Jobs 41
1 Kann du fiska krokodillen, binda tunga hans med taum,
Is it possible for Leviathan to be pulled out with a fish-hook, or for a hook to be put through the bone of his mouth?
2 Draga snor i gjenom nosi, hogga krok i kjaken hans?
Will you put a cord into his nose, or take him away with a cord round his tongue?
3 Vil han tigga um nåde, tala mjuke ord til deg?
Will he make prayers to you, or say soft words to you?
4 Tru han vil gjera samband med deg og din træl for alltid verta?
Will he make an agreement with you, so that you may take him as a servant for ever?
5 Kann du han som leikfugl halda for smågjentorne i band?
Will you make sport with him, as with a bird? or put him in chains for your young women?
6 Handlar fiskarlag med honom, skiftar ut til kræmarar?
Will the fishermen make profit out of him? will they have him cut up for the traders?
7 Kann hans hud med spjot du fylla, og hans hovud med harpunar?
Will you put sharp-pointed irons into his skin, or fish-spears into his head?
8 Berre prøv - du skal det minnast; enn ein gong du gjer det ikkje!
Only put your hand on him, and see what a fight you will have; you will not do it again!
9 Kvar og ein vil missa voni, verta feld ved syni av han.
Truly, the hope of his attacker is false; he is overcome even on seeing him!
10 Ingen torer eggja honom; kven kann då mot meg reisa?
He is so cruel that no one is ready to go against him. Who then is able to keep his place before me?
11 Kven gav meg, so eg gjev att? Under himmeln alt eg eig.
Who ever went against me, and got the better of me? There is no one under heaven!
12 Ei eg tegjer um hans lemer, um hans sterke, væne bygnad.
I will not keep quiet about the parts of his body, or about his power, and the strength of his frame.
13 Kven hev drege brynja av han, Gjenge inn i duble tanngard?
Who has ever taken off his outer skin? who may come inside his inner coat of iron?
14 Kven hev opna kjakeporten? Rædsla kring hans tenner ligg.
Who has made open the doors of his face? Fear is round about his teeth.
15 Sterke er hans skjolde-rader, feste med ei fast forsigling.
His back is made of lines of plates, joined tight together, one against the other, like a stamp.
16 Tett dei ligg innåt kvarandre, ingi luft slepp millom deim.
One is so near to the other that no air may come between them.
17 Eine skjolden i den andre heng i hop, skilst ikkje åt.
They take a grip of one another; they are joined together, so that they may not be parted.
18 Ljos ifrå hans njosing strålar, augo skin som morgonroden.
His sneezings give out flames, and his eyes are like the eyes of the dawn.
19 Or hans gap skyt brandar fram, gneistar sprutar derifrå.
Out of his mouth go burning lights, and flames of fire are jumping up.
20 Or hans nasar stig det røyk, liksom eim or kjel som kokar.
Smoke comes out of his nose, like a pot boiling on the fire.
21 Anden hans set eld på kol, logen ut or gapet stend.
His breath puts fire to coals, and a flame goes out of his mouth.
22 I hans nakke styrken bur, rædsla spring framfor hans åsyn.
Strength is in his neck, and fear goes dancing before him.
23 Tette sit kjøtvalkarne, støypte fast urikkelg.
The plates of his flesh are joined together, fixed, and not to be moved.
24 Hjarta hans er hardt som stein, fast som understein i kverni.
His heart is as strong as a stone, hard as the lower crushing-stone.
25 Kjempor ræddast når han ris, misser både mod og hugs;
When he gets ready for the fight, the strong are overcome with fear.
26 Sverd vil ikkje bita på, ikkje skot med spjot og pil.
The sword may come near him but is not able to go through him; the spear, or the arrow, or the sharp-pointed iron.
27 Jarn agtar han liksom strå, kopar nett som fauskeved.
Iron is to him as dry grass, and brass as soft wood.
28 Ei han vik for bogesonen; stein frå slyngja vert som halm,
The arrow is not able to put him to flight: stones are no more to him than dry stems.
29 og stridsklubba vert som strå, og han lær åt spjot som susar.
A thick stick is no better than a leaf of grass, and he makes sport of the onrush of the spear.
30 Under han er kvasse broddar, spor dei set som treskjeslede.
Under him are sharp edges of broken pots: as if he was pulling a grain-crushing instrument over the wet earth.
31 Djupet kokar som ei gryta, sjøen som ein salvekjel.
The deep is boiling like a pot of spices, and the sea like a perfume-vessel.
32 Vegen lyser etter honom, djupet skin som sylverhår.
After him his way is shining, so that the deep seems white.
33 Liken hans på jord ei finst, denne skapning utan ræddhug.
On earth there is not another like him, who is made without fear.
34 Han ser ned på alt som høgt er, konge yver alle kaute.»
Everything which is high goes in fear of him; he is king over all the sons of pride.
