Job 41
1 But will you catch the serpent with a hook, and put a halter about his nose?
Tireras-tu le Léviathan avec un hameçon? Lui feras-tu baisser la langue avec la ligne?
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, lui perceras-tu la mâchoire avec un crochet?
3 Will he address you with a petition? softly, with the voice of a suppliant?
Te prodiguera-t-il ses prières? Ou t’adressera-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 un pacte avec toi? L’Engageras-tu comme un esclave perpétuel?
5 And will you play with him as with a bird? or bind him as a sparrow for a child?
Te servira-t-il de jouet comme un passereau? L’Attacheras-tu pour amuser tes jeunes filles?
6 And do the nations feed upon him, and the nations of the Phoenicians share him?
Les pêcheurs associés en feront-ils le commerce? Le débiteront-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 et sa tête de harpons barbelés?
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.
Pose seulement ta main sur lui: tu te souviendras de ce combat et ne recommenceras plus!
9 Hast you not seen him? and have you not wondered at the things said [of him]?
Vois, espérer la victoire est une illusion: à son seul aspect, n’est-on pas terrassé?
10 Do you not fear because preparation has been made by me? for who is there that resists me?
Personne n’est assez téméraire pour l’exciter: qui donc oserait me tenir tête, à moi?
11 Or who will resist me, and abide, since the whole [world] under heaven is mine?
Qui m’a rendu un service que j’aie à payer de retour? 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 passerai pas sous silence ses membres, le détail de ses exploits, la beauté de sa structure.
13 Who will open the face of his garment? and who can enter within the fold of his breastplate?
Qui a soulevé le dessous de son vêtement? Qui a pénétré dans la double rangée de sa denture?
14 Who will open the doors of his face? terror is round about his teeth.
Qui a ouvert les battants de sa gueule? La terreur habite autour de ses dents.
15 His inwards are as brazen plates, and the texture of his [skin] as a smyrite stone.
Imposantes sont les lignes d’écailles qui lui servent de boucliers et pressées comme un sceau qui adhère fortement.
16 One [part] cleaves fast to another, and the air can’t come between them.
Elles se touchent de près, l’air ne pénètre pas entre elles.
17 They will remain united each to the other: they are closely joined, and can’t be separated.
L’Une est serrée contre l’autre; elles tiennent ensemble sans aucun interstice.
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.
De sa bouche partent des flammes, s’échappent des étincelles de feu.
20 Out of his nostrils proceeds smoke of a furnace burning with fire of coals.
De ses naseaux sort la fumée, comme d’une marmite bouillante chauffée aux roseaux.
21 His breath is [as] live coals, and a flame goes out of his mouth.
Son haleine allume les charbons, de sa gueule sort une flamme.
22 And power is lodged in his neck, before him destruction runs.
Dans son cou la force réside, devant lui bondit la terreur.
23 The flesh also of his body is joined together: [if one] pours [violence] upon him, he shall not be moved.
Les fanons de sa chair sont adhérents, soudés sur lui sans ballotter.
24 His heart is firm as a stone, and it stands like an unyielding anvil.
Son cœur est massif comme une pierre, solide comme la meule de dessous.
25 And when he turns, [he is] a terror to the four-footed wild beasts which leap upon the earth.
Quand il se dresse, les plus vaillants tremblent et se dérobent sous le coup de l’épouvante.
26 If spears should come against him, [men] will effect nothing, [either with] the spear or the breast-plate.
L’Attaque-t-on avec l’épée, elle n’a point de prise sur lui, pas plus que lance, javelot ou cuirasse.
27 For he considers iron as chaff, and brass as rotten wood.
Pour lui, le fer est comme de la paille, l’airain comme du bois pourri.
28 The bow of brass shall not would him, he deems a slinger as grass.
Le fils de l’arc ne le met pas en fuite, les pierres de la fronde se changent pour lui en chaume.
29 Mauls are counted as stubble; and he laughs to scorn the waving of the firebrand.
Comme du chaume aussi lui paraît la massue, il se rit du sifflement des dards.
30 His lair is [formed of] sharp points; and all the gold of the sea under him is an immense [quantity of] clay.
Son ventre est garni de tessons pointus, il promène comme une herse 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 les profondeurs comme une chaudière; il rend la mer semblable à un bassin d’onguents.
32 and the lowest part of the deep as a captive: he reckons the deep as [his] range.
Le sillage qu’il laisse derrière lui est lumineux: on dirait que les vagues ont la blancheur de la vieillesse.
33 There is nothing upon the earth like to him, formed to be sported with by my angels.
Il n’a pas son pareil sur la terre, lui qui est fait pour ne rien craindre.
34 He beholds every high thing: and he is king of all that are in the waters.
Il regarde avec dédain tout ce qui est élevé: il est le roi de tous les fauves altiers.
