איוב 41

1 תמשך לויתן בחכה ובחבל תשקיע לשנו

Canst thou draw out leviathan with a fish-hook? or press down his tongue with a cord?

2 התשים אגמן באפו ובחוח תקב לחיו

Canst thou put a ring into his nose? or bore his jaw through with a hook?

3 הירבה אליך תחנונים אם-ידבר אליך רכות

Will he make many supplications unto thee? or will he speak soft words unto thee?

4 היכרת ברית עמך תקחנו לעבד עולם

Will he make a covenant with thee, that thou shouldest take him for a servant for ever?

5 התשחק-בו כצפור ותקשרנו לנערותיך

Wilt thou play with him as with a bird? Or wilt thou bind him for thy maidens?

6 יכרו עליו חברים יחצוהו בין כנענים

Will the bands of fishermen make a banquet of him? Will they part him among the merchants?

7 התמלא בשכות עורו ובצלצל דגים ראשו

Canst thou fill his skin with barbed irons? or his head with fish-spears?

8 שים-עליו כפך זכר מלחמה אל-תוסף

Lay thy hand upon him; think upon the battle, thou wilt do so no more.

9 הן-תחלתו נכזבה הגם אל-מראיו יטל

Behold, the hope of him is in vain; shall not one be cast down even at the sight of him?

10 לא-אכזר כי יעורנו ומי הוא לפני יתיצב

None is so fierce that dare stir him up; who then is able to stand before Me?

11 מי הקדימני ואשלם תחת כל-השמים לי-הוא

Who hath given Me anything beforehand, that I should repay him? Whatsoever is under the whole heaven is Mine.

12 לא- (לו-) אחריש בדיו ודבר-גבורות וחין ערכו

Would I keep silence concerning his boastings, or his proud talk, or his fair array of words?

13 מי-גלה פני לבושו בכפל רסנו מי יבוא

Who can uncover the face of his garment? Who shall come within his double bridle?

14 דלתי פניו מי פתח סביבות שניו אימה

Who can open the doors of his face? Round about his teeth is terror.

15 גאוה אפיקי מגנים סגור חותם צר

His scales are his pride, shut up together as with a close seal.

16 אחד באחד יגשו ורוח לא-יבא ביניהם

One is so near to another, that no air can come between them.

17 איש-באחיהו ידבקו יתלכדו ולא יתפרדו

They are joined one to another; they stick together, that they cannot be sundered.

18 עטישתיו תהל אור ועיניו כעפעפי-שחר

His sneezings flash forth light, and his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning.

19 מפיו לפידים יהלכו כידודי אש יתמלטו

Out of his mouth go burning torches, and sparks of fire leap forth.

20 מנחיריו יצא עשן-- כדוד נפוח ואגמן

Out of his nostrils goeth smoke, as out of a seething pot and burning rushes.

21 נפשו גחלים תלהט ולהב מפיו יצא

His breath kindleth coals, and a flame goeth out of his mouth.

22 בצוארו ילין עז ולפניו תדוץ דאבה

In his neck abideth strength, and dismay danceth before him.

23 מפלי בשרו דבקו יצוק עליו בל-ימוט

The flakes of his flesh are joined together; they are firm upon him; they cannot be moved.

24 לבו יצוק כמו-אבן ויצוק כפלח תחתית

His heart is as firm as a stone; yea, firm as the nether millstone.

25 משתו יגורו אלים משברים יתחטאו

When he raiseth himself up, the mighty are afraid; by reason of despair they are beside themselves.

26 משיגהו חרב בלי תקום חנית מסע ושריה

If one lay at him with the sword, it will not hold; nor the spear, the dart, nor the pointed shaft.

27 יחשב לתבן ברזל לעץ רקבון נחושה

He esteemeth iron as straw, and brass as rotten wood.

28 לא-יבריחנו בן-קשת לקש נהפכו-לו אבני-קלע

The arrow cannot make him flee; slingstones are turned with him into stubble.

29 כקש נחשבו תותח וישחק לרעש כידון

Clubs are accounted as stubble; he laugheth at the rattling of the javelin.

30 תחתיו חדודי חרש ירפד חרוץ עלי-טיט

Sharpest potsherds are under him; he spreadeth a threshing-sledge upon the mire.

31 ירתיח כסיר מצולה ים ישים כמרקחה

He maketh the deep to boil like a pot; he maketh the sea like a seething mixture.

32 אחריו יאיר נתיב יחשב תהום לשיבה

He maketh a path to shine after him; one would think the deep to be hoary.

33 אין-על-עפר משלו העשו לבלי-חת

Upon earth there is not his like, who is made to be fearless.

34 את-כל-גבה יראה הוא מלך על-כל-בני-שחץ

He looketh at all high things; he is king over all the proud beasts.