Chapter 39
The LORD Speaks of His Creation
1
[“]Do you know when mountain goats give birth? Have you watched the doe bear her fawn?
𐤄𐤉𐤃𐤏𐤕 𐤏𐤕 𐤎𐤋𐤏 𐤉𐤏𐤋𐤉 𐤋𐤃𐤕 𐤕𐤔𐤌𐤓 𐤀𐤉𐤋𐤅𐤕 𐤇𐤋𐤋
הֲיָדַ֗עְתָּ עֵ֭ת סָ֑לַע יַעֲלֵי־ לֶ֣דֶת תִּשְׁמֹֽר׃ אַיָּל֣וֹת חֹלֵ֖ל hă·yā·ḏa‘·tā ‘êṯ sā·la‘ ya·‘ă·lê- le·ḏeṯ tiš·mōr ’ay·yā·lō·wṯ ḥō·lêl — WLC · 1
2
Can you count the months they are pregnant? Do you know the time they give birth?
𐤕𐤎𐤐𐤓 𐤉𐤓𐤇𐤉𐤌 𐤕𐤌𐤋𐤀𐤍𐤄 𐤅𐤉𐤃𐤏𐤕 𐤏𐤕 𐤋𐤃𐤕𐤍𐤄
תִּסְפֹּ֣ר יְרָחִ֣ים תְּמַלֶּ֑אנָה וְ֝יָדַ֗עְתָּ עֵ֣ת לִדְתָּֽנָה׃ tis·pōr yə·rā·ḥîm tə·mal·le·nāh wə·yā·ḏa‘·tā ‘êṯ liḏ·tā·nāh — WLC · 2
3
They crouch down and bring forth their young; they deliver their newborn.
𐤕𐤊𐤓𐤏𐤍𐤄 𐤕𐤐𐤋𐤇𐤍𐤄 𐤉𐤋𐤃𐤉𐤄𐤍 𐤕𐤔𐤋𐤇𐤍𐤄 𐤇𐤁𐤋𐤉𐤄𐤌
תִּ֭כְרַעְנָה תְּפַלַּ֑חְנָה יַלְדֵיהֶ֣ן תְּשַׁלַּֽחְנָה׃ חֶבְלֵיהֶ֥ם tiḵ·ra‘·nāh tə·p̄al·laḥ·nāh yal·ḏê·hen tə·šal·laḥ·nāh ḥeḇ·lê·hem — WLC · 3
4
Their young ones thrive and grow up in the open field; they leave and do not return
𐤁𐤍𐤉𐤄𐤌 𐤉𐤇𐤋𐤌𐤅 𐤉𐤓𐤁𐤅 𐤁𐤁𐤓 𐤉𐤑𐤀𐤅 𐤅𐤋𐤀 𐤔𐤁𐤅 𐤋𐤌𐤅
בְ֭נֵיהֶם יַחְלְמ֣וּ יִרְבּ֣וּ בַבָּ֑ר יָ֝צְא֗וּ וְלֹא־ שָׁ֥בוּ לָֽמוֹ׃ ḇə·nê·hem yaḥ·lə·mū yir·bū ḇab·bār yā·ṣə·’ū wə·lō- šā·ḇū lā·mōw — WLC · 4
5
Who set the wild donkey free? Who released the swift donkey from the harness?
𐤌𐤉 𐤔𐤋𐤇 𐤐𐤓𐤀 𐤇𐤐𐤔𐤉 𐤌𐤉 𐤐𐤕𐤇 𐤏𐤓𐤅𐤃 𐤅𐤌𐤎𐤓𐤅𐤕
מִֽי־ שִׁלַּ֣ח פֶּ֣רֶא חָפְשִׁ֑י מִ֣י פִתֵּֽחַ׃ עָ֝ר֗וֹד וּמֹסְר֥וֹת mî- šil·laḥ pe·re ḥā·p̄ə·šî mî p̄it·tê·aḥ ‘ā·rō·wḏ ū·mō·sə·rō·wṯ — WLC · 5
6
- I made the wilderness his home and the salt flats his dwelling.
𐤀𐤔𐤓 𐤔𐤌𐤕𐤉 𐤏𐤓𐤁𐤄 𐤁𐤉𐤕𐤅 𐤌𐤋𐤇𐤄 𐤅𐤌𐤔𐤊𐤍𐤅𐤕𐤉𐤅
אֲשֶׁר־ שַׂ֣מְתִּי עֲרָבָ֣ה בֵית֑וֹ מְלֵֽחָה׃ וּֽמִשְׁכְּנוֹתָ֥יו ’ă·šer- śam·tî ‘ă·rā·ḇāh ḇê·ṯōw mə·lê·ḥāh ū·miš·kə·nō·w·ṯāw — WLC · 6
7
He scorns the tumult of the city and never hears the shouts of a driver.
