¹“Do you know the time when the mountain goats give birth? Do you watch when the doe bears fawns?

¹Kender du Tiden, da Stengeden føder, tager du Vare på Hindenes Veer,

²Can you number the months that they fulfill? Or do you know the time when they give birth?

²tæller du mon deres Drægtigheds Måneder, kender du Tiden, de føder?

³They bow themselves, they bring forth their young, they end their labor pains.

³De lægger sig ned og føder og kaster Kuldet,

⁴Their young ones become strong. They grow up in the open field. They go forth, and don’t return again.

⁴Ungerne trives, gror til i det frie, løber bort og kommer ej til dem igen.

⁵“Who has set the wild donkey free? Or who has loosened the bonds of the swift donkey,

⁵Hvem slap Vildæslet løs, hvem løste mon Steppeæslets Reb,

⁶Whose home I have made the wilderness, and the salt land his dwelling place?

⁶som jeg gav Ørkenen til Hjem, den salte Steppe til Bolig?

⁷He scorns the tumult of the city, neither does he hear the shouting of the driver.

⁷Det ler ad Byens Larm og hører ej Driverens Skælden;

⁸The range of the mountains is his pasture, He searches after every green thing.

⁸det ransager Bjerge, der har det sin Græsgang, det leder hvert Græsstrå op.

⁹“Will the wild ox be content to serve you? Or will he stay by your feeding trough?

⁹Er Vildoksen villig at trælle for dig, vil den stå ved din Krybbe om Natten?

¹⁰Can you hold the wild ox in the furrow with his harness? Or will he till the valleys after you?

¹⁰Binder du Reb om dens Hals, pløjer den Furerne efter dig?

¹¹Will you trust him, because his strength is great? Or will you leave to him your labor?

¹¹Stoler du på dens store Kræfter; overlader du den din Høst?

¹²Will you confide in him, that he will bring home your seed, and gather the grain of your threshing floor?

¹²Tror du, den kommer tilbage og samler din Sæd på Loen?

¹³“The wings of the ostrich wave proudly; but are they the feathers and plumage of love?

¹³Mon Strudsens Vinge er lam, eller mangler den Dækfjer og Dun,

¹⁴For she leaves her eggs on the earth, warms them in the dust,

¹⁴siden den betror sine Æg til Jorden og lader dem varmes i Sandet,

¹⁵and forgets that the foot may crush them, or that the wild animal may trample them.

¹⁵tænker ej på, at en Fod kan knuse dem, Vildtet på Marken træde dem sønder?

¹⁶She deals harshly with her young ones, as if they were not hers. Though her labor is in vain, she is without fear,

¹⁶Hård ved Ungerne er den, som var de ej dens; spildt er dens Møje, det ængster den ikke.

¹⁷because God has deprived her of wisdom, neither has he imparted to her understanding.

¹⁷Thi Gud lod den glemme Visdom og gav den ej Del i Indsigt.

¹⁸When she lifts up herself on high, she scorns the horse and his rider.

¹⁸Når Skytterne kommer, farer den bort, den ler ad Hest og Rytter.

¹⁹“Have you given the horse might? Have you clothed his neck with a quivering mane?

¹⁹Giver du Hesten Styrke, klæder dens Hals med Manke

²⁰Have you made him to leap as a locust? The glory of his snorting is awesome.

²⁰og lærer den Græshoppens Spring? Dens stolte Prusten indgyder Rædsel.

²¹He paws in the valley, and rejoices in his strength. He goes out to meet the armed men.

²¹Den skraber muntert i Dalen, går Brynjen væligt i Møde;

²²He mocks at fear, and is not dismayed, neither does he turn back from the sword.

²²den ler ad Rædselen, frygter ikke og viger ikke for Sværdet;

²³The quiver rattles against him, the flashing spear and the javelin.

²³Koggeret klirrer over den, Spydet og Køllen blinker;

²⁴He eats up the ground with fierceness and rage, neither does he stand still at the sound of the trumpet.

²⁴den sluger Vejen med gungrende Vildskab, den tøjler sig ikke, når Hornet lyder;

²⁵As often as the trumpet sounds he snorts, ‘Aha!’ He smells the battle afar off, the thunder of the captains, and the shouting.

²⁵et Stød i Hornet, straks siger den: Huj! Den vejrer Kamp i det fjerne, Kampskrig og Førernes Råb.

²⁶“Is it by your wisdom that the hawk soars, and stretches her wings toward the south?

²⁶Skyldes det Indsigt hos dig, at Falken svinger sig op og breder sin Vinge mod Sønden?

²⁷Is it at your command that the eagle mounts up, and makes his nest on high?

²⁷Skyldes det Bud fra dig, at Ørnen flyver højt og bygger sin højtsatte Rede?

²⁸On the cliff he dwells, and makes his home, on the point of the cliff, and the stronghold.

²⁸Den bygger og bor på Klipper, på Klippens Tinde og Borg;

²⁹From there he spies out the prey. His eyes see it afar off.

²⁹den spejder derfra efter Æde, viden om skuer dens Øjne.

³⁰His young ones also suck up blood. Where the slain are, there he is.”

³⁰Ungerne svælger i Blod; hvor Valen findes, der er den!