Job 41
1 “Can you draw out Leviathan with a fish hook, or press down his tongue with a cord?
Can you draw out leviathan (sea serpent) with an hook? or his tongue with a cord which you let down?
2 Can you put a rope into his nose, or pierce his jaw through with a hook?
Can you put an hook into his nose? or bore his jaw through with a thorn?
3 Will he make many petitions to you, or will he speak soft words to you?
Will he make many supplications unto you? will he speak soft words unto you?
4 Will he make a covenant with you, that you should take him for a servant forever?
Will he make a covenant with you? will you take him for a servant for ever?
5 Will you play with him as with a bird? Or will you bind him for your girls?
Will you play with him as with a bird? or will you bind him for your maidens?
6 Will traders barter for him? Will they part him amongst the merchants?
Shall the companions make a banquet of him? shall they part him among the merchants?
7 Can you fill his skin with barbed irons, or his head with fish spears?
Can you fill his skin with barbed irons? or his head with fish spears?
8 Lay your hand on him. Remember the battle, and do so no more.
Lay your hand upon him, remember the battle, do no more.
9 Behold, the hope of him is in vain. Won’t one be cast down even at the sight of him?
Behold, the hope of him is in vain: shall not one be cast down even at the sight of him?
10 None is so fierce that he dare stir him up. Who then is he who can stand before me?
None is so fierce that dare stir him up: who then is able to stand before me?
11 Who has first given to me, that I should repay him? Everything under the heavens is mine.
Who has prevented me, that I should repay him? whatsoever is under the whole heaven is mine.
12 “I will not keep silence concerning his limbs, nor his mighty strength, nor his goodly frame.
I will not conceal his parts, nor his power, nor his comely proportion.
13 Who can strip off his outer garment? Who will come within his jaws?
Who can discover the face of his garment? or who can come to him with his double bridle?
14 Who can open the doors of his face? Around his teeth is terror.
Who can open the doors of his face? his teeth are terrible round about.
15 Strong scales are his pride, shut up together with a close seal.
His scales are his pride, shut up together as with a close seal.
16 One is so near to another, that no air can come between them.
One is so near to another, that no air can come between them.
17 They are joined to one another. They stick together, so that they can’t be pulled apart.
They are joined one to another, they stick together, that they cannot be sundered.
18 His sneezing flashes out light. His eyes are like the eyelids of the morning.
By his exhaling a light does shine, and his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning.
19 Out of his mouth go burning torches. Sparks of fire leap out.
Out of his mouth go burning lamps, and sparks of fire leap out.
20 Out of his nostrils a smoke goes, as of a boiling pot over a fire of reeds.
Out of his nostrils goes smoke, as out of a seething pot or caldron.
21 His breath kindles coals. A flame goes out of his mouth.
His breath kindles coals, and a flame goes out of his mouth.
22 There is strength in his neck. Terror dances before him.
In his neck remains strength, and sorrow is turned into joy before him.
23 The flakes of his flesh are joined together. They are firm on him. They can’t be moved.
The flakes of his flesh are joined together: they are firm in themselves; they cannot be moved.
24 His heart is as firm as a stone, yes, firm as the lower millstone.
His heart is as firm as a stone; yea, as hard as a piece of the nether millstone.
25 When he raises himself up, the mighty are afraid. They retreat before his thrashing.
When he raises up himself, the mighty are afraid: by reason of breakings they purify themselves.
26 If one attacks him with the sword, it can’t prevail; nor the spear, the dart, nor the pointed shaft.
The sword of him that lays at him cannot hold: the spear, the dart, nor the armour of jacket.
27 He counts iron as straw, and bronze as rotten wood.
He esteems iron as straw, and brass as rotten wood.
28 The arrow can’t make him flee. Sling stones are like chaff to him.
The arrow cannot make him flee: sling stones are turned with him into stubble.
29 Clubs are counted as stubble. He laughs at the rushing of the javelin.
Darts are counted as stubble: he laughs at the shaking of a spear.
30 His undersides are like sharp potsherds, leaving a trail in the mud like a threshing sledge.
Sharp stones are under him: he spreads sharp pointed things upon the mire.
31 He makes the deep to boil like a pot. He makes the sea like a pot of ointment.
He makes the deep to boil like a pot: he makes the sea like a pot of ointment.
32 He makes a path shine after him. One would think the deep had white hair.
He makes a path to shine after him; one would think the deep to be hoary.
33 On earth there is not his equal, that is made without fear.
Upon earth there is not his like, who is made without fear.
34 He sees everything that is high. He is king over all the sons of pride.”
He beholds all high things: he is a king over all the children of pride.
