Job 41
1 Whether thou schalt mowe drawe out leuyathan with an hook, and schalt bynde with a roop his tunge?
Canst thou draw out leviathan with a hook? or his tongue with a cord [which] thou lettest down?
2 Whethir thou schalt putte a ryng in hise nosethirlis, ethir schalt perse hyse cheke with `an hook?
Canst thou put a 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 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? wilt thou take him for a servant for ever?
5 Whether thou schalt scorne hym as a brid, ethir schalt bynde hym to thin handmaidis?
Wilt thou play with him as [with] a bird? or wilt thou bind him for thy 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?
Canst thou 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 thy hand upon 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 he dare rouse him: 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 hath first benefited 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 around.
15 His bodi is as yotun scheldys of bras, and ioyned togidere with scalis ouerleiynge hem silf.
[His] scales [are his] pride, shut 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.
His sneezings flash light, 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 dart forth.
20 Smoke cometh forth of hise nosethirlis, as of a pot set on the fier `and boilynge.
Out of his nostrils issueth 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 kindleth coals, and a flame issueth from his mouth.
22 Strengthe schal dwelle in his necke, and nedynesse schal go bifor his face.
In his neck remaineth 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 raiseth 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 attacketh him cannot hold: the spear, the dart, nor the habergeon.
27 For he schal arette irun as chaffis, and bras as rotun tre.
He esteemeth 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 laugheth 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 spreadeth sharp pointed things 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 pot: 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.
He maketh 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.
Upon 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 beholdeth all high [things]: he [is] a king over all the children of pride.
