< Job 41 >

1 Canst thou draw out the crocodile with a fishhook? or cause his tongue to sink into the batted rope? 2 Canst thou put a reed through his nose? or bore his jaw through with a thorn? 3 Will he address many supplications unto thee? or will he speak submissively unto thee? 4 Will he make a covenant with thee? that thou couldst take him as a servant for ever? 5 Canst thou play with him as with a bird? and tie him up for thy maidens? 6 Can companions waylay him? can they divide him among merchants? 7 Canst thou fill his skin with barbed irons? and [pierce] with a fish-spear his head? 8 Lay thy hand upon him; think of the battle: thou wilt never do it again. 9 Behold, his expectation was deceived: even at his mere sight is he cast down. 10 None is so daring that he would stir him up: and who is there that will stand up before me? 11 Who hath shown me favor, that I should repay him! whatsoever is under the whole heaven is mine.— 12 I will not conceal [the account of] his limbs, nor the relation of his might, nor the grace of his proportion. 13 Who hath ever laid open the front of his garment? or who can penetrate into his double row of teeth? 14 Who hath opened the doors of his face? all round about his teeth abideth terror. 15 What pride is there in [his] strong shields; he is locked up as with a close seal. 16 One is joined to another; and no breath can come between them. 17 They are fitted closely one to another: they are interlocked, that they cannot be severed. 18 From his sneezing there beameth forth a light, and his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning-dawn. 19 Out of his mouth issue burning torches, sparks of fire escape [therefrom]. 20 Out of his nostrils cometh forth smoke, as out of a seething pot or caldron. 21 His breath kindleth coals, and a flame cometh out of his mouth. 22 In his neck abideth strength, and before him danceth terror joyfully. 23 The flakes of his flesh are fitted closely together: they are as molten metal on him, immovable. 24 His heart is firm like a stone: yea, as firm as the nether millstone. 25 At his lifting himself up the mighty are terrified: the waves also are lessened. 26 If one overtake him with the sword, it cannot hold; nor the spear, the dart, and armor. 27 He esteemeth iron as straw, [and] brass as rotten wood. 28 The child of the bow cannot make him flee: into stubble are slingstones changed unto him. 29 Clubs are esteemed as stubble, and he laugheth at the whirring of the lance. 30 Beneath him are sharp-pointed potsherds, he spreadeth out, [as it were, a] threshing-roller upon the mire. 31 He causeth the deep to boil like a pot: he rendereth the sea like an apothecary's mixture. 32 Behind him he causeth his pathway to shine, [so that] men esteem the deep to be hoary. 33 There is none upon earth that ruleth over him, who is made to be without dread. 34 He looketh upon all that is high: he is the king over all the ravenous beasts.

< Job 41 >