Job 41
1 “Do you draw leviathan with a hook? And do you let down his tongue with a rope?
But will you catch the serpent with a hook, and put a halter about his nose?
2 Do you put a reed in his nose? And pierce his jaw with a thorn?
Or will you fasten a ring in his nostril, and bore his lip with a clasp?
3 Does he multiply supplications to you? Does he speak tender things to you?
Will he address you with a petition? softly, with the voice of a suppliant?
4 Does he make a covenant with you? Do you take him for a perpetual servant?
And will he make a covenant with you? and will you take him for a perpetual servant?
5 Do you play with him as a bird? And do you bind him for your girls?
And will you play with him as with a bird? or bind him as a sparrow for a child?
6 (Companions feast on him, They divide him among the merchants!)
And do the nations feed upon him, and the nations of the Phoenicians share him?
7 Do you fill his skin with barbed irons? And his head with fish-spears?
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 Place your hand on him, Remember the battle—do not add!
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, the hope of him is found a liar, Also, is one not cast down at his appearance?
Hast you not seen him? and have you not wondered at the things said [of him]?
10 None so fierce that he awakes him, And who [is] he [who] stations himself before Me?
Do you not fear because preparation has been made by me? for who is there that resists me?
11 Who has brought before Me and I repay? Under the whole heavens it [is] Mine.
Or who will resist me, and abide, since the whole [world] under heaven is mine?
12 I do not keep silent concerning his parts, And the matter of might, And the grace of his arrangement.
I will not be silent because of him: though because of his power [one] shall pity his antagonist.
13 Who has uncovered the face of his clothing? Who enters within his double bridle?
Who will open the face of his garment? and who can enter within the fold of his breastplate?
14 Who has opened the doors of his face? Around his teeth [are] terrible.
Who will open the doors of his face? terror is round about his teeth.
15 A pride—strong ones of shields, Shut up—a close seal.
His inwards are as brazen plates, and the texture of his [skin] as a smyrite stone.
16 They draw near to one another, And air does not enter between them.
One [part] cleaves fast to another, and the air can’t come between them.
17 They adhere to one another, They stick together and are not separated.
They will remain united each to the other: they are closely joined, and can’t be separated.
18 His sneezings cause light to shine, And his eyes [are] as the eyelids of the dawn.
At his sneezing a light shines, and his eyes are [as] the appearance of the morning star.
19 Flames go out of his mouth, sparks of fire escape.
Out of his mouth proceed as it were burning lamps, and as it were hearths of fire are cast abroad.
20 Smoke goes forth out of his nostrils, As a blown pot and reeds.
Out of his nostrils proceeds smoke of a furnace burning with fire of coals.
21 His breath sets coals on fire, And a flame goes forth from his mouth.
His breath is [as] live coals, and a flame goes out of his mouth.
22 Strength lodges in his neck, And grief exults before him.
And power is lodged in his neck, before him destruction runs.
23 The flakes of his flesh have adhered—Firm on him—it is not moved.
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 as a stone, Indeed, firm as the lower piece.
His heart is firm as a stone, and it stands like an unyielding anvil.
25 The mighty are afraid at his rising, From his breakings they keep themselves free.
And when he turns, [he is] a terror to the four-footed wild beasts which leap upon the earth.
26 The sword of his overtaker does not stand, Spear, dart, and breastplate.
If spears should come against him, [men] will effect nothing, [either with] the spear or the breast-plate.
27 He reckons iron as straw, bronze as rotten wood.
For he considers iron as chaff, and brass as rotten wood.
28 The son of the bow does not cause him to flee, Stones of the sling are turned into stubble by him.
The bow of brass shall not would him, he deems a slinger as grass.
29 Darts have been reckoned as stubble, And he laughs at the shaking of a javelin.
Mauls are counted as stubble; and he laughs to scorn the waving of the firebrand.
30 Sharp points of clay [are] under him, He spreads gold on 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 causes the deep to boil as a pot, He makes the sea as a pot of ointment.
He makes the deep boil like a brazen caldron; and he regards the sea as a pot of ointment,
32 He causes a path to shine after him, One thinks 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 not on the earth his like, That is made without terror.
There is nothing upon the earth like to him, formed to be sported with by my angels.
34 He sees every high thing, He [is] king over all sons of pride.”
He beholds every high thing: and he is king of all that are in the waters.
