Job 41
1 But will you catch the serpent with a hook, and put a halter about his nose?
Dost thou draw leviathan with an angle? And with a rope thou lettest down — his tongue?
2 Or will you fasten a ring in his nostril, and bore his lip with a clasp?
Dost thou put a reed in his nose? And with a thorn pierce his jaw?
3 Will he address you with a petition? softly, with the voice of a suppliant?
Doth he multiply unto thee supplications? Doth he speak unto thee tender things?
4 And will he make a covenant with you? and will you take him for a perpetual servant?
Doth he make a covenant with thee? Dost thou take him for a servant age-during?
5 And will you play with him as with a bird? or bind him as a sparrow for a child?
Dost thou play with him as a bird? And dost thou bind him for thy damsels?
6 And do the nations feed upon him, and the nations of the Phoenicians share him?
(Feast upon him do companions, They divide him among the merchants!)
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.
Dost thou fill with barbed irons his skin? And with fish-spears his head?
8 But you shall lay your hand upon him [once], remembering the war that is waged by his mouth; and let it not be done any more.
Place on him thy hand, Remember the battle — do not add!
9 Hast you not seen him? and have you not wondered at the things said [of him]?
Lo, the hope of him is found a liar, Also at his appearance is not one cast down?
10 Do you not fear because preparation has been made by me? for who is there that resists me?
None so fierce that he doth awake him, And who [is] he before Me stationeth himself?
11 Or who will resist me, and abide, since the whole [world] under heaven is mine?
Who hath brought before Me and I repay? Under the whole heavens it [is] mine.
12 I will not be silent because of him: though because of his power [one] shall pity his antagonist.
I do not keep silent concerning his parts, And the matter of might, And the grace of his arrangement.
13 Who will open the face of his garment? and who can enter within the fold of his breastplate?
Who hath uncovered the face of his clothing? Within his double bridle who doth enter?
14 Who will open the doors of his face? terror is round about his teeth.
The doors of his face who hath opened? Round about his teeth [are] terrible.
15 His inwards are as brazen plates, and the texture of his [skin] as a smyrite stone.
A pride — strong ones of shields, Shut up — a close seal.
16 One [part] cleaves fast to another, and the air can’t come between them.
One unto another they draw nigh, And air doth not enter between them.
17 They will remain united each to the other: they are closely joined, and can’t be separated.
One unto another they adhere, They stick together and are not separated.
18 At his sneezing a light shines, and his eyes are [as] the appearance of the morning star.
His sneezings cause light to shine, And his eyes [are] as the eyelids of the dawn.
19 Out of his mouth proceed as it were burning lamps, and as it were hearths of fire are cast abroad.
Out of his mouth do flames go, sparks of fire escape.
20 Out of his nostrils proceeds smoke of a furnace burning with fire of coals.
Out of his nostrils goeth forth smoke, As a blown pot and reeds.
21 His breath is [as] live coals, and a flame goes out of his mouth.
His breath setteth coals on fire, And a flame from his mouth goeth forth.
22 And power is lodged in his neck, before him destruction runs.
In his neck lodge doth strength, And before him doth grief exult.
23 The flesh also of his body is joined together: [if one] pours [violence] upon him, he shall not be moved.
The flakes of his flesh have adhered — Firm upon him — it is not moved.
24 His heart is firm as a stone, and it stands like an unyielding anvil.
His heart [is] firm as a stone, Yea, firm as the lower piece.
25 And when he turns, [he is] a terror to the four-footed wild beasts which leap upon the earth.
From his rising are the mighty afraid, From breakings they keep themselves free.
26 If spears should come against him, [men] will effect nothing, [either with] the spear or the breast-plate.
The sword of his overtaker standeth not, Spear — dart — and lance.
27 For he considers iron as chaff, and brass as rotten wood.
He reckoneth iron as straw, brass as rotten wood.
28 The bow of brass shall not would him, he deems a slinger as grass.
The son of the bow doth not cause him to flee, Turned by him into stubble are stones of the sling.
29 Mauls are counted as stubble; and he laughs to scorn the waving of the firebrand.
As stubble have darts been reckoned, And he laugheth at the shaking of a javelin.
30 His lair is [formed of] sharp points; and all the gold of the sea under him is an immense [quantity of] clay.
Under him [are] sharp points of clay, He spreadeth gold on the mire.
31 He makes the deep boil like a brazen cauldron; and he regards the sea as a pot of ointment,
He causeth to boil as a pot the deep, The sea he maketh as a pot of ointment.
32 and the lowest part of the deep as a captive: he reckons the deep as [his] range.
After him he causeth a path to shine, One thinketh the deep to be hoary.
33 There is nothing upon the earth like to him, formed to be sported with by my angels.
There is not on the earth his like, That is made without terror.
34 He beholds every high thing: and he is king of all that are in the waters.
Every high thing he doth see, He [is] king over all sons of pride.
