Job 41
1 Canst thou draw out the Crocodile with a fish-hook? Or, with a cord, canst thou fasten down his tongue?
But will you catch the serpent with a hook, and put a halter about his nose?
2 Wilt thou put a rush-cord on his nose? or, with a thorn, wilt thou pierce his jaw?
Or will you fasten a ring in his nostril, and bore his lip with a clasp?
3 Will he multiply unto thee supplications, or will he speak unto thee softly?
Will he address you with a petition? softly, with the voice of a suppliant?
4 Will he solemnise a covenant with thee? Wilt thou take him for a life-long servant?
And will he make a covenant with you? and will you take him for a perpetual servant?
5 Wilt thou sport with him, as with a little bird? Or wilt thou bind him, for thy maidens?
And will you play with him as with a bird? or bind him as a sparrow for a child?
6 Shall the companions bargain over him? or will they part him among the traders?
And do the nations feed upon him, and the nations of the Phoenicians share him?
7 Wilt thou fill, with darts, his skin? or, with fish-spears, 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 thou upon him thy hand, remember the battle—no more!
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 Lo! any hope of him, hath been found deceptive, Even at the sight of him, shall not one be overwhelmed?
Hast you not seen him? and have you not wondered at the things said [of him]?
10 None so bold, that he will rouse him! Who then is he that, before me, can stand?
Do you not fear because preparation has been made by me? for who is there that resists me?
11 Who hath forestalled me, that I may repay him? Under all the heavens, mine it is!
Or who will resist me, and abide, since the whole [world] under heaven is mine?
12 I will not pass by in silence his parts, or the matter of strength, or the grace of his armour.
I will not be silent because of him: though because of his power [one] shall pity his antagonist.
13 Who hath removed his outer garment, through his double row of teeth, who would enter?
Who will open the face of his garment? and who can enter within the fold of his breastplate?
14 The doors of his face, who hath opened? The circles of his teeth, are a terror!
Who will open the doors of his face? terror is round about his teeth.
15 A pride, are his arched sides, closed up, with a firm seal;
His inwards are as brazen plates, and the texture of his [skin] as a smyrite stone.
16 One to another, they join, and, air, cannot enter between them;
One [part] cleaves fast to another, and the air can’t come between them.
17 Each to its fellow, they cleave, they grasp each other, and cannot be parted;
They will remain united each to the other: they are closely joined, and can’t be separated.
18 His sneezings, flash forth light, and, his eyes, are like the eyelashes of the dawn;
At his sneezing a light shines, and his eyes are [as] the appearance of the morning star.
19 Out of his mouth, torches dart forth, 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 Out of his nostrils, proceedeth smoke, like a blown pot and rushes;
Out of his nostrils proceeds smoke of a furnace burning with fire of coals.
21 His breath, setteth coals ablaze, and, a flame, out of his mouth, proceedeth;
His breath is [as] live coals, and a flame goes out of his mouth.
22 In his neck, lodgeth strength, and, before him, danceth dismay;
And power is lodged in his neck, before him destruction runs.
23 The dewlaps of his flesh, cleave together, hardened upon him, they cannot be 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 hardened like a stone, yea hardened, like the nether millstone;
His heart is firm as a stone, and it stands like an unyielding anvil.
25 At his rising up, mighty men are afraid, by reason of terror, they are beside themselves:
And when he turns, [he is] a terror to the four-footed wild beasts which leap upon the earth.
26 As for him that assaileth him, the sword availeth not, spear, dart, or coat of mail:
If spears should come against him, [men] will effect nothing, [either with] the spear or the breast-plate.
27 He counteth iron as broken straw, and bronze as rotten wood:
For he considers iron as chaff, and brass as rotten wood.
28 The arrow, will not make him flee, Into chaff, are sling-stones changed by him:
The bow of brass shall not would him, he deems a slinger as grass.
29 As a straw, is a club accounted, and he laugheth at the whir of the javelin;
Mauls are counted as stubble; and he laughs to scorn the waving of the firebrand.
30 His underparts, are points of potsherd, a pointed threshing roller spreadeth out upon the slime:
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 to boil, as a cauldron, the raging deep, the sea, he maketh like a brewing vessel:
He makes the deep boil like a brazen cauldron; and he regards the sea as a pot of ointment,
32 After him, he lighteth up a path, one might think the resounding 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—upon the dust—his like, that hath been made to be without fear;
There is nothing upon the earth like to him, formed to be sported with by my angels.
34 Every thing lofty, he beholdeth, he, is king over all ravenous beasts.
He beholds every high thing: and he is king of all that are in the waters.