𐤉𐤔𐤇𐤒 𐤋𐤄𐤌𐤅𐤍 𐤒𐤓𐤉𐤄 𐤋𐤀 𐤉𐤔𐤌𐤏 𐤕𐤔𐤀𐤅𐤕 𐤍𐤅𐤂𐤔
יִ֭שְׂחַק לַהֲמ֣וֹן קִרְיָ֑ה לֹ֣א יִשְׁמָֽע׃ תְּשֻׁא֥וֹת נ֝וֹגֵ֗שׂ yiś·ḥaq la·hă·mō·wn qir·yāh lō yiš·mā‘ tə·šu·’ō·wṯ nō·w·ḡêś — WLC · 7
8
He roams the mountains for pasture, searching for any green thing.
𐤉𐤕𐤅𐤓 𐤄𐤓𐤉𐤌 𐤌𐤓𐤏𐤄𐤅 𐤉𐤃𐤓𐤅𐤔 𐤅𐤀𐤇𐤓 𐤊𐤋 𐤉𐤓𐤅𐤒
יְת֣וּר הָרִ֣ים מִרְעֵ֑הוּ יִדְרֽוֹשׁ׃ וְאַחַ֖ר כָּל־ יָר֣וֹק yə·ṯūr hā·rîm mir·‘ê·hū yiḏ·rō·wōš wə·’a·ḥar kāl- yā·rō·wq — WLC · 8
9
Will the wild ox consent to serve you?… Will he stay by your manger {at night}?
𐤓𐤉𐤌 𐤄𐤉𐤀𐤁𐤄 𐤏𐤁𐤃𐤊 𐤀𐤌 𐤉𐤋𐤉𐤍 𐤏𐤋 𐤀𐤁𐤅𐤎𐤊
רֵּ֣ים הֲיֹ֣אבֶה עָבְדֶ֑ךָ אִם־ יָ֝לִ֗ין עַל־ אֲבוּסֶֽךָ׃ rēm hă·yō·ḇeh ‘ā·ḇə·ḏe·ḵā ’im- yā·lîn ‘al- ’ă·ḇū·se·ḵā — WLC · 9
10
Can you hold [him] to the furrow with a harness?… Will he plow the valleys behind you?
𐤄𐤕𐤒𐤔𐤓 𐤓𐤉𐤌 𐤁𐤕𐤋𐤌 𐤏𐤁𐤕𐤅 𐤀𐤌 𐤉𐤔𐤃𐤃 𐤏𐤌𐤒𐤉𐤌 𐤀𐤇𐤓𐤉𐤊
הֲֽתִקְשָׁר־ רֵ֭ים בְּתֶ֣לֶם עֲבֹת֑וֹ אִם־ יְשַׂדֵּ֖ד עֲמָקִ֣ים אַחֲרֶֽיךָ׃ hăṯiq·šār- rêm bə·ṯe·lem ‘ă·ḇō·ṯōw ’im- yə·śad·dêḏ ‘ă·mā·qîm ’a·ḥă·re·ḵā — WLC · 10
11
Can you rely on his great strength? Will you leave your hard work to him?
𐤄𐤕𐤁𐤈𐤇 𐤁𐤅 𐤊𐤉 𐤓𐤁 𐤊𐤇𐤅 𐤅𐤕𐤏𐤆𐤁 𐤉𐤂𐤉𐤏𐤊 𐤀𐤋𐤉𐤅
הֲֽתִבְטַח־ בּ֭וֹ כִּי־ רַ֣ב כֹּח֑וֹ וְתַעֲזֹ֖ב יְגִיעֶֽךָ׃ אֵלָ֣יו hă·ṯiḇ·ṭaḥ- bōw kî- raḇ kō·ḥōw wə·ṯa·‘ă·zōḇ yə·ḡî·‘e·ḵā ’ê·lāw — WLC · 11
12
Can you trust him to bring in your grain and gather it to your threshing floor?
𐤄𐤕𐤀𐤌𐤉𐤍 𐤁𐤅 𐤊𐤉 𐤉𐤔𐤅𐤁 𐤆𐤓𐤏𐤊 𐤉𐤀𐤎𐤐 𐤅𐤂𐤓𐤍𐤊
הֲתַאֲמִ֣ין בּ֭וֹ כִּי־ יָשׁוּב זַרְעֶ֑ךָ יֶאֱסֹֽף׃ וְֽגָרְנְךָ֥ hă·ṯa·’ă·mîn bōw kî- yå̄·šūḇ zar·‘e·ḵā ye·’ĕ·sōp̄ wə·ḡā·rə·nə·ḵā — WLC · 12
13
The wings of the ostrich flap joyfully, but cannot [match] the pinions and feathers of the stork.
