹ (in him) כִּי־ (that) יָשׁוּב (he will bring back) זַרְעֶ֑ךָ (your grain)

וְֽגָרְנְךָ֥ (and to your threshing floor) יֶאֱסֹֽף׃ (gather it)?

13  כְּנַף־ (The wings) רְנָנִ֥ים (of the ostrich) נֶעֱלָ֑סָה (rejoice),

אִם־ (though) אֶ֝בְרָ֗ה (her pinion) חֲסִידָ֥ה (are lacking) וְנֹצָֽה׃ (and its feathers)?

14  כִּֽי־ (For) תַעֲזֹ֣ב (she leaves) לָאָ֣רֶץ (on the ground) בֵּצֶ֑יהָ (her eggs),

וְֽעַל־ (and upon) עָפָ֥ר (the dust) תְּחַמֵּֽם׃ (she warms them),

15  וַ֭תִּשְׁכַּח (and she forgets) כִּי־ (that) רֶ֣גֶל (a foot) תְּזוּרֶ֑הָ (may crush it),

וְחַיַּ֖ת (or that a creature) הַשָּׂדֶ֣ה (of the field) תְּדוּשֶֽׁהָ׃ (might tread over it).

16  הִקְשִׁ֣יחַ (She treats harshly) בָּנֶ֣יהָ (her young) לְּלֹא־ (as though not) לָ֑הּ (unto her);

לְרִ֖יק (if in vain) יְגִיעָ֣הּ (is her labor) בְּלִי־ (she is without) פָֽחַד׃ (dread);

17  כִּֽי־ (for) הִשָּׁ֣הּ (made her forget) אֱל֣וֹהַּ (God) חָכְמָ֑ה (her wisdom),

וְלֹא־ (and not) חָ֥לַק (has He portioned) לָ֝֗הּ (to her) בַּבִּינָֽה׃ (with the understanding).

18  כָּ֭עֵת (At the time) בַּמָּר֣וֹם (in the heights) תַּמְרִ֑יא (she flaps her wings),

תִּֽשְׂחַ֥ק (she laughs) לַ֝סּ֗וּס (at the horse) וּלְרֹֽכְבֽוֹ׃ (and at its rider).

19  הֲתִתֵּ֣ן (Have you given) לַסּ֣וּס (the horse) גְּבוּרָ֑ה (strength)?

הֲתַלְבִּ֖ישׁ (Did you clothe) צַוָּאר֣וֹ (his neck) רַעְמָֽה׃ (with a mane)?

20  הְֽ֭תַרְעִישֶׁנּוּ (Can you cause him to rush) כָּאַרְבֶּ֑ה (like a locust)?

ה֖וֹד (The majesty) נַחְר֣וֹ (of his snorting) אֵימָֽה׃ (is terror).

21  יַחְפְּר֣וּ (They dig) בָ֭עֵמֶק (in the valley) וְיָשִׂ֣ישׂ (and he rejoices) בְּכֹ֑חַ (in strength);

יֵ֝צֵ֗א (he goes forth) לִקְרַאת־ (to meet) נָֽשֶׁק׃ (the weaponry).

22  יִשְׂחַ֣ק (He laughs) לְ֭פַחַד (at dread) וְלֹ֣א (and not) יֵחָ֑ת (is dismayed);

וְלֹֽא־ (not) יָ֝שׁ֗וּב (does he turn back) מִפְּנֵי־ (from the face) חָֽרֶב׃ (of the sword).

23  עָ֭לָיו (Upon him) תִּרְנֶ֣ה (rattles) אַשְׁפָּ֑ה (the quiver),

לַ֖הַב (the flame) חֲנִ֣ית (of the spear) וְכִידֽוֹן׃ (and lance).

24  בְּרַ֣עַשׁ (With quaking) וְ֭רֹגֶז (and raging) יְגַמֶּא־ (he swallows) אָ֑רֶץ (the ground);

וְלֹֽא־ (not) יַ֝אֲמִ֗ין (can he stand still) כִּי־ (because of) ק֥וֹל (the voice) שׁוֹפָֽר׃ (of the shofar).

25  בְּדֵ֤י (In the abundance) שֹׁפָ֨ר׀ (of the shofar), יֹ֘אמַ֤ר (he says) הֶאָ֗ח (Aha)!

וּֽ֭מֵרָחוֹק (And from afar) יָרִ֣יחַ (He smells) מִלְחָמָ֑ה (the battle),

רַ֥עַם (the thunder) שָׂ֝רִים (of captains) וּתְרוּעָֽה׃ (and shouting).

26  הֲ‍ֽ֭מִבִּינָ֣תְךָ (By your understanding) יַֽאֲבֶר־ (does soar) נֵ֑ץ (the hawk),

יִפְרֹ֖שׂ (and spread) כְּנָפוֹ (his wings) לְתֵימָֽן׃ (toward the south)?

27  אִם־ (If) עַל־ (by) פִּ֭יךָ (your mouth) יַגְבִּ֣יהַּ (that mounts up) נָ֑שֶׁר (the eagle)

וְ֝כִ֗י (and) יָרִ֥ים (makes on high) קִנּֽוֹ׃ (his nest)?

28  סֶ֣לַע (In the cliff) יִ֭שְׁכֹּן (he dwells) וְיִתְלֹנָ֑ן (and lodges);

עַֽל־ (upon) שֶׁן־ (the tooth) סֶ֝֗לַע (of the rock) וּמְצוּדָֽה׃ (and his stronghold).

29  מִשָּׁ֥ם (From there) חָֽפַר־ (he searches out) אֹ֑כֶל (food);

לְ֝מֵרָח֗וֹק (from afar) עֵינָ֥יו (his eyes) יַבִּֽיטוּ׃ (observe).

30  וְאֶפְרֹחוֹ (And His young ones) יְעַלְעוּ־ (suck up) דָ֑ם (blood);

וּבַאֲשֶׁ֥ר (and where) חֲ֝לָלִ֗ים (the slain are), שָׁ֣ם (there) הֽוּא׃פ (is he).