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?
Can you draw out leviathan (sea serpent) with an hook? or his tongue with a cord which you let down?
2 Will you put a cord into his nose, or take him away with a cord round his tongue?
Can you put an hook into his nose? or bore his jaw through with a thorn?
3 Will he make prayers to you, or say soft words to you?
Will he make many supplications unto you? will he speak soft words unto you?
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 you? will you 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?
Will you play with him as with a bird? or will you bind him for your maidens?
6 Will the fishermen make profit out of him? will they have him cut up for the traders?
Shall the companions make a banquet of him? shall they part him among the merchants?
7 Will you put sharp-pointed irons into his skin, or fish-spears into his head?
Can you 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 your hand upon him, remember the battle, do 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 has prevented me, 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.
I will not conceal his parts, nor his power, nor his comely proportion.
13 Who has ever taken off his outer skin? who may come inside his inner coat of iron?
Who can discover the face of his garment? or who can come to him with 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? his teeth are terrible round about.
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.
By his exhaling a light does shine, 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 lamps, and sparks of fire leap out.
20 Smoke comes out of his nose, like a pot boiling on the fire.
Out of his nostrils goes smoke, as out of a seething pot or caldron.
21 His breath puts fire to coals, and a flame goes out of his mouth.
His breath kindles coals, and a flame goes out of his mouth.
22 Strength is in his neck, and fear goes dancing before him.
In his neck remains strength, and sorrow is turned into joy 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 in themselves; 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, as hard as a piece of the nether millstone.
25 When he gets ready for the fight, the strong are overcome with fear.
When he raises up himself, the mighty are afraid: by reason of breakings they purify 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.
The sword of him that lays at him cannot hold: the spear, the dart, nor the armour of jacket.
27 Iron is to him as dry grass, and brass as soft wood.
He esteems 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: sling stones 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.
Darts are counted as stubble: he laughs at the shaking of a spear.
30 Under him are sharp edges of broken pots: as if he was pulling a grain-crushing instrument over the wet earth.
Sharp stones are under him: he spreads sharp pointed things upon the mire.
31 The deep is boiling like a pot of spices, and the sea like a perfume-vessel.
He makes the deep to boil like a pot: he makes the sea like a pot of ointment.
32 After him his way is shining, so that the deep seems white.
He makes 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 without fear.
34 Everything which is high goes in fear of him; he is king over all the sons of pride.
He beholds all high things: he is a king over all the children of pride.
