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 fish-hook? Or, with a cord, canst thou fasten down his tongue?
2 Can you put ropes through their noses [to control them] or thrust hooks through their jaws?
Wilt thou put a rush-cord on his nose? or, with a thorn, wilt thou pierce his jaw?
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 multiply unto thee supplications, or will he speak unto thee softly?
4 Will they make an agreement with you to work for you, to be your slaves as long as they live?
Will he solemnise a covenant with thee? Wilt thou take him for a life-long servant?
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]?
Wilt thou sport with him, as with a little bird? Or wilt thou bind him, for thy maidens?
6 Will merchants try to buy them [in the market]? Will they cut them up into pieces and sell the meat?
Shall the companions bargain over him? or will they part him among the traders?
7 Can you pierce their skins by throwing fishing spears at them? Can you pierce their heads with a harpoon?
Wilt thou fill, with darts, his skin? or, with fish-spears, 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 thou upon him thy hand, remember the battle—no more!
9 It is useless to try to subdue them. Anyone who tries to subdue one of them will lose his courage.
Lo! any hope of him, hath been found deceptive, Even at the sight of him, shall not one be overwhelmed?
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 so bold, that he will rouse him! Who then is he that, before me, can stand?
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 forestalled me, that I may repay him? Under all the heavens, mine it is!
12 I will tell you about [how strong] crocodiles' legs [are] and how strong their well-formed bodies are.
I will not pass by in silence his parts, or the matter of strength, or the grace of his armour.
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 removed his outer garment, through his double row of teeth, who would enter?
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]
The doors of his face, who hath opened? The circles of his teeth, are a terror!
15 They have rows of scales on their back which are as hard as a rock (OR, tightly fastened together).
A pride, are his arched sides, closed up, with a firm seal;
16 The scales are very close together, with the result that not even air can get between them.
One to another, they join, and, air, cannot enter between them;
17 The scales are joined very closely to each other, and they cannot be separated.
Each to its fellow, they cleave, they grasp each other, and cannot be parted;
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 sneezings, flash forth light, and, his eyes, are like the eyelashes of the dawn;
19 [It is as though] sparks of fire pour out of their mouths [DOU].
Out of his mouth, torches dart forth, sparks of fire, escape;
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, proceedeth smoke, like a blown pot and rushes;
21 Their breath can cause coals to blaze, and flames shoot out from their mouths.
His breath, setteth coals ablaze, and, a flame, out of his mouth, proceedeth;
22 Their necks are very strong; wherever they go, they cause people to be very afraid.
In his neck, lodgeth strength, and, before him, danceth dismay;
23 The folds in their flesh are very close together and are very hard/firm.
The dewlaps of his flesh, cleave together, hardened upon him, they cannot be moved;
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 hardened like a stone, yea hardened, like 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 rising up, mighty men are afraid, by reason of terror, they are beside themselves:
26 [People] [PRS] cannot injure them with swords, and spears or darts or javelins cannot injure them, either.
As for him that assaileth him, the sword availeth not, spear, dart, or coat of mail:
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 counteth iron as broken straw, and bronze 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 arrow, will not make him flee, Into chaff, are sling-stones changed by 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].
As a straw, is a club accounted, and he laugheth at the whir of the javelin;
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.
His underparts, are points of potsherd, a pointed threshing roller spreadeth out upon the slime:
31 They stir up the water and cause it to foam [as they churn/swim through it].
He causeth to boil, as a cauldron, the raging deep, the sea, he maketh like a brewing vessel:
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.
After him, he lighteth up a path, one might think the resounding deep to be hoary!
33 There are no creatures on earth that are as fearless as crocodiles.
There is not—upon the dust—his like, that hath been made to be without fear;
34 They are the proudest of all the creatures; [it is as though] they [rule like] kings over all the other wild animals.”
Every thing lofty, he beholdeth, he, is king over all ravenous beasts.
