Job 41
1 Is it possible for Leviathan to be pulled out with a fish-hook, or for a hook to be put through the bone of his mouth?
Canst thou draw out leviathan with a fish-hook? or press down his tongue with a cord?
2 Will you put a cord into his nose, or take him away with a cord round his tongue?
Canst thou put a ring into his nose? or bore his jaw through with a hook?
3 Will he make prayers to you, or say soft words to you?
Will he make many supplications unto thee? or will he speak soft words unto thee?
4 Will he make an agreement with you, so that you may take him as a servant for ever?
Will he make a covenant with thee, that thou shouldest take him for a servant for ever?
5 Will you make sport with him, as with a bird? or put him in chains for your young women?
Wilt thou play with him as with a bird? Or wilt thou bind him for thy maidens?
6 Will the fishermen make profit out of him? will they have him cut up for the traders?
Will the bands of fishermen make a banquet of him? Will they part him among the merchants?
7 Will you put sharp-pointed irons into his skin, or fish-spears into his head?
Canst thou fill his skin with barbed irons? or his head with fish-spears?
8 Only put your hand on him, and see what a fight you will have; you will not do it again!
Lay thy hand upon him; think upon the battle, thou wilt do so no more.
9 Truly, the hope of his attacker is false; he is overcome even on seeing him!
Behold, the hope of him is in vain; shall not one be cast down even at the sight of him?
10 He is so cruel that no one is ready to go against him. Who then is able to keep his place before me?
None is so fierce that dare stir him up; who then is able to stand before Me?
11 Who ever went against me, and got the better of me? There is no one under heaven!
Who hath given Me anything beforehand, that I should repay him? Whatsoever is under the whole heaven is Mine.
12 I will not keep quiet about the parts of his body, or about his power, and the strength of his frame.
Would I keep silence concerning his boastings, or his proud talk, or his fair array of words?
13 Who has ever taken off his outer skin? who may come inside his inner coat of iron?
Who can uncover the face of his garment? Who shall come within his double bridle?
14 Who has made open the doors of his face? Fear is round about his teeth.
Who can open the doors of his face? Round about his teeth is terror.
15 His back is made of lines of plates, joined tight together, one against the other, like a stamp.
His scales are his pride, shut up together as with a close seal.
16 One is so near to the other that no air may come between them.
One is so near to another, that no air can come between them.
17 They take a grip of one another; they are joined together, so that they may not be parted.
They are joined one to another; they stick together, that they cannot be sundered.
18 His sneezings give out flames, and his eyes are like the eyes of the dawn.
His sneezings flash forth light, and his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning.
19 Out of his mouth go burning lights, and flames of fire are jumping up.
Out of his mouth go burning torches, and sparks of fire leap forth.
20 Smoke comes out of his nose, like a pot boiling on the fire.
Out of his nostrils goeth smoke, as out of a seething pot and burning rushes.
21 His breath puts fire to coals, and a flame goes out of his mouth.
His breath kindleth coals, and a flame goeth out of his mouth.
22 Strength is in his neck, and fear goes dancing before him.
In his neck abideth strength, and dismay danceth before him.
23 The plates of his flesh are joined together, fixed, and not to be moved.
The flakes of his flesh are joined together; they are firm upon him; they cannot be moved.
24 His heart is as strong as a stone, hard as the lower crushing-stone.
His heart is as firm as a stone; yea, firm as the nether millstone.
25 When he gets ready for the fight, the strong are overcome with fear.
When he raiseth himself up, the mighty are afraid; by reason of despair they are beside themselves.
26 The sword may come near him but is not able to go through him; the spear, or the arrow, or the sharp-pointed iron.
If one lay at him with the sword, it will not hold; nor the spear, the dart, nor the pointed shaft.
27 Iron is to him as dry grass, and brass as soft wood.
He esteemeth iron as straw, and brass as rotten wood.
28 The arrow is not able to put him to flight: stones are no more to him than dry stems.
The arrow cannot make him flee; slingstones are turned with him into stubble.
29 A thick stick is no better than a leaf of grass, and he makes sport of the onrush of the spear.
Clubs are accounted as stubble; he laugheth at the rattling of the javelin.
30 Under him are sharp edges of broken pots: as if he was pulling a grain-crushing instrument over the wet earth.
Sharpest potsherds are under him; he spreadeth a threshing-sledge upon the mire.
31 The deep is boiling like a pot of spices, and the sea like a perfume-vessel.
He maketh the deep to boil like a pot; he maketh the sea like a seething mixture.
32 After him his way is shining, so that the deep seems white.
He maketh a path to shine after him; one would think the deep to be hoary.
33 On earth there is not another like him, who is made without fear.
Upon earth there is not his like, who is made to be fearless.
34 Everything which is high goes in fear of him; he is king over all the sons of pride.
He looketh at all high things; he is king over all the proud beasts.
