Job 41
1 “[Think also about] (crocodiles/great sea dragons). Can you catch them with a fishhook or fasten their jaws with a rope?
Canst thou draw out the leviathan with a hook, or canst thou tie his tongue with a cord?
2 Can you put ropes through their noses [to control them] or thrust hooks through their jaws?
Canst thou put a ring in his nose, or bore through his jaw with a buckle?
3 Will they plead with you to act mercifully toward them or (use sweet talk/speak to you nicely) [in order that you will not harm them]?
Will he make many supplications to thee, or speak soft words to thee?
4 Will they make an agreement with you to work for you, to be your slaves as long as they live?
Will he make a covenant with thee, and wilt thou take him to be a servant for ever?
5 Can you cause them to become pets like you cause birds to become your pets? Can you put a leash/rope around their [necks] so that your servant girls [can play with them]?
Shalt thou play with him as with a bird, or tie him up for thy handmaids?
6 Will merchants try to buy them [in the market]? Will they cut them up into pieces and sell the meat?
Shall friends cut him in pieces, shall merchants divide him?
7 Can you pierce their skins by throwing fishing spears at them? Can you pierce their heads with a harpoon?
Wilt thou fill nets with his skin, and the cabins of fishes with his head?
8 If you grab one of them with your hands, it will fight you in a way that you will never forget, and you will never try to do it again!
Lay thy hand upon him: remember the battle, and speak no more.
9 It is useless to try to subdue them. Anyone who tries to subdue one of them will lose his courage.
Behold his hope shall fail him, and in the sight of all he shall be cast down.
10 No one dares/tries to (arouse them/cause them to be angry). So, [since I am much more powerful than they are, ] (who would dare to cause me to be angry?/no one would dare to cause me to be angry!) [RHQ]
I will not stir him up, like one that is cruel: for who can resist my countenance?
11 Also, everything on the earth is mine. Therefore, no one [RHQ] is able to give anything to me and require me to pay [money] for it!
Who hath given me before that I should repay him? All things that are under heaven are mine.
12 I will tell you about [how strong] crocodiles' legs [are] and how strong their well-formed bodies are.
I will not spare him, nor his mighty words, and framed to make supplication.
13 (Can anyone strip off their hides?/No one is able to strip off their hides.) [RHQ] (Can anyone try to put bridles on them?/No one can try to put bridles on them.) [RHQ] (OR, Can anyone pierce their very thick hides?)
Who can discover the face of his garment? or who can go into the midst of his mouth?
14 (Can anyone pry open their jaws, which have terrible teeth in them?/No one can pry open their jaws, which have terrible teeth in them!) [RHQ]
Who can open the doors of his face? his teeth are terrible round about.
15 They have rows of scales on their back which are as hard as a rock (OR, tightly fastened together).
His body is like molten shields, shut close up with scales pressing upon one another.
16 The scales are very close together, with the result that not even air can get between them.
One is joined to another, and not so much as any air can come between them:
17 The scales are joined very closely to each other, and they cannot be separated.
They stick one to another and they hold one another fast, and shall not be separated.
18 When crocodiles sneeze, [the tiny drops of water that come out of their noses] sparkle in the sunlight. Their eyes are red like the rising sun.
His sneezing is like the shining of fire, and his eyes like the eyelids of the morning.
19 [It is as though] sparks of fire pour out of their mouths [DOU].
Out of his mouth go forth lamps, like torches of lighted fire.
20 Smoke pours out of their nostrils/noses like steam comes out of a pot that is put over a fire made from dry reeds.
Out of his nostrils goeth smoke, like that of a pot heated and boiling.
21 Their breath can cause coals to blaze, and flames shoot out from their mouths.
His breath kindleth coals, and a flame cometh forth out of his mouth.
22 Their necks are very strong; wherever they go, they cause people to be very afraid.
In his neck strength shall dwell, and want goeth before his face.
23 The folds in their flesh are very close together and are very hard/firm.
The members of his flesh cleave one to another: he shall send lightnings against him, and they shall not be carried to another place.
24 [They are fearless, because] the inner parts of their bodies are as hard as a rock, as hard as the lower millstone [on which grain is ground].
His heart shall be as hard as a stone, and as firm as a smith’s anvil.
25 When they rise up, they cause [even] very strong people to be terrified. As a result, people (fall back/run away) when crocodiles thrash around.
When he shall raise him up, the angels shall fear, and being affrighted shall purify themselves.
26 [People] [PRS] cannot injure them with swords, and spears or darts or javelins cannot injure them, either.
When a sword shall lay at him, it shall not be able to hold, nor a spear, nor a breastplate.
27 They [certainly are not afraid of weapons made of] straw or rotten wood, but [they are not even afraid of weapons made of] iron or bronze!
For he shall esteem iron as straw, and brass as rotten wood.
28 [Shooting] arrows [at them] does not cause them to run away. [Hurling] stones at them from a sling is like [hurling] bits of chaff at them.
The archer shall not put him to flight, the stones of the sling are to him like stubble.
29 They are not afraid of clubs [any more than they would be afraid of men throwing] bits of straw [at them], and they laugh when they hear the whirl/sound of javelins [being thrown at them].
As stubble will he esteem the hammer, and he will laugh him to scorn who shaketh the spear.
30 Their bellies are covered with scales that are as sharp as broken pieces of pottery. When they drag themselves through the mud, their bellies tear up the ground like a plow.
The beams of the sun shall be under him, and he shall strew gold under him like mire.
31 They stir up the water and cause it to foam [as they churn/swim through it].
He shall make the deep sea to boil like a pot, and shall make it as when ointments boil.
32 As they go through the water, the (wakes/trails in the water behind them) glisten. People [who see it] would think that the foam in those wakes had become white hair.
A path shall shine after him, he shall esteem the deep as growing old.
33 There are no creatures on earth that are as fearless as crocodiles.
There is no power upon earth that can be compared with him who was made to fear no one.
34 They are the proudest of all the creatures; [it is as though] they [rule like] kings over all the other wild animals.”
He beholdeth every high thing, he is king over all the children of pride.