𐤊𐤍𐤐 𐤓𐤍𐤍𐤉𐤌 𐤍𐤏𐤋𐤎𐤄 𐤀𐤌 𐤀𐤁𐤓𐤄 𐤅𐤍𐤑𐤄 𐤇𐤎𐤉𐤃𐤄
כְּנַף־ רְנָנִ֥ים נֶעֱלָ֑סָה אִם־ אֶ֝בְרָ֗ה וְנֹצָֽה׃ חֲסִידָ֥ה kə·nap̄- rə·nā·nîm ne·‘ĕ·lā·sāh ’im- ’eḇ·rāh wə·nō·ṣāh ḥă·sî·ḏāh — WLC · 13
14
For she leaves her eggs on the ground and lets them warm in the sand.
𐤊𐤉 𐤕𐤏𐤆𐤁 𐤁𐤑𐤉𐤄 𐤋𐤀𐤓𐤑 𐤕𐤇𐤌𐤌 𐤅𐤏𐤋 𐤏𐤐𐤓
כִּֽי־ תַעֲזֹ֣ב בֵּצֶ֑יהָ לָאָ֣רֶץ תְּחַמֵּֽם׃ וְֽעַל־ עָפָ֥ר kî- ṯa·‘ă·zōḇ bê·ṣe·hā lā·’ā·reṣ tə·ḥam·mêm wə·‘al- ‘ā·p̄ār — WLC · 14
15
She forgets that a foot may crush them, or a wild animal may trample them.
𐤅𐤕𐤔𐤊𐤇 𐤊𐤉 𐤓𐤂𐤋 𐤕𐤆𐤅𐤓𐤄 𐤄𐤔𐤃𐤄 𐤅𐤇𐤉𐤕 𐤕𐤃𐤅𐤔𐤄
וַ֭תִּשְׁכַּח כִּי־ רֶ֣גֶל תְּזוּרֶ֑הָ הַשָּׂדֶ֣ה וְחַיַּ֖ת תְּדוּשֶֽׁהָ׃ wat·tiš·kaḥ kî- re·ḡel tə·zū·re·hā haś·śā·ḏeh wə·ḥay·yaṯ tə·ḏū·še·hā — WLC · 15
16
She treats her young harshly, as if not her own, with no concern that her labor was in vain.
𐤁𐤍𐤉𐤄 𐤄𐤒𐤔𐤉𐤇 𐤋𐤋𐤀 𐤋𐤄 𐤁𐤋𐤉 𐤐𐤇𐤃 𐤉𐤂𐤉𐤏𐤄 𐤋𐤓𐤉𐤒
בָּנֶ֣יהָ הִקְשִׁ֣יחַ לְּלֹא־ לָ֑הּ בְּלִי־ פָֽחַד׃ יְגִיעָ֣הּ לְרִ֖יק bā·ne·hā hiq·šî·aḥ lə·lō- lāh bə·lî- p̄ā·ḥaḏ yə·ḡî·‘āh lə·rîq — WLC · 16
17
For God has deprived her of wisdom; He has not endowed her with understanding.
𐤊𐤉 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄 𐤄𐤔𐤄 𐤇𐤊𐤌𐤄 𐤅𐤋𐤀 𐤇𐤋𐤒 𐤋𐤄 𐤁𐤁𐤉𐤍𐤄
כִּֽי־ אֱל֣וֹהַּ הִשָּׁ֣הּ חָכְמָ֑ה וְלֹא־ חָ֥לַק לָ֝֗הּ בַּבִּינָֽה׃ kî- ’ĕ·lō·w·ah hiš·šāh ḥāḵ·māh wə·lō- ḥā·laq lāh bab·bî·nāh — WLC · 17
18
Yet when she proudly spreads her wings, she laughs at the horse and its rider.
𐤊𐤏𐤕 𐤁𐤌𐤓𐤅𐤌 𐤕𐤌𐤓𐤉𐤀 𐤕𐤔𐤇𐤒 𐤋𐤎𐤅𐤎 𐤅𐤋𐤓𐤊𐤁𐤅
כָּ֭עֵת בַּמָּר֣וֹם תַּמְרִ֑יא תִּֽשְׂחַ֥ק לַ֝סּ֗וּס וּלְרֹֽכְבֽוֹ׃ kā·‘êṯ bam·mā·rō·wm tam·rî tiś·ḥaq las·sūs ū·lə·rō·ḵə·ḇōw — WLC · 18
19
Do you give strength to the horse or adorn his neck with a mane?
