Job 41

1 But will you catch the serpent with a hook, and put a halter about his nose?

Can you draw out leviathan with an hook? or his tongue with a cord which you let down?

2 Or will you fasten a ring in his nostril, and bore his lip with a clasp?

Can you put an hook into his nose? or bore his jaw through with a thorn?

3 Will he address you with a petition? softly, with the voice of a suppliant?

Will he make many supplications to you? will he speak soft words to you?

4 And will he make a covenant with you? and will you take him for a perpetual servant?

Will he make a covenant with you? will you take him for a servant for ever?

5 And will you play with him as with a bird? or bind him as a sparrow for a child?

Will you play with him as with a bird? or will you bind him for your maidens?

6 And do the nations feed upon him, and the nations of the Phoenicians share him?

Shall the companions make a banquet of him? shall they part him among the merchants?

7 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.

Can you fill his skin with barbed irons? or his head with fish spears?

8 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.

Lay your hand on him, remember the battle, do no more.

9 Hast you not seen him? and have you not wondered at the things said [of him]?

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

10 Do you not fear because preparation has been made by me? for who is there that resists me?

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

11 Or who will resist me, and abide, since the whole [world] under heaven is mine?

Who has prevented me, that I should repay him? whatever is under the whole heaven is mine.

12 I will not be silent because of him: though because of his power [one] shall pity his antagonist.

I will not conceal his parts, nor his power, nor his comely proportion.

13 Who will open the face of his garment? and who can enter within the fold of his breastplate?

Who can discover the face of his garment? or who can come to him with his double bridle?

14 Who will open the doors of his face? terror is round about his teeth.

Who can open the doors of his face? his teeth are terrible round about.

15 His inwards are as brazen plates, and the texture of his [skin] as a smyrite stone.

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

16 One [part] cleaves fast to another, and the air can’t come between them.

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

17 They will remain united each to the other: they are closely joined, and can’t be separated.

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

18 At his sneezing a light shines, and his eyes are [as] the appearance of the morning star.

By his neesings a light does shine, and his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning.

19 Out of his mouth proceed as it were burning lamps, and as it were hearths of fire are cast abroad.

Out of his mouth go burning lamps, and sparks of fire leap out.

20 Out of his nostrils proceeds smoke of a furnace burning with fire of coals.

Out of his nostrils goes smoke, as out of a seething pot or caldron.

21 His breath is [as] live coals, and a flame goes out of his mouth.

His breath kindles coals, and a flame goes out of his mouth.

22 And power is lodged in his neck, before him destruction runs.

In his neck remains strength, and sorrow is turned into joy before him.

23 The flesh also of his body is joined together: [if one] pours [violence] upon him, he shall not be moved.

The flakes of his flesh are joined together: they are firm in themselves; they cannot be moved.

24 His heart is firm as a stone, and it stands like an unyielding anvil.

His heart is as firm as a stone; yes, as hard as a piece of the nether millstone.

25 And when he turns, [he is] a terror to the four-footed wild beasts which leap upon the earth.

When he raises up himself, the mighty are afraid: by reason of breakings they purify themselves.

26 If spears should come against him, [men] will effect nothing, [either with] the spear or the breast-plate.

The sword of him that lays at him cannot hold: the spear, the dart, nor the habergeon.

27 For he considers iron as chaff, and brass as rotten wood.

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

28 The bow of brass shall not would him, he deems a slinger as grass.

The arrow cannot make him flee: sling stones are turned with him into stubble.

29 Mauls are counted as stubble; and he laughs to scorn the waving of the firebrand.

Darts are counted as stubble: he laughs at the shaking of a spear.

30 His lair is [formed of] sharp points; and all the gold of the sea under him is an immense [quantity of] clay.

Sharp stones are under him: he spreads sharp pointed things on the mire.

31 He makes the deep boil like a brazen caldron; and he regards the sea as a pot of ointment,

He makes the deep to boil like a pot: he makes the sea like a pot of ointment.

32 and the lowest part of the deep as a captive: he reckons the deep as [his] range.

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

33 There is nothing upon the earth like to him, formed to be sported with by my angels.

On earth there is not his like, who is made without fear.

34 He beholds every high thing: and he is king of all that are in the waters.

He beholds all high things: he is a king over all the children of pride.