Job 41
1 Whether thou schalt mowe drawe out leuyathan with an hook, and schalt bynde with a roop his tunge?
“Can you draw out Leviathan with a fish hook, or press down his tongue with a cord?
2 Whethir thou schalt putte a ryng in hise nosethirlis, ethir schalt perse hyse cheke with `an hook?
Can you put a rope into his nose, or pierce his jaw through with a hook?
3 Whether he schal multiplie preieris to thee, ether schal speke softe thingis to thee?
Will he make many petitions to you, or will he speak soft words to you?
4 Whether he schal make couenaunt with thee, and `thou schalt take him a seruaunt euerlastinge?
Will he make a covenant with you, that you should take him for a servant forever?
5 Whether thou schalt scorne hym as a brid, ethir schalt bynde hym to thin handmaidis?
Will you play with him as with a bird? Or will you bind him for your girls?
6 Schulen frendis `kerue hym, schulen marchauntis departe hym?
Will traders barter for him? Will they part him among the merchants?
7 Whether thou schalt fille nettis with his skyn, and a `leep of fischis with his heed?
Can you fill his skin with barbed irons, or his head with fish spears?
8 Schalt thou putte thin hond on hym? haue thou mynde of the batel, and adde no more to speke.
Lay your hand on him. Remember the battle, and do so no more.
9 Lo! his hope schal disseyue hym; and in the siyt of alle men he schal be cast doun.
Behold, the hope of him is in vain. Will not one be cast down even at the sight of him?
10 I not as cruel schal reise hym; for who may ayenstonde my face?
None is so fierce that he dare stir him up. Who then is he who can stand before me?
11 And who `yaf to me bifore, that Y yelde to hym? Alle thingis, that ben vndur heuene, ben myne.
Who has first given to me, that I should repay him? Everything under the heavens is mine.
12 Y schal not spare hym for myyti wordis, and maad faire to biseche.
“I will not keep silence concerning his limbs, nor his mighty strength, nor his goodly frame.
13 Who schal schewe the face of his clothing, and who schal entre in to the myddis of his mouth?
Who can strip off his outer garment? Who will come within his jaws?
14 Who schal opene the yatis of his cheer? ferdfulnesse is bi the cumpas of hise teeth.
Who can open the doors of his face? Around his teeth is terror.
15 His bodi is as yotun scheldys of bras, and ioyned togidere with scalis ouerleiynge hem silf.
Strong scales are his pride, shut up together with a close seal.
16 Oon is ioyned to another; and sotheli brething goith not thorouy tho.
One is so near to another, that no air can come between them.
17 Oon schal cleue to anothir, and tho holdynge hem silf schulen not be departid.
They are joined to one another. They stick together, so that they cannot be pulled apart.
18 His fnesynge is as schynynge of fier, and hise iyen ben as iyelidis of the morewtid.
His sneezing flashes out light. His eyes are like the eyelids of the morning.
19 Laumpis comen forth of his mouth, as trees of fier, that ben kyndlid.
Out of his mouth go burning torches. Sparks of fire leap out.
20 Smoke cometh forth of hise nosethirlis, as of a pot set on the fier `and boilynge.
Out of his nostrils a smoke goes, as of a boiling pot over a fire of reeds.
21 His breeth makith colis to brenne, and flawme goith out of his mouth.
His breath kindles coals. A flame goes out of his mouth.
22 Strengthe schal dwelle in his necke, and nedynesse schal go bifor his face.
There is strength in his neck. Terror dances before him.
23 The membris of hise fleischis ben cleuynge togidere to hem silf; God schal sende floodis ayens hym, and tho schulen not be borun to an other place.
The flakes of his flesh are joined together. They are firm on him. They cannot be moved.
24 His herte schal be maad hard as a stoon; and it schal be streyned togidere as the anefeld of a smith.
His heart is as firm as a stone, yes, firm as the lower millstone.
25 Whanne he schal be takun awei, aungels schulen drede; and thei aferd schulen be purgid.
When he raises himself up, the mighty are afraid. They retreat before his thrashing.
26 Whanne swerd takith hym, it may not stonde, nethir spere, nether haburioun.
If one attacks him with the sword, it cannot prevail; nor the spear, the dart, nor the pointed shaft.
27 For he schal arette irun as chaffis, and bras as rotun tre.
He counts iron as straw, and bronze as rotten wood.
28 A man archere schal not dryue hym awei; stoonys of a slynge ben turned in to stobil to hym.
The arrow cannot make him flee. Sling stones are like chaff to him.
29 He schal arette an hamer as stobil; and he schal scorne a florischynge spere.
Clubs are counted as stubble. He laughs at the rushing of the javelin.
30 The beemys of the sunne schulen be vndur hym; and he schal strewe to hym silf gold as cley.
His undersides are like sharp potsherds, leaving a trail in the mud like a threshing sledge.
31 He schal make the depe se to buyle as a pot; and he schal putte, as whanne oynementis buylen.
He makes the deep to boil like a pot. He makes the sea like a pot of ointment.
32 A path schal schyne aftir hym; he schal gesse the greet occian as wexynge eld.
He makes a path shine after him. One would think the deep had white hair.
33 No power is on erthe, that schal be comparisound to hym; which is maad, that he schulde drede noon.
On earth there is not his equal, that is made without fear.
34 He seeth al hiy thing; he is kyng ouer alle the sones of pride.
He sees everything that is high. He is king over all the sons of pride.”
