Job 41
1 Pourras-tu enlever Léviathan à l’hameçon, et avec une corde lier sa langue?
“[Think also about] (crocodiles/great sea dragons). Can you catch them with a fishhook or fasten their jaws with a rope?
2 Est-ce que tu mettras un cercle dans ses narines, ou avec un anneau perceras-tu sa mâchoire?
Can you put ropes through their noses [to control them] or thrust hooks through their jaws?
3 Est-ce qu’il t’adressera de nombreuses prières, ou te dira-t-il de douces paroles?
Will they plead with you to act mercifully toward them or (use sweet talk/speak to you nicely) [in order that you will not harm them]?
4 Est-ce qu’il fera avec toi un pacte, et le recevras-tu comme un esclave éternel?
Will they make an agreement with you to work for you, to be your slaves as long as they live?
5 Est-ce que tu te joueras de lui comme d’un oiseau, ou le lieras-tu pour tes servantes?
Can you cause them to become pets like you cause birds to become your pets? Can you put a leash/rope around their [necks] so that your servant girls [can play with them]?
6 Des amis le découperont-ils, ou des marchands le partageront-ils?
Will merchants try to buy them [in the market]? Will they cut them up into pieces and sell the meat?
7 Est-ce que tu rempliras de sa peau des filets, et un réservoir de poissons de sa tête?
Can you pierce their skins by throwing fishing spears at them? Can you pierce their heads with a harpoon?
8 Mets sur lui ta main: souviens-toi de la guerre, et ne continue pas à parler.
If you grab one of them with your hands, it will fight you in a way that you will never forget, and you will never try to do it again!
9 Voilà que son espoir le trompera, et à la vue de tous il se précipitera
It is useless to try to subdue them. Anyone who tries to subdue one of them will lose his courage.
10 Je ne suis pas assez cruel pour le susciter: car qui peut résister à mon visage;
No one dares/tries to (arouse them/cause them to be angry). So, [since I am much more powerful than they are, ] (who would dare to cause me to be angry?/no one would dare to cause me to be angry!) [RHQ]
11 Qui m’a donné le premier, afin que je lui rende? Tout ce qui est sous le ciel est à moi.
Also, everything on the earth is mine. Therefore, no one [RHQ] is able to give anything to me and require me to pay [money] for it!
12 Je ne l’épargnerai pas, malgré ses discours arrogants et ses paroles suppliantes.
I will tell you about [how strong] crocodiles' legs [are] and how strong their well-formed bodies are.
13 Qui découvrira la face de son vêtement? Et qui entrera dans le milieu de sa gueule?
(Can anyone strip off their hides?/No one is able to strip off their hides.) [RHQ] (Can anyone try to put bridles on them?/No one can try to put bridles on them.) [RHQ] (OR, Can anyone pierce their very thick hides?)
14 Les portes de son visage, qui les ouvrira? autour de ses dents habite la terreur.
(Can anyone pry open their jaws, which have terrible teeth in them?/No one can pry open their jaws, which have terrible teeth in them!) [RHQ]
15 Son corps est comme des boucliers jetés en fonte et couvert d’écaillés épaisses et serrées.
They have rows of scales on their back which are as hard as a rock (OR, tightly fastened together).
16 L’une est jointe à l’autre, et pas même l’air ne passe entre elles.
The scales are very close together, with the result that not even air can get between them.
17 L’une s’attache à l’autre, et se tenant, jamais elles ne se sépareront.
The scales are joined very closely to each other, and they cannot be separated.
18 Son éternument, c’est l’éclat du feu, et ses yeux sont comme les paupières de l’aurore.
When crocodiles sneeze, [the tiny drops of water that come out of their noses] sparkle in the sunlight. Their eyes are red like the rising sun.
19 De sa gueule sortent des lampes, comme des torches allumées.
[It is as though] sparks of fire pour out of their mouths [DOU].
20 De ses narines sort une fumée comme celle d’un pot mis au feu et bouillant.
Smoke pours out of their nostrils/noses like steam comes out of a pot that is put over a fire made from dry reeds.
21 Son souffle fait brûler des charbons, et une flamme sort de sa bouche.
Their breath can cause coals to blaze, and flames shoot out from their mouths.
22 Dans son cou résidera sa force, et devant sa face marche la famine.
Their necks are very strong; wherever they go, they cause people to be very afraid.
23 Les parties de ses chairs adhèrent entre elles: Dieu lancera des foudres contre lui, et elles ne se porteront vers aucun autre lieu.
The folds in their flesh are very close together and are very hard/firm.
24 Son cœur se durcira comme une pierre, et il se resserrera comme une enclume de marteleur.
[They are fearless, because] the inner parts of their bodies are as hard as a rock, as hard as the lower millstone [on which grain is ground].
25 Lorsqu’il s’élèvera, des anges craindront, et, épouvantés, ils se purifieront.
When they rise up, they cause [even] very strong people to be terrified. As a result, people (fall back/run away) when crocodiles thrash around.
26 Lorsque le glaive l’atteindra, ni lance, ni cuirasse ne pourra subsister.
[People] [PRS] cannot injure them with swords, and spears or darts or javelins cannot injure them, either.
27 Car il regardera le fer comme de la paille, et l’airain comme un bois pourri.
They [certainly are not afraid of weapons made of] straw or rotten wood, but [they are not even afraid of weapons made of] iron or bronze!
28 L’archer ne le mettra pas en fuite, les pierres de la fronde sont devenues pour lui une paille légère.
[Shooting] arrows [at them] does not cause them to run away. [Hurling] stones at them from a sling is like [hurling] bits of chaff at them.
29 Il estimera le marteau comme une paille légère, et il se rira de celui qui brandira la lance.
They are not afraid of clubs [any more than they would be afraid of men throwing] bits of straw [at them], and they laugh when they hear the whirl/sound of javelins [being thrown at them].
30 Sous lui seront les rayons du soleil, et il fera son lit sur l’or comme sur la boue.
Their bellies are covered with scales that are as sharp as broken pieces of pottery. When they drag themselves through the mud, their bellies tear up the ground like a plow.
31 Il fera bouillir comme un pot la profonde mer, et il la rendra comme des essences lorsqu’elles sont en ébullition.
They stir up the water and cause it to foam [as they churn/swim through it].
32 Derrière lui un sentier répandra la lumière, et l’abîme paraîtra comme un vieillard aux blancs cheveux.
As they go through the water, the (wakes/trails in the water behind them) glisten. People [who see it] would think that the foam in those wakes had become white hair.
33 Il n’est pas sur la terre de puissance qui puisse être comparée à lui, qui a été fait pour ne craindre personne.
There are no creatures on earth that are as fearless as crocodiles.
34 Il voit tout ce qu’il y a d’élevé au-dessous de lui; c’est lui qui est le roi de tous les fils de l’orgueil.
They are the proudest of all the creatures; [it is as though] they [rule like] kings over all the other wild animals.”
