הֲיֹ֣אבֶה רֵּ֣ים עָבְדֶ֑ךָ אִם־יָ֝לִ֗ין עַל־אֲבוּסֶֽךָ׃
Would the wild ox agree to serve you? Would he spend the night at your crib?
הֲֽתִקְשָׁר־רֵ֭ים בְּתֶ֣לֶם עֲבֹת֑וֹ אִם־יְשַׂדֵּ֖ד עֲמָקִ֣ים אַחֲרֶֽיךָ׃
Can you hold the wild ox by ropes to the furrow? Would he plow up the valleys behind you?
הֲֽתִבְטַח־בּ֭וֹ כִּי־רַ֣ב כֹּח֑וֹ וְתַעֲזֹ֖ב אֵלָ֣יו יְגִיעֶֽךָ׃
Would you rely on his great strength And leave your toil to him?
הֲתַאֲמִ֣ין בּ֭וֹ כִּי־ישוב [יָשִׁ֣יב] זַרְעֶ֑ךָ וְֽגָרְנְךָ֥ יֶאֱסֹֽף׃
Would you trust him to bring in the seed And gather it in from your threshing floor?
כְּנַף־רְנָנִ֥ים נֶעֱלָ֑סָה אִם־אֶ֝בְרָ֗ה חֲסִידָ֥ה וְנֹצָֽה׃
The wing of the ostrich beats joyously; Are her pinions and plumage like the stork’s?
הֲֽתִקְשָׁר־רֵ֭ים בְּתֶ֣לֶם עֲבֹת֑וֹ אִם־יְשַׂדֵּ֖ד עֲמָקִ֣ים אַחֲרֶֽיךָ׃
Can you hold the wild ox by ropes to the furrow? Would he plow up the valleys behind you?
הֲֽתִבְטַח־בּ֭וֹ כִּי־רַ֣ב כֹּח֑וֹ וְתַעֲזֹ֖ב אֵלָ֣יו יְגִיעֶֽךָ׃
Would you rely on his great strength And leave your toil to him?
הֲתַאֲמִ֣ין בּ֭וֹ כִּי־ישוב [יָשִׁ֣יב] זַרְעֶ֑ךָ וְֽגָרְנְךָ֥ יֶאֱסֹֽף׃
Would you trust him to bring in the seed And gather it in from your threshing floor?
כְּנַף־רְנָנִ֥ים נֶעֱלָ֑סָה אִם־אֶ֝בְרָ֗ה חֲסִידָ֥ה וְנֹצָֽה׃
The wing of the ostrich beats joyously; Are her pinions and plumage like the stork’s?
כִּֽי־תַעֲזֹ֣ב לָאָ֣רֶץ בֵּצֶ֑יהָ וְֽעַל־עָפָ֥ר תְּחַמֵּֽם׃
She leaves her eggs on the ground, Letting them warm in the dirt,
וַ֭תִּשְׁכַּח כִּי־רֶ֣גֶל תְּזוּרֶ֑הָ וְחַיַּ֖ת הַשָּׂדֶ֣ה תְּדוּשֶֽׁהָ׃
Forgetting they may be crushed underfoot, Or trampled by a wild beast.
הִקְשִׁ֣יחַ בָּנֶ֣יהָ לְּלֹא־לָ֑הּ לְרִ֖יק יְגִיעָ֣הּ בְּלִי־פָֽחַד׃
Her young are cruelly abandoned as if they were not hers; Her labor is in vain for lack of concern.
כִּֽי־הִשָּׁ֣הּ אֱל֣וֹהַּ חָכְמָ֑ה וְלֹא־חָ֥לַק לָ֝֗הּ בַּבִּינָֽה׃
For God deprived her of wisdom, Gave her no share of understanding,
כָּ֭עֵת בַּמָּר֣וֹם תַּמְרִ֑יא תִּֽשְׂחַ֥ק לַ֝סּ֗וּס וּלְרֹֽכְבֽוֹ׃
Else she would soar on high, Scoffing at the horse and its rider.
הֲתִתֵּ֣ן לַסּ֣וּס גְּבוּרָ֑ה הֲתַלְבִּ֖ישׁ צַוָּאר֣וֹ רַעְמָֽה׃
Do you give the horse his strength? Do you clothe his neck with a mane?
הְֽ֭תַרְעִישֶׁנּוּ כָּאַרְבֶּ֑ה ה֖וֹד נַחְר֣וֹ אֵימָֽה׃
Do you make him quiver like locusts, His majestic snorting [spreading] terror?
יַחְפְּר֣וּ בָ֭עֵמֶק וְיָשִׂ֣ישׂ בְּכֹ֑חַ יֵ֝צֵ֗א לִקְרַאת־נָֽשֶׁק׃
He paws with force, he runs with vigor, Charging into battle.
יִשְׂחַ֣ק לְ֭פַחַד וְלֹ֣א יֵחָ֑ת וְלֹֽא־יָ֝שׁ֗וּב מִפְּנֵי־חָֽרֶב׃
He scoffs at fear; he cannot be frightened; He does not recoil from the sword.