Job 41
1 But wilt thou catch the serpent with a hook, and put a halter about his nose?
Prendras-tu le crocodile à l’hameçon? Saisiras-tu sa langue avec une corde?
2 Or wilt thou fasten a ring in his nostril, and bore his lip with a clasp?
Mettras-tu un jonc dans ses narines? Lui perceras-tu la mâchoire avec un crochet?
3 Will he address thee with a petition? softly, with the voice of a suppliant?
Te pressera-t-il de supplication? Te parlera-t-il d’une voix douce?
4 And will he make a covenant with thee? and wilt thou take him for a perpetual servant?
Fera-t-il une alliance avec toi, Pour devenir à toujours ton esclave?
5 And wilt thou play with him as with a bird? or bind him as a sparrow for a child?
Joueras-tu avec lui comme avec un oiseau? L’attacheras-tu pour amuser tes jeunes filles?
6 And do the nations feed upon him, and the nations of the Phoenicians share him?
Les pêcheurs en trafiquent-ils? Le partagent-ils entre les marchands?
7 And all the ships come together would not be able to bear the mere skin of his tail; neither [shall they carry] his head in fishing-vessels.
Couvriras-tu sa peau de dards, Et sa tête de harpons?
8 But thou shalt lay thy hand upon him [once], remembering the war that is waged by his mouth; and let it not be done any more.
Dresse ta main contre lui, Et tu ne t’aviseras plus de l’attaquer.
9 Hast thou not seen him? and hast thou not wondered at the things said [of him]?
Voici, on est trompé dans son attente; A son seul aspect n’est-on pas terrassé?
10 Dost thou not fear because preparation has been made by me? for who is there that resists me?
Nul n’est assez hardi pour l’exciter; Qui donc me résisterait en face?
11 Or who will resist me, and abide, since the whole [world] under heaven is mine?
De qui suis-je le débiteur? Je le paierai. Sous le ciel tout m’appartient.
12 I will not be silent because of him: though because of his power [one] shall pity his antagonist.
Je veux encore parler de ses membres, Et de sa force, et de la beauté de sa structure.
13 Who will open the face of his garment? and who can enter within the fold of his breastplate?
Qui soulèvera son vêtement? Qui pénétrera entre ses mâchoires?
14 Who will open the doors of his face? terror is round about his teeth.
Qui ouvrira les portes de sa gueule? Autour de ses dents habite la terreur.
15 His inwards are as brazen plates, and the texture of his [skin] as a smyrite stone.
Ses magnifiques et puissants boucliers Sont unis ensemble comme par un sceau;
16 One [part] cleaves fast to another, and the air cannot come between them.
Ils se serrent l’un contre l’autre, Et l’air ne passerait pas entre eux;
17 They will remain united each to the other: they are closely joined, and cannot be separated.
Ce sont des frères qui s’embrassent, Se saisissent, demeurent inséparables.
18 At his sneezing a light shines, and his eyes are [as] the appearance of the morning star.
Ses éternuements font briller la lumière; Ses yeux sont comme les paupières de l’aurore.
19 Out of his mouth proceed as it were burning lamps, and as it were hearths of fire are cast abroad.
Des flammes jaillissent de sa bouche, Des étincelles de feu s’en échappent.
20 Out of his nostrils proceeds smoke of a furnace burning with fire of coals.
Une fumée sort de ses narines, Comme d’un vase qui bout, d’une chaudière ardente.
21 His breath is [as] live coals, and a flame goes out of his mouth.
Son souffle allume les charbons, Sa gueule lance la flamme.
22 And power is lodged in his neck, before him destruction runs.
La force a son cou pour demeure, Et l’effroi bondit au-devant de lui.
23 The flesh also of his body is joined together: [if one] pours [violence] upon him, he shall not be moved.
Ses parties charnues tiennent ensemble, Fondues sur lui, inébranlables.
24 His heart is firm as a stone, and it stands like an unyielding anvil.
Son cœur est dur comme la pierre, Dur comme la meule inférieure.
25 And when he turns, [he is] a terror to the four-footed wild beasts which leap upon the earth.
Quand il se lève, les plus vaillants ont peur, Et l’épouvante les fait fuir.
26 If spears should come against him, [men] will effect nothing, [either with] the spear or the breast-plate.
C’est en vain qu’on l’attaque avec l’épée; La lance, le javelot, la cuirasse, ne servent à rien.
27 For he considers iron as chaff, and brass as rotten wood.
Il regarde le fer comme de la paille, L’airain comme du bois pourri.
28 The bow of brass shall not would him, he deems a slinger as grass.
La flèche ne le met pas en fuite, Les pierres de la fronde sont pour lui du chaume.
29 Mauls are counted as stubble; and he laughs to scorn the waving of the firebrand.
Il ne voit dans la massue qu’un brin de paille, Il rit au sifflement des dards.
30 His lair is [formed of] sharp points; and all the gold of the sea under him is an immense [quantity of] clay.
Sous son ventre sont des pointes aiguës: On dirait une herse qu’il étend sur le limon.
31 He makes the deep boil like a brazen caldron; and he regards the sea as a pot of ointment,
Il fait bouillir le fond de la mer comme une chaudière, Il l’agite comme un vase rempli de parfums.
32 and the lowest part of the deep as a captive: he reckons the deep as [his] range.
Il laisse après lui un sentier lumineux; L’abîme prend la chevelure d’un vieillard.
33 There is nothing upon the earth like to him, formed to be sported with by my angels.
Sur la terre nul n’est son maître; Il a été créé pour ne rien craindre.
34 He beholds every high thing: and he is king of all that are in the waters.
Il regarde avec dédain tout ce qui est élevé, Il est le roi des plus fiers animaux.
