wild ox (unicorn)

The Hebrew that is translated in most English versions as “wild ox” was translated by the Ancient Greek Septuagint translation as μονόκερως (monókeros) or “unicorn.”

Bibles in the Protestant tradition also used an equivalent of that translation up into the early 20th century. This includes translations like the English King James Version/Authorised Version (unicorn), the German translation by Luther (up to and including the revision of 1912) (Einhorn), or the Swedish Charles XII Bible of 1686 (enhörningen).

Since translations of the Orthodox traditions tend to follow the Septuagint (see above), they also use an equivalent of “unicorn,” such as the Russian Synod translation with единорог (yedinorog).

Translations in the Catholic tradition tended to use an equivalent of “rhinoceros,” going back to the Latin Vulgate’s rinoceros. Modern Catholic translations that follow the Hebrew text now also use “wild ox” or an equivalent.

The influential Literary / Classical Chinese Delegates Version (publ. 1854) used sì (兕), a mythological Chinese creature that also only had one horn (see here ).

Translation commentary on Job 39:10

Verse 10 is difficult as it stands. Hebrew Old Testament Text Project gives three suggestions. However, the recommendations each contain the expression “bind or tie to the furrow,” and the idea of an ox tied to a furrow is far from clear. Can you bind him in the furrow with ropes…?: in place of him the Hebrew text has “wild ox.” A furrow is a trench in the ground made by a plow. Dhorme makes a change to get “If you tie a rope around his neck.” Pope translates the Hebrew but substitutes him, as in Revised Standard Version, “Can you hold him in the furrow with rope?” Kissane, quoted by Rowley, makes a slight change to get “Wilt thou bind him with a halter or cord?” New English Bible, which translates the word for valleys in line b to mean “strength,” transposes “strength” and furrow to read “Can you harness its strength with ropes?” This gives a clear picture, but Good News Translation translates it more clearly as “Can you hold one with a rope and make him plow?”

Before deciding finally on how to render the first line, it is necessary to look at the second line. Or will he harrow the valleys after you?: valleys most likely refers to the furrows in line a. Harrow as a verb means to drag a heavy instrument with spikes across a plowed field, to break up the clods of soil and make the ground smooth for planting. So the question in line b is “Will the wild ox pull a harrow across the fields for you?” or “… across the furrows?” Since the second line concerns the breaking up of the clods, one can assume that the first line concerns plowing and so may be translated as in Good News Translation, or as saying, for example, “Can you hold him with a rope when you plow furrows?” In languages in which plowing and harrowing are unknown, the question in verse 10 may have to be recast to say, for example, “Can you put a rope on him and make him pull a load, or make him drag a log to smooth your ground?”

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, Wiliam. A Handbook on Job. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1992. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .