Job 41
1 Whether thou schalt mowe drawe out leuyathan with an hook, and schalt bynde with a roop his tunge?
Canst thou draw forth the crocodile with a 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?
Canst thou put a rope into his nose, Or pierce his cheek with a hook?
3 Whether he schal multiplie preieris to thee, ether schal speke softe thingis to thee?
Will he make many entreaties to thee? Will he speak soft words to thee?
4 Whether he schal make couenaunt with thee, and `thou schalt take him a seruaunt euerlastinge?
Will he make a covenant with thee? Canst thou take him for a servant for ever?
5 Whether thou schalt scorne hym as a brid, ethir schalt bynde hym to thin handmaidis?
Canst thou play with him, as with a bird? Or canst thou bind him for thy maidens?
6 Schulen frendis `kerue hym, schulen marchauntis departe hym?
Do men in company lay snares for him? Do they divide him among the merchants?
7 Whether thou schalt fille nettis with his skyn, and a `leep of fischis with his heed?
Canst thou fill his skirt 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.
Do but lay thy hand upon him, —Thou wilt no more think of battle!
9 Lo! his hope schal disseyue hym; and in the siyt of alle men he schal be cast doun.
Behold, his hope is vain! Is he not cast down at the very 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 that 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 hath done me a favor, that I must 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 be silent concerning his limbs, And his strength, and the beauty of his armor.
13 Who schal schewe the face of his clothing, and who schal entre in to the myddis of his mouth?
Who can uncover the surface of his garment? Who will approach his jaws?
14 Who schal opene the yatis of his cheer? ferdfulnesse is bi the cumpas of hise teeth.
Who will open the doors of his face? The rows of his teeth are terrible!
15 His bodi is as yotun scheldys of bras, and ioyned togidere with scalis ouerleiynge hem silf.
His glory is his strong shields, United with each other, as with a close seal.
16 Oon is ioyned to another; and sotheli brething goith not thorouy tho.
They are joined one to another, So that no air can come between them.
17 Oon schal cleue to anothir, and tho holdynge hem silf schulen not be departid.
They cleave fast to each other, They hold together, and cannot be separated.
18 His fnesynge is as schynynge of fier, and hise iyen ben as iyelidis of the morewtid.
His sneezing sendeth forth light, And his eyes are like the eyelashes of the morning.
19 Laumpis comen forth of his mouth, as trees of fier, that ben kyndlid.
Out of his mouth go flames, And sparks of fire leap forth.
20 Smoke cometh forth of hise nosethirlis, as of a pot set on the fier `and boilynge.
From his nostrils issueth smoke, as from a heated pot, or caldron.
21 His breeth makith colis to brenne, and flawme goith out of his mouth.
His breath kindleth coals, And flames issue from his mouth.
22 Strengthe schal dwelle in his necke, and nedynesse schal go bifor his face.
In his neck dwelleth strength, And terror danceth 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 cleave fast together; They are firm upon him, and 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 solid like a stone; Yea, solid like the nether millstone.
25 Whanne he schal be takun awei, aungels schulen drede; and thei aferd schulen be purgid.
When he riseth up, the mighty are afraid; Yea, they lose themselves for terror.
26 Whanne swerd takith hym, it may not stonde, nethir spere, nether haburioun.
The sword of him that assaileth him doth not stand, The spear, the dart, nor the habergeon.
27 For he schal arette irun as chaffis, and bras as rotun tre.
He regardeth 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 to him become stubble;
29 He schal arette an hamer as stobil; and he schal scorne a florischynge spere.
Clubs are accounted by him as straw; He laugheth at the shaking of the spear.
30 The beemys of the sunne schulen be vndur hym; and he schal strewe to hym silf gold as cley.
Under him are sharp potsherds; He spreadeth out a thrashing-sledge upon the mire.
31 He schal make the depe se to buyle as a pot; and he schal putte, as whanne oynementis buylen.
He maketh the deep to boil like a caldron; He maketh the sea like a pot of ointment.
32 A path schal schyne aftir hym; he schal gesse the greet occian as wexynge eld.
Behind him he leaveth a shining path; 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.
Upon the earth there is not his master; He is made without fear.
34 He seeth al hiy thing; he is kyng ouer alle the sones of pride.
He looketh down upon all that is high; He is king over all the sons of pride.
