Job 41
1 Canst thou draw out the crocodile with a fishhook? or cause his tongue to sink into the batted rope?
But will you catch the serpent with a hook, and put a halter about his nose?
2 Canst thou put a reed through his nose? or bore his jaw through with a thorn?
Or will you fasten a ring in his nostril, and bore his lip with a clasp?
3 Will he address many supplications unto thee? or will he speak submissively unto thee?
Will he address you with a petition? softly, with the voice of a suppliant?
4 Will he make a covenant with thee? that thou couldst take him as a servant for ever?
And will he make a covenant with you? and will you take him for a perpetual servant?
5 Canst thou play with him as with a bird? and tie him up for thy maidens?
And will you play with him as with a bird? or bind him as a sparrow for a child?
6 Can companions waylay him? can they divide him among merchants?
And do the nations feed upon him, and the nations of the Phoenicians share him?
7 Canst thou fill his skin with barbed irons? and [pierce] with a fish-spear his head?
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.
8 Lay thy hand upon him; think of the battle: thou wilt never do it again.
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.
9 Behold, his expectation was deceived: even at his mere sight is he cast down.
Hast you not seen him? and have you not wondered at the things said [of him]?
10 None is so daring that he would stir him up: and who is there that will stand up before me?
Do you not fear because preparation has been made by me? for who is there that resists me?
11 Who hath shown me favor, that I should repay him! whatsoever is under the whole heaven is mine.—
Or who will resist me, and abide, since the whole [world] under heaven is mine?
12 I will not conceal [the account of] his limbs, nor the relation of his might, nor the grace of his proportion.
I will not be silent because of him: though because of his power [one] shall pity his antagonist.
13 Who hath ever laid open the front of his garment? or who can penetrate into his double row of teeth?
Who will open the face of his garment? and who can enter within the fold of his breastplate?
14 Who hath opened the doors of his face? all round about his teeth abideth terror.
Who will open the doors of his face? terror is round about his teeth.
15 What pride is there in [his] strong shields; he is locked up as with a close seal.
His inwards are as brazen plates, and the texture of his [skin] as a smyrite stone.
16 One is joined to another; and no breath can come between them.
One [part] cleaves fast to another, and the air can’t come between them.
17 They are fitted closely one to another: they are interlocked, that they cannot be severed.
They will remain united each to the other: they are closely joined, and can’t be separated.
18 From his sneezing there beameth forth a light, and his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning-dawn.
At his sneezing a light shines, and his eyes are [as] the appearance of the morning star.
19 Out of his mouth issue burning torches, sparks of fire escape [therefrom].
Out of his mouth proceed as it were burning lamps, and as it were hearths of fire are cast abroad.
20 Out of his nostrils cometh forth smoke, as out of a seething pot or caldron.
Out of his nostrils proceeds smoke of a furnace burning with fire of coals.
21 His breath kindleth coals, and a flame cometh out of his mouth.
His breath is [as] live coals, and a flame goes out of his mouth.
22 In his neck abideth strength, and before him danceth terror joyfully.
And power is lodged in his neck, before him destruction runs.
23 The flakes of his flesh are fitted closely together: they are as molten metal on him, immovable.
The flesh also of his body is joined together: [if one] pours [violence] upon him, he shall not be moved.
24 His heart is firm like a stone: yea, as firm as the nether millstone.
His heart is firm as a stone, and it stands like an unyielding anvil.
25 At his lifting himself up the mighty are terrified: the waves also are lessened.
And when he turns, [he is] a terror to the four-footed wild beasts which leap upon the earth.
26 If one overtake him with the sword, it cannot hold; nor the spear, the dart, and armor.
If spears should come against him, [men] will effect nothing, [either with] the spear or the breast-plate.
27 He esteemeth iron as straw, [and] brass as rotten wood.
For he considers iron as chaff, and brass as rotten wood.
28 The child of the bow cannot make him flee: into stubble are slingstones changed unto him.
The bow of brass shall not would him, he deems a slinger as grass.
29 Clubs are esteemed as stubble, and he laugheth at the whirring of the lance.
Mauls are counted as stubble; and he laughs to scorn the waving of the firebrand.
30 Beneath him are sharp-pointed potsherds, he spreadeth out, [as it were, a] threshing-roller upon the mire.
His lair is [formed of] sharp points; and all the gold of the sea under him is an immense [quantity of] clay.
31 He causeth the deep to boil like a pot: he rendereth the sea like an apothecary's mixture.
He makes the deep boil like a brazen cauldron; and he regards the sea as a pot of ointment,
32 Behind him he causeth his pathway to shine, [so that] men esteem the deep to be hoary.
and the lowest part of the deep as a captive: he reckons the deep as [his] range.
33 There is none upon earth that ruleth over him, who is made to be without dread.
There is nothing upon the earth like to him, formed to be sported with by my angels.
34 He looketh upon all that is high: he is the king over all the ravenous beasts.
He beholds every high thing: and he is king of all that are in the waters.
