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 crocodile with a fishhook? or cause his tongue to sink into the batted rope?
2 Can you put ropes through their noses [to control them] or thrust hooks through their jaws?
Canst thou put a reed through his nose? or bore his jaw through with a thorn?
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 address many supplications unto thee? or will he speak submissively unto 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? that thou couldst take him as 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]?
Canst thou play with him as with a bird? and tie him up for thy maidens?
6 Will merchants try to buy them [in the market]? Will they cut them up into pieces and sell the meat?
Can companions waylay him? can they divide him among merchants?
7 Can you pierce their skins by throwing fishing spears at them? Can you pierce their heads with a harpoon?
Canst thou fill his skin with barbed irons? and [pierce] with a fish-spear 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; think of the battle: thou wilt never do it again.
9 It is useless to try to subdue them. Anyone who tries to subdue one of them will lose his courage.
Behold, his expectation was deceived: even at his mere sight is he 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]
None is so daring that he would stir him up: and who is there that will stand up before me?
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 shown me favor, that I should repay him! whatsoever is under the whole heaven is mine.—
12 I will tell you about [how strong] crocodiles' legs [are] and how strong their well-formed bodies are.
I will not conceal [the account of] his limbs, nor the relation of his might, nor the grace of his proportion.
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 hath ever laid open the front of his garment? or who can penetrate into his double row of teeth?
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 hath opened the doors of his face? all round about his teeth abideth terror.
15 They have rows of scales on their back which are as hard as a rock (OR, tightly fastened together).
What pride is there in [his] strong shields; he is locked up as with a close seal.
16 The scales are very close together, with the result that not even air can get between them.
One is joined to another; and no breath can come between them.
17 The scales are joined very closely to each other, and they cannot be separated.
They are fitted closely one to another: they are interlocked, that they cannot be severed.
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.
From his sneezing there beameth forth a light, and his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning-dawn.
19 [It is as though] sparks of fire pour out of their mouths [DOU].
Out of his mouth issue burning torches, sparks of fire escape [therefrom].
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 cometh forth smoke, as out of a seething pot or caldron.
21 Their breath can cause coals to blaze, and flames shoot out from their mouths.
His breath kindleth coals, and a flame cometh out of his mouth.
22 Their necks are very strong; wherever they go, they cause people to be very afraid.
In his neck abideth strength, and before him danceth terror joyfully.
23 The folds in their flesh are very close together and are very hard/firm.
The flakes of his flesh are fitted closely together: they are as molten metal on him, immovable.
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 is firm like a stone: yea, as firm as the nether millstone.
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.
At his lifting himself up the mighty are terrified: the waves also are lessened.
26 [People] [PRS] cannot injure them with swords, and spears or darts or javelins cannot injure them, either.
If one overtake him with the sword, it cannot hold; nor the spear, the dart, and armor.
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!
He esteemeth 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 child of the bow cannot make him flee: into stubble are slingstones changed unto him.
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].
Clubs are esteemed as stubble, and he laugheth at the whirring of the lance.
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.
Beneath him are sharp-pointed potsherds, he spreadeth out, [as it were, a] threshing-roller upon the mire.
31 They stir up the water and cause it to foam [as they churn/swim through it].
He causeth the deep to boil like a pot: he rendereth the sea like an apothecary's mixture.
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.
Behind him he causeth his pathway to shine, [so that] men esteem the deep to be hoary.
33 There are no creatures on earth that are as fearless as crocodiles.
There is none upon earth that ruleth over him, who is made to be without dread.
34 They are the proudest of all the creatures; [it is as though] they [rule like] kings over all the other wild animals.”
He looketh upon all that is high: he is the king over all the ravenous beasts.
