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 an hook? or his tongue with a cord which you let down?
2 Whethir thou schalt putte a ryng in hise nosethirlis, ethir schalt perse hyse cheke with `an hook?
Can you put an hook into his nose? or bore his jaw through with a thorn?
3 Whether he schal multiplie preieris to thee, ether schal speke softe thingis to thee?
Will he make many supplications to you? 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? will you take him for a servant for ever?
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 maidens?
6 Schulen frendis `kerue hym, schulen marchauntis departe hym?
Shall the companions make a banquet of him? shall 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, do 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: shall 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 dare stir him up: who then is able to 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 prevented me, that I should repay him? whatever is under the whole heaven is mine.
12 Y schal not spare hym for myyti wordis, and maad faire to biseche.
I will not conceal his parts, nor his power, nor his comely proportion.
13 Who schal schewe the face of his clothing, and who schal entre in to the myddis of his mouth?
Who can discover the face of his garment? or who can come to him with his double bridle?
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? his teeth are terrible round about.
15 His bodi is as yotun scheldys of bras, and ioyned togidere with scalis ouerleiynge hem silf.
His scales are his pride, shut up together as 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 one to another, they stick together, that they cannot be sundered.
18 His fnesynge is as schynynge of fier, and hise iyen ben as iyelidis of the morewtid.
By his neesings a light does shine, and 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 lamps, and 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 goes smoke, as out of a seething pot or caldron.
21 His breeth makith colis to brenne, and flawme goith out of his mouth.
His breath kindles coals, and a flame goes out of his mouth.
22 Strengthe schal dwelle in his necke, and nedynesse schal go bifor his face.
In his neck remains strength, and sorrow is turned into joy 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 in themselves; 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, as hard as a piece of the nether millstone.
25 Whanne he schal be takun awei, aungels schulen drede; and thei aferd schulen be purgid.
When he raises up himself, the mighty are afraid: by reason of breakings they purify themselves.
26 Whanne swerd takith hym, it may not stonde, nethir spere, nether haburioun.
The sword of him that lays at him cannot hold: the spear, the dart, nor the habergeon.
27 For he schal arette irun as chaffis, and bras as rotun tre.
He esteems iron as straw, and brass 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 turned with him into stubble.
29 He schal arette an hamer as stobil; and he schal scorne a florischynge spere.
Darts are counted as stubble: he laughs at the shaking of a spear.
30 The beemys of the sunne schulen be vndur hym; and he schal strewe to hym silf gold as cley.
Sharp stones are under him: he spreads sharp pointed things on the mire.
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 to shine after him; one would think the deep to be hoary.
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 like, who is made without fear.
34 He seeth al hiy thing; he is kyng ouer alle the sones of pride.
He beholds all high things: he is a king over all the children of pride.
