Job 41
1 Wilt thou draw out the leviathan with the hook, and press down his tongue with a cord?
“Can you draw out Leviathan with a fish hook, or press down his tongue with a cord?
2 Wilt thou put a rush-rope into his nose, and pierce his jaw with a spike?
Can you put a rope into his nose, or pierce his jaw through with a hook?
3 Will he make many supplications unto thee? or will he speak softly unto thee?
Will he make many petitions to you, or will he speak soft words to you?
4 Will he make a covenant with thee? wilt thou take him as a bondman for ever?
Will he make a covenant with you, that you should take him for a servant forever?
5 Wilt thou play with him as with a bird, and wilt thou bind him for thy maidens?
Will you play with him as with a bird? Or will you bind him for your girls?
6 Shall partners make traffic of him, will they divide him among merchants?
Will traders barter for him? Will they part him among the merchants?
7 Wilt thou fill his skin with darts, and his head with fish-spears?
Can you fill his skin with barbed irons, or his head with fish spears?
8 Lay thy hand upon him; remember the battle, — do no more!
Lay your hand on him. Remember the battle, and do so no more.
9 Lo, hope as to him is belied: is not one cast down even at the sight of him?
Behold, the hope of him is in vain. Won’t one be cast down even at the sight of him?
10 None is so bold as to stir him up; and who is he that will stand before me?
None is so fierce that he dare stir him up. Who then is he who can stand before me?
11 Who hath first given to me, that I should repay [him]? [Whatsoever is] under the whole heaven is mine.
Who has first given to me, that I should repay him? Everything under the heavens is mine.
12 I will not be silent as to his parts, the story of his power, and the beauty of his structure.
“I will not keep silence concerning his limbs, nor his mighty strength, nor his goodly frame.
13 Who can uncover the surface of his garment? who can come within his double jaws?
Who can strip off his outer garment? Who will come within his jaws?
14 Who can open the doors of his face? Round about his teeth is terror.
Who can open the doors of his face? Around his teeth is terror.
15 The rows of his shields are a pride, shut up together [as with] a close seal.
Strong scales are his pride, shut up together with a close seal.
16 One is so near to another that no air can come between them;
One is so near to another, that no air can come between them.
17 They are joined each to its fellow; they stick together, and cannot be sundered.
They are joined to one another. They stick together, so that they can’t be pulled apart.
18 His sneezings flash light, and his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning.
His sneezing flashes out light. His eyes are like the eyelids of the morning.
19 Out of his mouth go forth flames; sparks of fire leap out:
Out of his mouth go burning torches. Sparks of fire leap out.
20 Out of his nostrils goeth smoke, as out of a boiling pot and cauldron.
Out of his nostrils a smoke goes, as of a boiling pot over a fire of reeds.
21 His breath kindleth coals, and a flame goeth out of his mouth.
His breath kindles coals. A flame goes out of his mouth.
22 In his neck lodgeth strength, and terror danceth before him.
There is strength in his neck. Terror dances before him.
23 The flakes of his flesh are joined together: they are fused upon him, they cannot be moved.
The flakes of his flesh are joined together. They are firm on him. They can’t be moved.
24 His heart is firm as a stone, yea, firm as the nether [millstone].
His heart is as firm as a stone, yes, firm as the lower millstone.
25 When he raiseth himself up, the mighty are afraid: they are beside themselves with consternation.
When he raises himself up, the mighty are afraid. They retreat before his thrashing.
26 If any reach him with a sword, it cannot hold; neither spear, nor dart, nor harpoon.
If one attacks him with the sword, it can’t prevail; nor the spear, the dart, nor the pointed shaft.
27 He esteemeth iron as straw, bronze as rotten wood.
He counts iron as straw, and bronze as rotten wood.
28 The arrow will not make him flee; slingstones are turned with him into stubble.
The arrow can’t make him flee. Sling stones are like chaff to him.
29 Clubs are counted as stubble; he laugheth at the shaking of a javelin.
Clubs are counted as stubble. He laughs at the rushing of the javelin.
30 His under parts are sharp potsherds: he spreadeth a threshing-sledge upon the mire.
His undersides are like sharp potsherds, leaving a trail in 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 deep to boil like a pot. He makes the sea like a pot of ointment.
32 He maketh the path to shine after him: one would think the deep to be hoary.
He makes a path shine after him. One would think the deep had white hair.
33 Upon earth there is not his like, who is made without fear.
On earth there is not his equal, that is made without fear.
34 He beholdeth all high things; he is king over all the proud beasts.
He sees everything that is high. He is king over all the sons of pride.”
