Job 41

1 Canst thou draw out the crocodile with a fishhook? or cause his tongue to sink into the batted rope?

“Can you draw out Leviathan with a fish hook, or press down his tongue with a cord?

2 Canst thou put a reed through his nose? or bore his jaw through with a thorn?

Can you put a rope into his nose, or pierce his jaw through with a hook?

3 Will he address many supplications unto thee? or will he speak submissively unto thee?

Will he make many petitions to you, or will he speak soft words to you?

4 Will he make a covenant with thee? that thou couldst take him as a servant for ever?

Will he make a covenant with you, that you should take him for a servant forever?

5 Canst thou play with him as with a bird? and tie him up for thy maidens?

Will you play with him as with a bird? Or will you bind him for your girls?

6 Can companions waylay him? can they divide him among merchants?

Will traders barter for him? Will they part him among the merchants?

7 Canst thou fill his skin with barbed irons? and [pierce] with a fish-spear his head?

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

8 Lay thy hand upon him; think of the battle: thou wilt never do it again.

Lay your hand on him. Remember the battle, and do so no more.

9 Behold, his expectation was deceived: even at his mere sight is he cast down.

Behold, the hope of him is in vain. Won’t one be cast down even at the sight of him?

10 None is so daring that he would stir him up: and who is there that will stand up before me?

None is so fierce that he dare stir him up. Who then is he who can stand before me?

11 Who hath shown me favor, that I should repay him! whatsoever is under the whole heaven is mine.—

Who has first given to me, that I should repay him? Everything under the heavens is mine.

12 I will not conceal [the account of] his limbs, nor the relation of his might, nor the grace of his proportion.

“I will not keep silence concerning his limbs, nor his mighty strength, nor his goodly frame.

13 Who hath ever laid open the front of his garment? or who can penetrate into his double row of teeth?

Who can strip off his outer garment? Who will come within his jaws?

14 Who hath opened the doors of his face? all round about his teeth abideth terror.

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

15 What pride is there in [his] strong shields; he is locked up as with a close seal.

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

16 One is joined to another; and no breath can come between them.

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

17 They are fitted closely one to another: they are interlocked, that they cannot be severed.

They are joined to one another. They stick together, so that they can’t be pulled apart.

18 From his sneezing there beameth forth a light, and his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning-dawn.

His sneezing flashes out light. His eyes are like the eyelids of the morning.

19 Out of his mouth issue burning torches, sparks of fire escape [therefrom].

Out of his mouth go burning torches. Sparks of fire leap out.

20 Out of his nostrils cometh forth smoke, as out of a seething pot or caldron.

Out of his nostrils a smoke goes, as of a boiling pot over a fire of reeds.

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

His breath kindles coals. A flame goes out of his mouth.

22 In his neck abideth strength, and before him danceth terror joyfully.

There is strength in his neck. Terror dances before him.

23 The flakes of his flesh are fitted closely together: they are as molten metal on him, immovable.

The flakes of his flesh are joined together. They are firm on him. They can’t be moved.

24 His heart is firm like a stone: yea, as firm as the nether millstone.

His heart is as firm as a stone, yes, firm as the lower millstone.

25 At his lifting himself up the mighty are terrified: the waves also are lessened.

When he raises himself up, the mighty are afraid. They retreat before his thrashing.

26 If one overtake him with the sword, it cannot hold; nor the spear, the dart, and armor.

If one attacks him with the sword, it can’t prevail; nor the spear, the dart, nor the pointed shaft.

27 He esteemeth iron as straw, [and] brass as rotten wood.

He counts iron as straw, and bronze as rotten wood.

28 The child of the bow cannot make him flee: into stubble are slingstones changed unto him.

The arrow can’t make him flee. Sling stones are like chaff to him.

29 Clubs are esteemed as stubble, and he laugheth at the whirring of the lance.

Clubs are counted as stubble. He laughs at the rushing of the javelin.

30 Beneath him are sharp-pointed potsherds, he spreadeth out, [as it were, a] threshing-roller upon the mire.

His undersides are like sharp potsherds, leaving a trail in the mud like a threshing sledge.

31 He causeth the deep to boil like a pot: he rendereth the sea like an apothecary's mixture.

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

32 Behind him he causeth his pathway to shine, [so that] men esteem the deep to be hoary.

He makes a path shine after him. One would think the deep had white hair.

33 There is none upon earth that ruleth over him, who is made to be without dread.

On earth there is not his equal, that is made without fear.

34 He looketh upon all that is high: he is the king over all the ravenous beasts.

He sees everything that is high. He is king over all the sons of pride.”