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TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS

Chapter 39

Translation and Transliteration of 

1Do you know the season when the mountain goats give birth? Can you mark the time when the hinds calve?

ha-ya-DA-ta ET le-DET ya-a-LEI sa-LA, cho-LEL a-y'-LOT tish-MOR

אהֲיָדַ֗עְתָּ עֵ֭ת לֶ֣דֶת יַעֲלֵי־סָ֑לַע חֹלֵ֖ל אַיָּל֣וֹת תִּשְׁמֹֽר׃

2Can you count the months they must complete? Do you know the season they give birth,

tis-PO-r y'-ra-KHEEM t'-ma-LE-na, v'-ya-DA-ta AYT lid-TA-na

בתִּסְפֹּ֣ר יְרָחִ֣ים תְּמַלֶּ֑אנָה וְ֝יָדַ֗עְתָּ עֵ֣ת לִדְתָּֽנָה׃

3When they couch to bring forth their offspring, To deliver their young?

ti-k'RA-nah yal-dei-HEM t'-pa-LAKH-nah khev-LEI-HEM t'-sha-LAKH-nah

גתִּ֭כְרַעְנָה יַלְדֵיהֶ֣ן תְּפַלַּ֑חְנָה חֶבְלֵיהֶ֥ם תְּשַׁלַּֽחְנָה׃

4Their young are healthy; they grow up in the open; They leave and return no more.

yakh-l'-MU v'-nay-HEM yir-BU va-BAR ya-TSE-u v'-lo-SHA-vu la-MO

דיַחְלְמ֣וּ בְ֭נֵיהֶם יִרְבּ֣וּ בַבָּ֑ר יָ֝צְא֗וּ וְלֹא־שָׁ֥בוּ לָֽמוֹ׃

5Who sets the wild ass free? Who loosens the bonds of the onager,

mi-SHI-lakh PE-re KHO-f'-shi, u-mo-s'-ROT a-ROD mi pi-TE-akh

המִי־שִׁלַּ֣ח פֶּ֣רֶא חׇפְשִׁ֑י וּמֹסְר֥וֹת עָ֝ר֗וֹד מִ֣י פִתֵּֽחַ׃

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

a-SHER sa-M'-TEE a-ra-VAH b'-EY-to, u-mish-k'-NO-tav me-LAY-khah

ואֲשֶׁר־שַׂ֣מְתִּי עֲרָבָ֣ה בֵית֑וֹ וּֽמִשְׁכְּנוֹתָ֥יו מְלֵחָֽה׃

7He scoffs at the tumult of the city, Does not hear the shouts of the driver.

YIS-chak la-ha-MON kir-YAH, t'-SHU-ot no-GES lo yish-MA

זיִ֭שְׂחַק לַהֲמ֣וֹן קִרְיָ֑ה תְּשֻׁא֥וֹת נֹ֝גֵ֗שׂ לֹ֣א יִשְׁמָֽע׃

8He roams the hills for his pasture; He searches for any green thing.

Y'-tur ha-REEM mir-E-u v'-a-KHAR kol ya-ROK yid-ROSH

חיְת֣וּר הָרִ֣ים מִרְעֵ֑הוּ וְאַחַ֖ר כׇּל־יָר֣וֹק יִדְרֽוֹשׁ׃

9Would the wild ox agree to serve you? Would he spend the night at your crib?

ha-YO-veh RAYM o-ve-DE-kha, im ya-LEEN al a-vu-SE-kha

טהֲיֹ֣אבֶה רֵּ֣ים עׇבְדֶ֑ךָ אִם־יָ֝לִ֗ין עַל־אֲבוּסֶֽךָ׃

10Can you hold the wild ox by ropes to the furrow? Would he plow up the valleys behind you?

ha-tik-SHAR-reim b'-TE-lem a-vo-TO im ya-sa-DED a-ma-KIM a-cha-RE-kha

יהֲֽתִקְשׇׁר־רֵ֭ים בְּתֶ֣לֶם עֲבֹת֑וֹ אִם־יְשַׂדֵּ֖ד עֲמָקִ֣ים אַחֲרֶֽיךָ׃

11Would you rely on his great strength And leave your toil to him?

ha-tiv-TAK-bo KI-rav KO-cho, v'-ta-a-ZOV e-LA-yav ye-gi-E-kha

יאהֲֽתִבְטַח־בּ֭וֹ כִּֽי־רַ֣ב כֹּח֑וֹ וְתַעֲזֹ֖ב אֵלָ֣יו יְגִיעֶֽךָ׃

12Would you trust him to bring in the seed And gather it in from your threshing floor?

