Job 41
1 Canst thou draw out the crocodile with a fishhook? or cause his tongue to sink into the batted rope?
Can you draw out leviathan with an hook? or his tongue with a cord which you let down?
2 Canst thou put a reed through his nose? or bore his jaw through with a thorn?
Can you put an hook into his nose? or bore his jaw through with a thorn?
3 Will he address many supplications unto thee? or will he speak submissively unto thee?
Will he make many supplications to you? will he speak soft words to you?
4 Will he make a covenant with thee? that thou couldst take him as a servant for ever?
Will he make a covenant with you? will you take him for a servant for ever?
5 Canst thou play with him as with a bird? and tie him up for thy maidens?
Will you play with him as with a bird? or will you bind him for your maidens?
6 Can companions waylay him? can they divide him among merchants?
Shall the companions make a banquet of him? shall they part him among the merchants?
7 Canst thou fill his skin with barbed irons? and [pierce] with a fish-spear his head?
Can you fill his skin with barbed irons? or his head with fish spears?
8 Lay thy hand upon him; think of the battle: thou wilt never do it again.
Lay your hand on him, remember the battle, do no more.
9 Behold, his expectation was deceived: even at his mere sight is he cast down.
Behold, the hope of him is in vain: shall not one be cast down even at the sight of him?
10 None is so daring that he would stir him up: and who is there that will stand up before me?
None is so fierce that dare stir him up: who then is able to stand before me?
11 Who hath shown me favor, that I should repay him! whatsoever is under the whole heaven is mine.—
Who has prevented me, that I should repay him? whatever is under the whole 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 conceal his parts, nor his power, nor his comely proportion.
13 Who hath ever laid open the front of his garment? or who can penetrate into his double row of teeth?
Who can discover the face of his garment? or who can come to him with his double bridle?
14 Who hath opened the doors of his face? all round about his teeth abideth terror.
Who can open the doors of his face? his teeth are terrible round about.
15 What pride is there in [his] strong shields; he is locked up as with a close seal.
His scales are his pride, shut up together as with a close seal.
16 One is joined to another; and no breath can come between them.
One is so near to another, that no air can come between them.
17 They are fitted closely one to another: they are interlocked, that they cannot be severed.
They are joined one to another, they stick together, that they cannot be sundered.
18 From his sneezing there beameth forth a light, and his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning-dawn.
By his neesings a light does shine, and his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning.
19 Out of his mouth issue burning torches, sparks of fire escape [therefrom].
Out of his mouth go burning lamps, and sparks of fire leap out.
20 Out of his nostrils cometh forth smoke, as out of a seething pot or caldron.
Out of his nostrils goes smoke, as out of a seething pot or caldron.
21 His breath kindleth coals, and a flame cometh out of his mouth.
His breath kindles coals, and a flame goes out of his mouth.
22 In his neck abideth strength, and before him danceth terror joyfully.
In his neck remains strength, and sorrow is turned into joy before him.
23 The flakes of his flesh are fitted closely together: they are as molten metal on him, immovable.
The flakes of his flesh are joined together: they are firm in themselves; they cannot be moved.
24 His heart is firm like a stone: yea, as firm as the nether millstone.
His heart is as firm as a stone; yes, as hard as a piece of the nether millstone.
25 At his lifting himself up the mighty are terrified: the waves also are lessened.
When he raises up himself, the mighty are afraid: by reason of breakings they purify themselves.
26 If one overtake him with the sword, it cannot hold; nor the spear, the dart, and armor.
The sword of him that lays at him cannot hold: the spear, the dart, nor the habergeon.
27 He esteemeth iron as straw, [and] brass as rotten wood.
He esteems iron as straw, and brass as rotten wood.
28 The child of the bow cannot make him flee: into stubble are slingstones changed unto him.
The arrow cannot make him flee: sling stones are turned with him into stubble.
29 Clubs are esteemed as stubble, and he laugheth at the whirring of the lance.
Darts are counted as stubble: he laughs at the shaking of a spear.
30 Beneath him are sharp-pointed potsherds, he spreadeth out, [as it were, a] threshing-roller upon the mire.
Sharp stones are under him: he spreads sharp pointed things on the mire.
31 He causeth the deep to boil like a pot: he rendereth the sea like an apothecary's mixture.
He makes the deep to boil like a pot: he makes the sea like a pot of ointment.
32 Behind him he causeth his pathway to shine, [so that] men esteem the deep to be hoary.
He makes a path to shine after him; one would think the deep to be hoary.
33 There is none upon earth that ruleth over him, who is made to be without dread.
On earth there is not his like, who is made without fear.
34 He looketh upon all that is high: he is the king over all the ravenous beasts.
He beholds all high things: he is a king over all the children of pride.
