Giobbe 41
1 Prenderai tu il coccodrillo all’amo? Gli assicurerai la lingua colla corda?
“[Think also about] (crocodiles/great sea dragons). Can you catch them with a fishhook or fasten their jaws with a rope?
2 Gli passerai un giunco per le narici? Gli forerai le mascelle con l’uncino?
Can you put ropes through their noses [to control them] or thrust hooks through their jaws?
3 Ti rivolgerà egli molte supplicazioni? Ti dirà egli delle parole dolci?
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 Farà egli teco un patto perché tu lo prenda per sempre al tuo servizio?
Will they make an agreement with you to work for you, to be your slaves as long as they live?
5 Scherzerai tu con lui come fosse un uccello? L’attaccherai a un filo per divertir le tue ragazze?
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 Ne trafficheranno forse i pescatori? Lo spartiranno essi fra i negozianti?
Will merchants try to buy them [in the market]? Will they cut them up into pieces and sell the meat?
7 Gli coprirai tu la pelle di dardi e la testa di ramponi?
Can you pierce their skins by throwing fishing spears at them? Can you pierce their heads with a harpoon?
8 Mettigli un po’ le mani addosso!… Ti ricorderai del combattimento e non ci tornerai!
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 Ecco, fallace è la speranza di chi l’assale; basta scorgerlo e s’è atterrati.
It is useless to try to subdue them. Anyone who tries to subdue one of them will lose his courage.
10 Nessuno è tanto ardito da provocarlo. E chi dunque oserà starmi a fronte?
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 Chi mi ha anticipato alcun che perch’io glielo debba rendere? Sotto tutti i cieli, ogni cosa è mia.
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 E non vo’ tacer delle sue membra, della sua gran forza, della bellezza della sua armatura.
I will tell you about [how strong] crocodiles' legs [are] and how strong their well-formed bodies are.
13 Chi l’ha mai spogliato della sua corazza? Chi è penetrato fra la doppia fila de’ suoi denti?
(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 Chi gli ha aperti i due battenti della gola? Intorno alla chiostra de’ suoi denti sta il terrore.
(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 Superbe son le file de’ suoi scudi, strettamente uniti come da un sigillo.
They have rows of scales on their back which are as hard as a rock (OR, tightly fastened together).
16 Uno tocca l’altro, e tra loro non passa l’aria.
The scales are very close together, with the result that not even air can get between them.
17 Sono saldati assieme, si tengono stretti, sono inseparabili.
The scales are joined very closely to each other, and they cannot be separated.
18 I suoi starnuti dànno sprazzi di luce; i suoi occhi son come le palpebre dell’aurora.
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 Dalla sua bocca partono vampe, ne scappan fuori scintille di fuoco.
[It is as though] sparks of fire pour out of their mouths [DOU].
20 Dalle sue narici esce un fumo, come da una pignatta che bolla o da una caldaia.
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 L’alito suo accende i carboni, e una fiamma gli erompe dalla gola.
Their breath can cause coals to blaze, and flames shoot out from their mouths.
22 Nel suo collo risiede la forza, dinanzi a lui salta il terrore.
Their necks are very strong; wherever they go, they cause people to be very afraid.
23 Compatte sono in lui le parti flosce della carne, gli stanno salde addosso, non si muovono.
The folds in their flesh are very close together and are very hard/firm.
24 Il suo cuore è duro come il sasso, duro come la macina di sotto.
[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 Quando si rizza, tremano i più forti, e dalla paura son fuori di sé.
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 Invano lo si attacca con la spada; a nulla valgon lancia, giavellotto, corazza.
[People] [PRS] cannot injure them with swords, and spears or darts or javelins cannot injure them, either.
27 Il ferro è per lui come paglia; il rame, come legno tarlato.
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 La figlia dell’arco non lo mette in fuga; le pietre della fionda si mutano per lui in stoppia.
[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 Stoppia gli par la mazza e si ride del fremer della lancia.
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 Il suo ventre è armato di punte acute, e lascia come tracce d’erpice sul fango.
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 Fa bollire l’abisso come una caldaia, del mare fa come un gran vaso da profumi.
They stir up the water and cause it to foam [as they churn/swim through it].
32 Si lascia dietro una scia di luce; l’abisso par coperto di bianca chioma.
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 Non v’è sulla terra chi lo domi; è stato fatto per non aver paura.
There are no creatures on earth that are as fearless as crocodiles.
34 Guarda in faccia tutto ciò ch’è eccelso, è re su tutte le belve più superbe”.
They are the proudest of all the creatures; [it is as though] they [rule like] kings over all the other wild animals.”
