1 WYC Whethir thou knowist the tyme of birthe of wielde geet in stoonys, ethir hast thou aspied hyndis bryngynge forth calues? BSB BSB: “Do you know when mountain goats give birth? Have you watched the doe bear her fawn?
2 WYC Hast thou noumbrid the monethis of her conseyuyng, and hast thou knowe the tyme of her caluyng? BSB BSB: Can you count the months they are pregnant? Do you know the time they give birth?
3 WYC Tho ben bowid to the calf, and caluen; and senden out roryngis. BSB BSB: They crouch down and bring forth their young; they deliver their newborn.
4 WYC Her calues ben departid, and goen to pasture; tho goen out, and turnen not ayen to `tho hyndis. BSB BSB: Their young ones thrive and grow up in the open field; they leave and do not return.
5 WYC Who let go the wielde asse fre, and who loside the boondis of hym? BSB BSB: Who set the wild donkey free? Who released the swift donkey from the harness?
6 WYC To whom Y haue youe an hows in wildirnesse, and the tabernacles of hym in the lond of saltnesse. BSB BSB: I made the wilderness his home and the salt flats his dwelling.
7 WYC He dispisith the multitude of citee; he herith not the cry of an axere. BSB BSB: He scorns the tumult of the city and never hears the shouts of a driver.
8 WYC He lokith aboute the hillis of his lesewe, and he sekith alle greene thingis. BSB BSB: He roams the mountains for pasture, searching for any green thing.
9 WYC Whether an vnycorn schal wilne serue thee, ethir schal dwelle at thi cratche? BSB BSB: Will the wild ox consent to serve you? Will he stay by your manger at night?
10 WYC Whether thou schalt bynde the vnicorn with thi chayne, for to ere, ethir schal he breke the clottis of valeis aftir thee? BSB BSB: Can you hold him to the furrow with a harness? Will he plow the valleys behind you?
11 WYC Whether thou schalt haue trist in his grete strengthe, and schalt thou leeue to hym thi traueils? BSB BSB: Can you rely on his great strength? Will you leave your hard work to him?
12 WYC Whether thou schalt bileue to hym, that he schal yelde seed to thee, and schal gadere togidere thi cornfloor? BSB BSB: Can you trust him to bring in your grain and gather it to your threshing floor?
13 WYC The fethere of an ostriche is lijk the fetheris of a gerfawcun, and of an hauk; BSB BSB: The wings of the ostrich flap joyfully, but cannot match the pinions and feathers of the stork.
14 WYC which ostrige forsakith hise eirun in the erthe, in hap thou schalt make tho hoot in the dust. BSB BSB: For she leaves her eggs on the ground and lets them warm in the sand.
15 WYC He foryetith, that a foot tredith tho, ethir that a beeste of the feeld al tobrekith tho. BSB BSB: She forgets that a foot may crush them, or a wild animal may trample them.
16 WYC He is maad hard to hise briddis, as if thei ben not hise; he traueilide in veyn, while no drede constreynede. BSB BSB: She treats her young harshly, as if not her own, with no concern that her labor was in vain.
17 WYC For God hath priued hym fro wisdom, and `yaf not vnderstondyng to hym. BSB BSB: For God has deprived her of wisdom; He has not endowed her with understanding.
18 WYC Whanne tyme is, he reisith the wengis an hiy; he scorneth the hors, and his ridere. BSB BSB: Yet when she proudly spreads her wings, she laughs at the horse and its rider.
19 WYC Whether thou schalt yyue strengthe to an hors, ether schal yyue neiyng `aboute his necke? BSB BSB: Do you give strength to the horse or adorn his neck with a mane?
20 WYC Whether thou schalt reyse hym as locustis? The glorie of hise nosethirlis is drede. BSB BSB: Do you make him leap like a locust, striking terror with his proud snorting?
21 WYC He diggith erthe with the foot, he `fulli ioieth booldli; he goith ayens armed men. BSB BSB: He paws in the valley and rejoices in his strength; he charges into battle.
22 WYC He dispisith ferdfulnesse, and he yyueth not stide to swerd. BSB BSB: He laughs at fear, frightened of nothing; he does not turn back from the sword.
23 WYC An arowe caas schal sowne on hym; a spere and scheeld schal florische. BSB BSB: A quiver rattles at his side, along with a flashing spear and lance.
24 WYC He is hoot, and gnastith, and swolewith the erthe; and he arettith not that the crie of the trumpe sowneth. BSB BSB: Trembling with excitement, he devours the distance; he cannot stand still when the ram’s horn sounds.
25 WYC Whanne he herith a clarioun, he `seith, Joie! he smellith batel afer; the excityng of duykis, and the yellyng of the oost. BSB BSB: 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.
26 WYC Whether an hauk spredinge abrood hise wyngis to the south, bigynneth to haue fetheris bi thi wisdom? BSB BSB: Does the hawk take flight by your understanding and spread his wings toward the south?
27 WYC Whether an egle schal be reisid at thi comaundement, and schal sette his nest in hiy places? BSB BSB: Does the eagle soar at your command and make his nest on high?
28 WYC He dwellith in stoonys, and he dwellith in flyntis brokun bifor, and in rochis, to whiche `me may not neiye. BSB BSB: He dwells on a cliff and lodges there; his stronghold is on a rocky crag.
29 WYC Fro thennus he biholdith mete, and hise iyen loken fro fer. BSB BSB: From there he spies out food; his eyes see it from afar.
30 WYC Hise briddis souken blood, and where euere a careyn is, anoon he is present. BSB BSB: His young ones feast on blood; and where the slain are, there he is.”
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.