Job 41
1 Wilt thou draw out the leviathan with the hook, and press down his tongue with a cord?
But will you catch the serpent with a hook, and put a halter about his nose?
2 Wilt thou put a rush-rope into his nose, and pierce his jaw with a spike?
Or will you fasten a ring in his nostril, and bore his lip with a clasp?
3 Will he make many supplications unto thee? or will he speak softly unto thee?
Will he address you with a petition? softly, with the voice of a suppliant?
4 Will he make a covenant with thee? wilt thou take him as a bondman for ever?
And will he make a covenant with you? and will you take him for a perpetual servant?
5 Wilt thou play with him as with a bird, and wilt thou bind him for thy maidens?
And will you play with him as with a bird? or bind him as a sparrow for a child?
6 Shall partners make traffic of him, will they divide him among merchants?
And do the nations feed upon him, and the nations of the Phoenicians share him?
7 Wilt thou fill his skin with darts, and his head with fish-spears?
And all the ships come together would not be able to bear the mere skin of his tail; neither [shall they carry] his head in fishing vessels.
8 Lay thy hand upon him; remember the battle, — do no more!
But you shall lay your hand upon him [once], remembering the war that is waged by his mouth; and let it not be done any more.
9 Lo, hope as to him is belied: is not one cast down even at the sight of him?
Hast you not seen him? and have you not wondered at the things said [of him]?
10 None is so bold as to stir him up; and who is he that will stand before me?
Do you not fear because preparation has been made by me? for who is there that resists me?
11 Who hath first given to me, that I should repay [him]? [Whatsoever is] under the whole heaven is mine.
Or who will resist me, and abide, since the whole [world] under heaven is mine?
12 I will not be silent as to his parts, the story of his power, and the beauty of his structure.
I will not be silent because of him: though because of his power [one] shall pity his antagonist.
13 Who can uncover the surface of his garment? who can come within his double jaws?
Who will open the face of his garment? and who can enter within the fold of his breastplate?
14 Who can open the doors of his face? Round about his teeth is terror.
Who will open the doors of his face? terror is round about his teeth.
15 The rows of his shields are a pride, shut up together [as with] a close seal.
His inwards are as brazen plates, and the texture of his [skin] as a smyrite stone.
16 One is so near to another that no air can come between them;
One [part] cleaves fast to another, and the air can’t come between them.
17 They are joined each to its fellow; they stick together, and cannot be sundered.
They will remain united each to the other: they are closely joined, and can’t be separated.
18 His sneezings flash light, and his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning.
At his sneezing a light shines, and his eyes are [as] the appearance of the morning star.
19 Out of his mouth go forth flames; sparks of fire leap out:
Out of his mouth proceed as it were burning lamps, and as it were hearths of fire are cast abroad.
20 Out of his nostrils goeth smoke, as out of a boiling pot and cauldron.
Out of his nostrils proceeds smoke of a furnace burning with fire of coals.
21 His breath kindleth coals, and a flame goeth out of his mouth.
His breath is [as] live coals, and a flame goes out of his mouth.
22 In his neck lodgeth strength, and terror danceth before him.
And power is lodged in his neck, before him destruction runs.
23 The flakes of his flesh are joined together: they are fused upon him, they cannot be moved.
The flesh also of his body is joined together: [if one] pours [violence] upon him, he shall not be moved.
24 His heart is firm as a stone, yea, firm as the nether [millstone].
His heart is firm as a stone, and it stands like an unyielding anvil.
25 When he raiseth himself up, the mighty are afraid: they are beside themselves with consternation.
And when he turns, [he is] a terror to the four-footed wild beasts which leap upon the earth.
26 If any reach him with a sword, it cannot hold; neither spear, nor dart, nor harpoon.
If spears should come against him, [men] will effect nothing, [either with] the spear or the breast-plate.
27 He esteemeth iron as straw, bronze as rotten wood.
For he considers iron as chaff, and brass as rotten wood.
28 The arrow will not make him flee; slingstones are turned with him into stubble.
The bow of brass shall not would him, he deems a slinger as grass.
29 Clubs are counted as stubble; he laugheth at the shaking of a javelin.
Mauls are counted as stubble; and he laughs to scorn the waving of the firebrand.
30 His under parts are sharp potsherds: he spreadeth a threshing-sledge upon the mire.
His lair is [formed of] sharp points; and all the gold of the sea under him is an immense [quantity of] clay.
31 He maketh the deep to boil like a pot; he maketh the sea like a pot of ointment;
He makes the deep boil like a brazen cauldron; and he regards the sea as a pot of ointment,
32 He maketh the path to shine after him: one would think the deep to be hoary.
and the lowest part of the deep as a captive: he reckons the deep as [his] range.
33 Upon earth there is not his like, who is made without fear.
There is nothing upon the earth like to him, formed to be sported with by my angels.
34 He beholdeth all high things; he is king over all the proud beasts.
He beholds every high thing: and he is king of all that are in the waters.
