< Job 41 >

1 Canst thou draw out leviathan with an hook? or his tongue with a cord which thou lettest down?
Canst thou draw out the Crocodile with a fish-hook? Or, with a cord, canst thou fasten down his tongue?
2 Canst thou put an hook into his nose? or bore his jaw through with a thorn?
Wilt thou put a rush-cord on his nose? or, with a thorn, wilt thou pierce his jaw?
3 Will he make many supplications unto thee? will he speak soft words unto thee?
Will he multiply unto thee supplications, or will he speak unto thee softly?
4 Will he make a covenant with thee? wilt thou take him for a servant for ever?
Will he solemnise a covenant with thee? Wilt thou take him for a life-long servant?
5 Wilt thou play with him as with a bird? or wilt thou bind him for thy maidens?
Wilt thou sport with him, as with a little bird? Or wilt thou bind him, for thy maidens?
6 Shall the companions make a banquet of him? shall they part him among the merchants?
Shall the companions bargain over him? or will they part him among the traders?
7 Canst thou fill his skin with barbed iron? or his head with fish spears?
Wilt thou fill, with darts, his skin? or, with fish-spears, his head?
8 Lay thine hand upon him, remember the battle, do no more.
Lay thou upon him thy hand, remember the battle—no more!
9 Behold, the hope of him is in vain: shall not one be cast down even at the sight of him?
Lo! any hope of him, hath been found deceptive, Even at the sight of him, shall not one be overwhelmed?
10 None is so fierce that dare stir him up: who then is able to stand before me?
None so bold, that he will rouse him! Who then is he that, before me, can stand?
11 Who hath prevented me, that I should repay him? whatsoever is under the whole heaven is mine.
Who hath forestalled me, that I may repay him? Under all the heavens, mine it is!
12 I will not conceal his parts, nor his power, nor his comely proportion.
I will not pass by in silence his parts, or the matter of strength, or the grace of his armour.
13 Who can discover the face of his garment? or who can come to him with his double bridle?
Who hath removed his outer garment, through his double row of teeth, who would enter?
14 Who can open the doors of his face? his teeth are terrible round about.
The doors of his face, who hath opened? The circles of his teeth, are a terror!
15 His scales are his pride, shut up together as with a close seal.
A pride, are his arched sides, closed up, with a firm seal;
16 One is so near to another, that no air can come between them.
One to another, they join, and, air, cannot enter between them;
17 They are joined one to another, they stick together, that they cannot be sundered.
Each to its fellow, they cleave, they grasp each other, and cannot be parted;
18 By his neesings a light doth shine, and his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning.
His sneezings, flash forth light, and, his eyes, are like the eyelashes of the dawn;
19 Out of his mouth go burning lamps, and sparks of fire leap out.
Out of his mouth, torches dart forth, sparks of fire, escape;
20 Out of his nostrils goeth smoke, as out of a seething pot or caldron.
Out of his nostrils, proceedeth smoke, like a blown pot and rushes;
21 His breath kindleth coals, and a flame goeth out of his mouth.
His breath, setteth coals ablaze, and, a flame, out of his mouth, proceedeth;
22 In his neck remaineth strength, and sorrow is turned into joy before him.
In his neck, lodgeth strength, and, before him, danceth dismay;
23 The flakes of his flesh are joined together: they are firm in themselves; they cannot be moved.
The dewlaps of his flesh, cleave together, hardened upon him, they cannot be moved;
24 His heart is as firm as a stone; yea, as hard as a piece of the nether millstone.
His heart, is hardened like a stone, yea hardened, like the nether millstone;
25 When he raiseth up himself, the mighty are afraid: by reason of breakings they purify themselves.
At his rising up, mighty men are afraid, by reason of terror, they are beside themselves:
26 The sword of him that layeth at him cannot hold: the spear, the dart, nor the habergeon.
As for him that assaileth him, the sword availeth not, spear, dart, or coat of mail:
27 He esteemeth iron as straw, and brass as rotten wood.
He counteth iron as broken straw, and bronze as rotten wood:
28 The arrow cannot make him flee: slingstones are turned with him into stubble.
The arrow, will not make him flee, Into chaff, are sling-stones changed by him:
29 Darts are counted as stubble: he laugheth at the shaking of a spear.
As a straw, is a club accounted, and he laugheth at the whir of the javelin;
30 Sharp stones are under him: he spreadeth sharp pointed things upon the mire.
His underparts, are points of potsherd, a pointed threshing roller spreadeth out upon the slime:
31 He maketh the deep to boil like a pot: he maketh the sea like a pot of ointment.
He causeth to boil, as a cauldron, the raging deep, the sea, he maketh like a brewing vessel:
32 He maketh a path to shine after him; one would think the deep to be hoary.
After him, he lighteth up a path, one might think the resounding deep to be hoary!
33 Upon earth there is not his like, who is made without fear.
There is not—upon the dust—his like, that hath been made to be without fear;
34 He beholdeth all high things: he is a king over all the children of pride.
Every thing lofty, he beholdeth, he, is king over all ravenous beasts.

< Job 41 >