𐤄𐤕𐤕𐤍 𐤂𐤁𐤅𐤓𐤄 𐤋𐤎𐤅𐤎 𐤄𐤕𐤋𐤁𐤉𐤔 𐤑𐤅𐤀𐤓𐤅 𐤓𐤏𐤌𐤄
הֲתִתֵּ֣ן גְּבוּרָ֑ה לַסּ֣וּס הֲתַלְבִּ֖ישׁ צַוָּאר֣וֹ רַעְמָֽה׃ hă·ṯit·tên gə·ḇū·rāh las·sūs hă·ṯal·bîš ṣaw·wā·rōw ra‘·māh — WLC · 19
20
Do you make him leap like a locust, [striking] terror with his proud snorting?
𐤄𐤕𐤓𐤏𐤉𐤔𐤍𐤅 𐤊𐤀𐤓𐤁𐤄 𐤀𐤉𐤌𐤄 𐤄𐤅𐤃 𐤍𐤇𐤓𐤅
הְֽ֭תַרְעִישֶׁנּוּ כָּאַרְבֶּ֑ה אֵימָֽה׃ ה֖וֹד נַחְר֣וֹ hə·ṯar·‘î·šen·nū kā·’ar·beh ’ê·māh hō·wḏ naḥ·rōw — WLC · 20
21
He paws in the valley and rejoices in his strength; he charges… into battle.
𐤉𐤇𐤐𐤓𐤅 𐤁𐤏𐤌𐤒 𐤅𐤉𐤔𐤉𐤔 𐤁𐤊𐤇 𐤉𐤑𐤀 𐤋𐤒𐤓𐤀𐤕 𐤍𐤔𐤒
יַחְפְּר֣וּ בָ֭עֵמֶק וְיָשִׂ֣ישׂ בְּכֹ֑חַ יֵ֝צֵ֗א לִקְרַאת־ נָֽשֶׁק׃ yaḥ·pə·rū ḇā·‘ê·meq wə·yā·śîś bə·ḵō·aḥ yê·ṣê liq·raṯ- nā·šeq — WLC · 21
22
He laughs at fear, frightened of nothing; he does not turn back from the sword.
𐤉𐤔𐤇𐤒 𐤋𐤐𐤇𐤃 𐤉𐤇𐤕 𐤅𐤋𐤀 𐤅𐤋𐤀 𐤉𐤔𐤅𐤁 𐤌𐤐𐤍𐤉 𐤇𐤓𐤁
יִשְׂחַ֣ק לְ֭פַחַד יֵחָ֑ת וְלֹ֣א וְלֹֽא־ יָ֝שׁ֗וּב מִפְּנֵי־ חָֽרֶב׃ yiś·ḥaq lə·p̄a·ḥaḏ yê·ḥāṯ wə·lō wə·lō- yā·šūḇ mip·pə·nê- ḥā·reḇ — WLC · 22
23
A quiver rattles at his side, along with a flashing spear and lance.
𐤀𐤔𐤐𐤄 𐤕𐤓𐤍𐤄 𐤏𐤋𐤉𐤅 𐤋𐤄𐤁 𐤇𐤍𐤉𐤕 𐤅𐤊𐤉𐤃𐤅𐤍
אַשְׁפָּ֑ה תִּרְנֶ֣ה עָ֭לָיו לַ֖הַב חֲנִ֣ית וְכִידֽוֹן׃ ’aš·pāh tir·neh ‘ā·lāw la·haḇ ḥă·nîṯ wə·ḵî·ḏō·wn — WLC · 23
24
Trembling with excitement, he devours the distance; he cannot stand still… when the ram’s horn sounds.
𐤁𐤓𐤏𐤔 𐤅𐤓𐤂𐤆 𐤉𐤂𐤌𐤀 𐤀𐤓𐤑 𐤅𐤋𐤀 𐤉𐤀𐤌𐤉𐤍 𐤊𐤉 𐤔𐤅𐤐𐤓 𐤒𐤅𐤋
בְּרַ֣עַשׁ וְ֭רֹגֶז יְגַמֶּא־ אָ֑רֶץ וְלֹֽא־ יַ֝אֲמִ֗ין כִּי־ שׁוֹפָֽר׃ ק֥וֹל bə·ra·‘aš wə·rō·ḡez yə·ḡam·me- ’ā·reṣ wə·lō- ya·’ă·mîn kî- šō·w·p̄ār qō·wl — WLC · 24
25
At the [blast of] the horn, he snorts with fervor. He catches the scent of battle from afar, the shouts of captains and the cry of war.
