< Job 41 >

1 Wilt thou draw out the leviathan with the hook, and press down his tongue with a cord?
“Can you pull in Leviathan with a hook or tie down his tongue with a rope?
2 Wilt thou put a rush-rope into his nose, and pierce his jaw with a spike?
Can you put a cord through his nose or pierce his jaw with a hook?
3 Will he make many supplications unto thee? or will he speak softly unto thee?
Will he beg you for mercy or speak to you softly?
4 Will he make a covenant with thee? wilt thou take him as a bondman for ever?
Will he make a covenant with you to take him as a slave for life?
5 Wilt thou play with him as with a bird, and wilt thou bind him for thy maidens?
Can you pet him like a bird or put him on a leash for your maidens?
6 Shall partners make traffic of him, will they divide him among merchants?
Will traders barter for him or divide him among the merchants?
7 Wilt thou fill his skin with darts, and his head with fish-spears?
Can you fill his hide with harpoons or his head with fishing spears?
8 Lay thy hand upon him; remember the battle, — do no more!
If you lay a hand on him, you will remember the battle and never repeat it!
9 Lo, hope as to him is belied: is not one cast down even at the sight of him?
Surely hope of overcoming him is false. Is not the sight of him overwhelming?
10 None is so bold as to stir him up; and who is he that will stand before me?
No one is so fierce as to rouse Leviathan. Then who is able to stand against Me?
11 Who hath first given to me, that I should repay [him]? [Whatsoever is] under the whole heaven is mine.
Who has given to Me that I should repay him? Everything under heaven is Mine.
12 I will not be silent as to his parts, the story of his power, and the beauty of his structure.
I cannot keep silent about his limbs, his power and graceful form.
13 Who can uncover the surface of his garment? who can come within his double jaws?
Who can strip off his outer coat? Who can approach him with a bridle?
14 Who can open the doors of his face? Round about his teeth is terror.
Who can open his jaws, ringed by his fearsome teeth?
15 The rows of his shields are a pride, shut up together [as with] a close seal.
His rows of scales are his pride, tightly sealed together.
16 One is so near to another that no air can come between them;
One scale is so near to another that no air can pass between them.
17 They are joined each to its fellow; they stick together, and cannot be sundered.
They are joined to one another; they clasp and cannot be separated.
18 His sneezings flash light, and his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning.
His snorting flashes with light, and his eyes are like the rays of dawn.
19 Out of his mouth go forth flames; sparks of fire leap out:
Firebrands stream from his mouth; fiery sparks shoot forth!
20 Out of his nostrils goeth smoke, as out of a boiling pot and cauldron.
Smoke billows from his nostrils as from a boiling pot over burning reeds.
21 His breath kindleth coals, and a flame goeth out of his mouth.
His breath sets coals ablaze, and flames pour from his mouth.
22 In his neck lodgeth strength, and terror danceth before him.
Strength resides in his neck, and dismay leaps before him.
23 The flakes of his flesh are joined together: they are fused upon him, they cannot be moved.
The folds of his flesh are tightly joined; they are firm and immovable.
24 His heart is firm as a stone, yea, firm as the nether [millstone].
His chest is as hard as a rock, as hard as a lower millstone!
25 When he raiseth himself up, the mighty are afraid: they are beside themselves with consternation.
When Leviathan rises up, the mighty are terrified; they withdraw before his thrashing.
26 If any reach him with a sword, it cannot hold; neither spear, nor dart, nor harpoon.
The sword that reaches him has no effect, nor does the spear or dart or arrow.
27 He esteemeth iron as straw, bronze as rotten wood.
He regards iron as straw and bronze as rotten wood.
28 The arrow will not make him flee; slingstones are turned with him into stubble.
No arrow can make him flee; slingstones become like chaff to him.
29 Clubs are counted as stubble; he laugheth at the shaking of a javelin.
A club is regarded as straw, and he laughs at the sound of the lance.
30 His under parts are sharp potsherds: he spreadeth a threshing-sledge upon the mire.
His undersides are jagged potsherds, spreading out the mud like a threshing sledge.
31 He maketh the deep to boil like a pot; he maketh the sea like a pot of ointment;
He makes the depths seethe like a cauldron; he makes the sea like a jar of ointment.
32 He maketh the path to shine after him: one would think the deep to be hoary.
He leaves a glistening wake behind him; one would think the deep had white hair!
33 Upon earth there is not his like, who is made without fear.
Nothing on earth is his equal— a creature devoid of fear!
34 He beholdeth all high things; he is king over all the proud beasts.
He looks down on all the haughty; he is king over all the proud.”

< Job 41 >