Job 41
1 But will you catch the serpent with a hook, and put a halter about his nose?
Tireras-tu Léviathan avec un hameçon, et lui serreras-tu la langue avec une corde?
2 Or will you fasten a ring in his nostril, and bore his lip with a clasp?
Lui passeras-tu un jonc dans les narines, et lui perceras-tu la mâchoire avec un anneau?
3 Will he address you with a petition? softly, with the voice of a suppliant?
T'adressera-t-il d'ardentes prières, te dira-t-il de douces paroles?
4 And will he make a covenant with you? and will you take him for a perpetual servant?
Fera-t-il une alliance avec toi, le prendras-tu toujours à ton service?
5 And will you play with him as with a bird? or bind him as a sparrow for a child?
Joueras-tu avec lui comme avec un passereau, l'attacheras-tu pour amuser tes filles?
6 And do the nations feed upon him, and the nations of the Phoenicians share him?
Les pêcheurs associés en font-ils le commerce, le partagent-ils entre les marchands?
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.
Cribleras-tu sa peau de dards, perceras-tu sa tête du harpon?
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.
Essaie de mettre la main sur lui: souviens-toi du combat, et tu n'y reviendras plus.
9 Hast you not seen him? and have you not wondered at the things said [of him]?
Voici que le chasseur est trompé dans son attente; la vue du monstre suffit à le terrasser.
10 Do you not fear because preparation has been made by me? for who is there that resists me?
Nul n'est assez hardi pour provoquer Léviathan: qui donc oserait me résister en face?
11 Or who will resist me, and abide, since the whole [world] under heaven is mine?
Qui m'a obligé, pour que j'aie à lui rendre? Tout ce qui est sous le ciel est à moi.
12 I will not be silent because of him: though because of his power [one] shall pity his antagonist.
Je ne veux pas taire ses membres, sa force, l'harmonie de sa structure.
13 Who will open the face of his garment? and who can enter within the fold of his breastplate?
Qui jamais a soulevé le bord de sa cuirasse? Qui a franchi la double ligne de son râtelier?
14 Who will open the doors of his face? terror is round about his teeth.
Qui a ouvert les portes de sa gueule? Autour de ses dents habite la terreur.
15 His inwards are as brazen plates, and the texture of his [skin] as a smyrite stone.
Superbes sont les lignes de ses écailles, comme des sceaux étroitement serrés.
16 One [part] cleaves fast to another, and the air can’t come between them.
Chacune touche sa voisine; un souffle ne passerait pas entre elles.
17 They will remain united each to the other: they are closely joined, and can’t be separated.
Elles adhèrent l'une à l'autre, elles sont jointes et ne sauraient se séparer.
18 At his sneezing a light shines, and his eyes are [as] the appearance of the morning star.
Ses éternuements font jaillir la lumière, ses yeux sont comme les paupières de l'aurore.
19 Out of his mouth proceed as it were burning lamps, and as it were hearths of fire are cast abroad.
Des flammes jaillissent de sa gueule, il s'en échappe des étincelles de feu.
20 Out of his nostrils proceeds smoke of a furnace burning with fire of coals.
Une fumée sort de ses narines, comme d'une chaudière ardente et bouillante.
21 His breath is [as] live coals, and a flame goes out of his mouth.
Son souffle allume les charbons, de sa bouche s'élance la flamme.
22 And power is lodged in his neck, before him destruction runs.
Dans son cou réside la force, devant lui bondit l'épouvante.
23 The flesh also of his body is joined together: [if one] pours [violence] upon him, he shall not be moved.
Les muscles de sa chair tiennent ensemble; fondus sur lui, inébranlables.
24 His heart is firm as a stone, and it stands like an unyielding anvil.
Son cœur est dur comme la pierre, dur comme la meule inférieure.
25 And when he turns, [he is] a terror to the four-footed wild beasts which leap upon the earth.
Quand il se lève, les plus braves ont peur, l'épouvante les fait défaillir.
26 If spears should come against him, [men] will effect nothing, [either with] the spear or the breast-plate.
Qu'on l'attaque avec l'épée, l'épée ne résiste pas, ni la lance, ni le javelot, ni la flèche.
27 For he considers iron as chaff, and brass as rotten wood.
Il tient le fer pour de la paille, l'airain comme un bois vermoulu.
28 The bow of brass shall not would him, he deems a slinger as grass.
La fille de l'arc ne le fait pas fuir, les pierres de la fronde sont pour lui un fétu;
29 Mauls are counted as stubble; and he laughs to scorn the waving of the firebrand.
la massue, un brin de chaume; il se rit du fracas des piques.
30 His lair is [formed of] sharp points; and all the gold of the sea under him is an immense [quantity of] clay.
Sous son ventre sont des tessons aigus: on dirait une herse qu'il étend sur le limon.
31 He makes the deep boil like a brazen caldron; and he regards the sea as a pot of ointment,
Il fait bouillonner l'abîme comme une chaudière, il fait de la mer un vase de parfums.
32 and the lowest part of the deep as a captive: he reckons the deep as [his] range.
Il laisse après lui un sillage de lumière, on dirait que l'abîme a des cheveux blancs.
33 There is nothing upon the earth like to him, formed to be sported with by my angels.
Il n'a pas son égal sur la terre, il a été créé pour ne rien craindre.
34 He beholds every high thing: and he is king of all that are in the waters.
Il regarde en face tout ce qui est élevé, il est le roi des plus fiers animaux.
