Behold, as wild donkeys in the desert, go they forth to their work; rising early for a prey: the wilderness yields food for them and for their children.
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George Leo Haydock
AD 1849
Others. Hebrew, "Behold as "(Haydock) which may be explained of these oppressors, or rather of the poor, who are forced to flee before them to seek for food. (Calmet)
The Vulgate and Septuagint seem more favourable to the former supposition. (Haydock)
60. For the ‘onager’ is a wild ass; and in this place Heretics are rightly likened to ‘wild asses,’ in that being let loose in their pleasures, they are strange to the fetters of faith and reason. Hence it is written; A wild ass used to the wilderness that snuffeth up the wind of his love at his pleasure. For he is a wild ass used to the wilderness, who whilst he does not cultivate the ground of his heart with excellence of discipline, there dwells, where there is no fruit. Since he ‘snuffeth up the wind of his love at his pleasure,’ in that the things that from the desire of knowledge he conceives in his mind, are efficacious to puff up but not to edify. Against whom it is said, Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth. [1 Cor. 8, 1] Hence here too the words are suitably brought in; they go forth to their work. For it is not the work of God, but their own work that they do, whereas they follow not right doctrines, but their own desires. For it is written, He that walketh in ...
“And they have departed,” he says, “like asses in the field,” that is, they have scorned everybody and have mocked everyone. However, nobody commits any injustice against them and does not ill-treat them. - "Commentary on Job 24.1–8"