ha-ta-a-MEEN BO kee [ya-SHEEV] (y'-SHOV) zar-E-kha v'-gor-NE-kha ye-e-SOF

יבהֲתַאֲמִ֣ין בּ֭וֹ כִּֽי־[יָשִׁ֣יב] (ישוב) זַרְעֶ֑ךָ וְֽגׇרְנְךָ֥ יֶאֱסֹֽף׃

13The wing of the ostrich beats joyously; Are her pinions and plumage like the stork's?

k'-naf r'-na-NEEM ne-e-LA-sah im ev-RAH kha-see-DAH v'-no-TZAH

יגכְּנַף־רְנָנִ֥ים נֶעֱלָ֑סָה אִם־אֶ֝בְרָ֗ה חֲסִידָ֥ה וְנֹצָֽה׃

 39:13   The wing of the ostrich beats joyously

An ostrich at the Yotvata Wildlife Preserve.

The Land of Israel used to be home to wild os­triches, until they became extinct in the region as a result of hunting. In fact, in 2006, four ancient ostrich eggs, thought to be at least 5,000 years old, were found in the Sharon region, just north of Tel Aviv. Because they were common in ancient Israel, ostriches are mentioned in a number of places in the Bible. Verses 13-18 make mention of the cruelty of the ostrich, which leaves its eggs to be trampled and is callous to its young (see also Lamentations 4:3). The ostrich is also listed among the non-kosher birds that are forbidden to be eaten (Leviticus 11:16 and Deu­teronomy 14:15).

14She leaves her eggs on the ground, Letting them warm in the dirt,

ki-ta-a-ZOV la-A-rets b'-tze-YA, v'-al a-FAR t'-cha-MEM

ידכִּי־תַעֲזֹ֣ב לָאָ֣רֶץ בֵּצֶ֑יהָ וְֽעַל־עָפָ֥ר תְּחַמֵּֽם׃

15Forgetting they may be crushed underfoot, Or trampled by a wild beast.

va-tish-KACH ki-RE-gel t'-zu-re-HA v'-cha-YAT ha-sa-DEH t'-du-SHE-ha

טווַ֭תִּשְׁכַּח כִּי־רֶ֣גֶל תְּזוּרֶ֑הָ וְחַיַּ֖ת הַשָּׂדֶ֣ה תְדוּשֶֽׁהָ׃

16Her young are cruelly abandoned as if they were not hers; Her labor is in vain for lack of concern.

hiq-SHI-akh ba-NE-ha l'-LO-la, l'-REEK ye-gi-AH b'-LEE-fa-KHAD

טזהִקְשִׁ֣יחַ בָּנֶ֣יהָ לְּלֹא־לָ֑הּ לְרִ֖יק יְגִיעָ֣הּ בְּלִי־פָֽחַד׃

17For Hashem deprived her of wisdom, Gave her no share of understanding,

ki-hi-SHAH e-lo-AH kho-KH'-mah, v'-lo-kha-LAK la-HA ba-bi-NAH.

יזכִּי־הִשָּׁ֣הּ אֱל֣וֹהַּ חׇכְמָ֑ה וְלֹא־חָ֥לַק לָ֝֗הּ בַּבִּינָֽה׃

18Else she would soar on high, Scoffing at the horse and its rider.

ka-ET ba-ma-ROM tam-REE-a tis-KHAK la-SUS u-l'-ro-k'-VO. (P)

יחכָּ֭עֵת בַּמָּר֣וֹם תַּמְרִ֑יא תִּֽשְׂחַ֥ק לַ֝סּ֗וּס וּלְרֹכְבֽוֹ׃

19Do you give the horse his strength? Do you clothe his neck with a mane?

ha-ti-TEN la-SUS ge-VU-rah, ha-tal-BEESH tza-VA-ro ra-MAH.

יטהֲתִתֵּ֣ן לַסּ֣וּס גְּבוּרָ֑ה הֲתַלְבִּ֖ישׁ צַוָּאר֣וֹ רַעְמָֽה׃

20Do you make him quiver like locusts, His majestic snorting [spreading] terror?

ha-tar-i-SHE-nu ka-ar-BEH, HOHD na-KH'ro ay-MAH

כהֲֽ֭תַרְעִישֶׁנּוּ כָּֽאַרְבֶּ֑ה ה֖וֹד נַחְר֣וֹ אֵימָֽה׃

21He paws with force, he runs with vigor, Charging into battle.

yakh-PE-ru va-E-mek v'-ya-SEESH b'-ko-akh, ye-TSE lik-RA-at-na-SHEK

כאיַחְפְּר֣וּ בָ֭עֵמֶק וְיָשִׂ֣ישׂ בְּכֹ֑חַ יֵ֝צֵ֗א לִקְרַאת־נָֽשֶׁק׃

22He scoffs at fear; he cannot be frightened; He does not recoil from the sword.

YIS-khak l'-fa-KHAD v'-LO ye-KHAT v'-LO-ya-SHU-v mi-p'-NEI-kha-REV

כביִשְׂחַ֣ק לְ֭פַחַד וְלֹ֣א יֵחָ֑ת וְלֹא־יָ֝שׁ֗וּב מִפְּנֵי־חָֽרֶב׃

23A quiverful of arrows whizzes by him, And the flashing spear and the javelin.

a-LA-yav tir-NEH ash-PAH la-HAV cha-NEET v'-ki-DON

כגעָ֭לָיו תִּרְנֶ֣ה אַשְׁפָּ֑ה לַ֖הַב חֲנִ֣ית וְכִידֽוֹן׃

24Trembling with excitement, he swallows the land; He does not turn aside at the blast of the trumpet.

b'-RA-ash v'-ro-GHEZ y'-ga-ME-a-RETS v'-lo ya-a-MEEN kee-KOL sho-FAR

כדבְּרַ֣עַשׁ וְ֭רֹגֶז יְגַמֶּא־אָ֑רֶץ וְלֹא־יַ֝אֲמִ֗ין כִּי־ק֥וֹל שׁוֹפָֽר׃

25As the trumpet sounds, he says, “Aha!” From afar he smells the battle, The roaring and shouting of the officers.

b'-DEI sho-FAR yo-MAR he-AKH u-m'-ra-KHOK ya-REE-akh mil-kha-MAH ra-AM sa-REEM u-t'-ru-AH

כהבְּדֵ֤י שֹׁפָ֨ר ׀ יֹ֘אמַ֤ר הֶאָ֗ח וּֽ֭מֵרָחוֹק יָרִ֣יחַ מִלְחָמָ֑ה רַ֥עַם שָׂ֝רִ֗ים וּתְרוּעָֽה׃

26Is it by your wisdom that the hawk grows pinions, Spreads his wings to the south?

ha-mi-bi-NA-te-KHA ya-a-VER-neTZ yif-ROS k'-na-FAV l'-tey-MAN

כוהֲֽ֭מִבִּינָ֣תְךָ יַאֲבֶר־נֵ֑ץ יִפְרֹ֖שׂ כְּנָפָ֣ו לְתֵימָֽן׃

27Does the eagle soar at your command, Building his nest high,

im-al-PI-kha yag-BI-ha NA-sher v'-khi ya-RIM ki-NO

כזאִם־עַל־פִּ֭יךָ יַגְבִּ֣יהַּ נָ֑שֶׁר וְ֝כִ֗י יָרִ֥ים קִנּֽוֹ׃

28Dwelling in the rock, Lodging upon the fastness of a jutting rock?

SE-lah YISH-kon v'-yit-lo-NAN al SHEN-SE-lah u-m'-tzu-DAH

כחסֶ֣לַע יִ֭שְׁכֹּן וְיִתְלֹנָ֑ן עַ֥ל שֶׁן־סֶ֝֗לַע וּמְצוּדָֽה׃

29From there he spies out his food; From afar his eyes see it.

mi-SHAM cha-FAR-o-KHEL l'-me-RA-khok e-NAI-v ya-bi-TU

כטמִשָּׁ֥ם חָֽפַר־אֹ֑כֶל לְ֝מֵרָח֗וֹק עֵינָ֥יו יַבִּֽיטוּ׃

30His young gulp blood; Where the slain are, there is he.

v'-ef-ro-KHA-vu ya-a-l'-U-dam u-ba-a-SHER kha-la-LEEM sham HU.

לוְאֶפְרֹחָ֥ו יְעַלְעוּ־דָ֑ם וּבַאֲשֶׁ֥ר חֲ֝לָלִ֗ים שָׁ֣ם הֽוּא׃