Job 41
1 But will you catch the serpent with a hook, and put a halter about his nose?
Canst thou draw out leviathan with a fish-hook? or press down his tongue with a cord?
2 Or will you fasten a ring in his nostril, and bore his lip with a clasp?
Canst thou put a ring into his nose? or bore his jaw through with a hook?
3 Will he address you with a petition? softly, with the voice of a suppliant?
Will he make many supplications unto thee? or will he speak soft words unto thee?
4 And will he make a covenant with you? and will you take him for a perpetual servant?
Will he make a covenant with thee, that thou shouldest take him for a servant for ever?
5 And will you play with him as with a bird? or bind him as a sparrow for a child?
Wilt thou play with him as with a bird? Or wilt thou bind him for thy maidens?
6 And do the nations feed upon him, and the nations of the Phoenicians share him?
Will the bands of fishermen make a banquet of him? Will they part 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.
Canst thou fill his skin with barbed irons? or his head with fish-spears?
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.
Lay thy hand upon him; think upon the battle, thou wilt do so no more.
9 Hast you not seen him? and have you not wondered at the things said [of him]?
Behold, the hope of him is in vain; shall not one be cast down even at the sight of him?
10 Do you not fear because preparation has been made by me? for who is there that resists me?
None is so fierce that dare stir him up; who then is able to stand before Me?
11 Or who will resist me, and abide, since the whole [world] under heaven is mine?
Who hath given Me anything beforehand, that I should repay him? Whatsoever is under the whole heaven is Mine.
12 I will not be silent because of him: though because of his power [one] shall pity his antagonist.
Would I keep silence concerning his boastings, or his proud talk, or his fair array of words?
13 Who will open the face of his garment? and who can enter within the fold of his breastplate?
Who can uncover the face of his garment? Who shall come within his double bridle?
14 Who will open the doors of his face? terror is round about his teeth.
Who can open the doors of his face? Round about his teeth is terror.
15 His inwards are as brazen plates, and the texture of his [skin] as a smyrite stone.
His scales are his pride, shut up together as with a close seal.
16 One [part] cleaves fast to another, and the air can’t come between them.
One is so near to another, that no air can come between them.
17 They will remain united each to the other: they are closely joined, and can’t be separated.
They are joined one to another; they stick together, that they cannot be sundered.
18 At his sneezing a light shines, and his eyes are [as] the appearance of the morning star.
His sneezings flash forth light, and his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning.
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 go burning torches, and sparks of fire leap forth.
20 Out of his nostrils proceeds smoke of a furnace burning with fire of coals.
Out of his nostrils goeth smoke, as out of a seething pot and burning rushes.
21 His breath is [as] live coals, and a flame goes out of his mouth.
His breath kindleth coals, and a flame goeth out of his mouth.
22 And power is lodged in his neck, before him destruction runs.
In his neck abideth strength, and dismay danceth before him.
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 are joined together; they are firm upon him; they cannot be moved.
24 His heart is firm as a stone, and it stands like an unyielding anvil.
His heart is as firm as a stone; yea, firm as the nether millstone.
25 And when he turns, [he is] a terror to the four-footed wild beasts which leap upon the earth.
When he raiseth himself up, the mighty are afraid; by reason of despair they are beside themselves.
26 If spears should come against him, [men] will effect nothing, [either with] the spear or the breast-plate.
If one lay at him with the sword, it will not hold; nor the spear, the dart, nor the pointed shaft.
27 For he considers iron as chaff, and brass as rotten wood.
He esteemeth iron as straw, and brass as rotten wood.
28 The bow of brass shall not would him, he deems a slinger as grass.
The arrow cannot make him flee; slingstones are turned with him into stubble.
29 Mauls are counted as stubble; and he laughs to scorn the waving of the firebrand.
Clubs are accounted as stubble; he laugheth at the rattling of the javelin.
30 His lair is [formed of] sharp points; and all the gold of the sea under him is an immense [quantity of] clay.
Sharpest potsherds are under him; he spreadeth a threshing-sledge upon the mire.
31 He makes the deep boil like a brazen caldron; and he regards the sea as a pot of ointment,
He maketh the deep to boil like a pot; he maketh the sea like a seething mixture.
32 and the lowest part of the deep as a captive: he reckons the deep as [his] range.
He maketh a path to shine after him; one would think the deep to be hoary.
33 There is nothing upon the earth like to him, formed to be sported with by my angels.
Upon earth there is not his like, who is made to be fearless.
34 He beholds every high thing: and he is king of all that are in the waters.
He looketh at all high things; he is king over all the proud beasts.