𐤁𐤃𐤉 𐤔𐤐𐤓 𐤉𐤀𐤌𐤓 𐤄𐤀𐤇 𐤉𐤓𐤉𐤇 𐤌𐤋𐤇𐤌𐤄 𐤅𐤌𐤓𐤇𐤅𐤒 𐤓𐤏𐤌 𐤔𐤓𐤉𐤌 𐤅𐤕𐤓𐤅𐤏𐤄
בְּדֵ֤י שֹׁפָ֨ר׀ יֹ֘אמַ֤ר הֶאָ֗ח יָרִ֣יחַ מִלְחָמָ֑ה וּֽ֭מֵרָחוֹק רַ֥עַם שָׂ֝רִים וּתְרוּעָֽה׃ bə·ḏê šō·p̄ār yō·mar he·’āḥ yā·rî·aḥ mil·ḥā·māh ū·mê·rā·ḥō·wq ra·‘am śā·rîm ū·ṯə·rū·‘āh — WLC · 25
26
Does the hawk take flight by your understanding and spread his wings toward the south?
𐤍𐤑 𐤉𐤀𐤁𐤓 𐤄𐤌𐤁𐤉𐤍𐤕𐤊 𐤉𐤐𐤓𐤔 𐤊𐤍𐤐𐤅 𐤋𐤕𐤉𐤌𐤍
נֵ֑ץ יַֽאֲבֶר־ הֲֽ֭מִבִּינָ֣תְךָ יִפְרֹ֖שׂ כְּנָפוֹ לְתֵימָֽן׃ nêṣ ya·’ă·ḇer- hămib·bî·nā·ṯə·ḵā yip̄·rōś kə·nå̄·p̄ō lə·ṯê·mān — WLC · 26
27
Does the eagle… soar at your command and make his nest on high?
𐤍𐤔𐤓 𐤅𐤊𐤉 𐤉𐤂𐤁𐤉𐤄 𐤀𐤌 𐤏𐤋 𐤐𐤉𐤊 𐤒𐤍𐤅 𐤉𐤓𐤉𐤌
נָ֑שֶׁר וְ֝כִ֗י יַגְבִּ֣יהַּ אִם־ עַל־ פִּ֭יךָ קִנּֽוֹ׃ יָרִ֥ים nā·šer wə·ḵî yaḡ·bî·ah ’im- ‘al- pî·ḵā qin·nōw yā·rîm — WLC · 27
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He dwells on a cliff and lodges there; his stronghold is on a rocky crag.
𐤉𐤔𐤊𐤍 𐤎𐤋𐤏 𐤅𐤉𐤕𐤋𐤍𐤍 𐤅𐤌𐤑𐤅𐤃𐤄 𐤏𐤋 𐤎𐤋𐤏 𐤔𐤍
יִ֭שְׁכֹּן סֶ֣לַע וְיִתְלֹנָ֑ן וּמְצוּדָֽה׃ עַֽל־ סֶ֝֗לַע שֶׁן־ yiš·kōn se·la‘ wə·yiṯ·lō·nān ū·mə·ṣū·ḏāh ‘al- se·la‘ šen- — WLC · 28
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From there he spies out food; his eyes see [it] from afar.
𐤌𐤔𐤌 𐤇𐤐𐤓 𐤀𐤊𐤋 𐤏𐤉𐤍𐤉𐤅 𐤉𐤁𐤉𐤈𐤅 𐤋𐤌𐤓𐤇𐤅𐤒
מִשָּׁ֥ם חָֽפַר־ אֹ֑כֶל עֵינָ֥יו יַבִּֽיטוּ׃ לְ֝מֵרָח֗וֹק miš·šām ḥā·p̄ar- ’ō·ḵel ‘ê·nāw yab·bî·ṭū lə·mê·rā·ḥō·wq — WLC · 29
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His young ones feast on blood; and where the slain [are], there he [is].”
𐤅𐤀𐤐𐤓𐤇𐤅 𐤉𐤏𐤋𐤏𐤅 𐤃𐤌 𐤅𐤁𐤀𐤔𐤓 𐤇𐤋𐤋𐤉𐤌 𐤔𐤌 𐤄𐤅𐤀𐤐
וְאֶפְרֹחוֹ יְעַלְעוּ־ דָ֑ם וּבַאֲשֶׁ֥ר חֲ֝לָלִ֗ים שָׁ֣ם הֽוּא׃פ wə·ʾɛp̄·rō·ḥō yə·‘al·‘ū- ḏām ū·ḇa·’ă·šer ḥă·lā·lîm šām hū — WLC · 30