Job 41
1 Canst thou draw out the Crocodile with a fish-hook? Or, with a cord, canst thou fasten down his tongue?
“Can you draw out Leviathan with a fish hook, or press down his tongue with a cord?
2 Wilt thou put a rush-cord on his nose? or, with a thorn, wilt thou pierce his jaw?
Can you put a rope into his nose, or pierce his jaw through with a hook?
3 Will he multiply unto thee supplications, or will he speak unto thee softly?
Will he make many petitions to you, or will he speak soft words to you?
4 Will he solemnise a covenant with thee? Wilt thou take him for a life-long servant?
Will he make a covenant with you, that you should take him for a servant forever?
5 Wilt thou sport with him, as with a little bird? Or wilt thou bind him, for thy maidens?
Will you play with him as with a bird? Or will you bind him for your girls?
6 Shall the companions bargain over him? or will they part him among the traders?
Will traders barter for him? Will they part him among the merchants?
7 Wilt thou fill, with darts, his skin? or, with fish-spears, his head?
Can you fill his skin with barbed irons, or his head with fish spears?
8 Lay thou upon him thy hand, remember the battle—no more!
Lay your hand on him. Remember the battle, and do so no more.
9 Lo! any hope of him, hath been found deceptive, Even at the sight of him, shall not one be overwhelmed?
Behold, the hope of him is in vain. Won’t one be cast down even at the sight of him?
10 None so bold, that he will rouse him! Who then is he that, before me, can stand?
None is so fierce that he dare stir him up. Who then is he who can stand before me?
11 Who hath forestalled me, that I may repay him? Under all the heavens, mine it is!
Who has first given to me, that I should repay him? Everything under the heavens is mine.
12 I will not pass by in silence his parts, or the matter of strength, or the grace of his armour.
“I will not keep silence concerning his limbs, nor his mighty strength, nor his goodly frame.
13 Who hath removed his outer garment, through his double row of teeth, who would enter?
Who can strip off his outer garment? Who will come within his jaws?
14 The doors of his face, who hath opened? The circles of his teeth, are a terror!
Who can open the doors of his face? Around his teeth is terror.
15 A pride, are his arched sides, closed up, with a firm seal;
Strong scales are his pride, shut up together with a close seal.
16 One to another, they join, and, air, cannot enter between them;
One is so near to another, that no air can come between them.
17 Each to its fellow, they cleave, they grasp each other, and cannot be parted;
They are joined to one another. They stick together, so that they can’t be pulled apart.
18 His sneezings, flash forth light, and, his eyes, are like the eyelashes of the dawn;
His sneezing flashes out light. His eyes are like the eyelids of the morning.
19 Out of his mouth, torches dart forth, sparks of fire, escape;
Out of his mouth go burning torches. Sparks of fire leap out.
20 Out of his nostrils, proceedeth smoke, like a blown pot and rushes;
Out of his nostrils a smoke goes, as of a boiling pot over a fire of reeds.
21 His breath, setteth coals ablaze, and, a flame, out of his mouth, proceedeth;
His breath kindles coals. A flame goes out of his mouth.
22 In his neck, lodgeth strength, and, before him, danceth dismay;
There is strength in his neck. Terror dances before him.
23 The dewlaps of his flesh, cleave together, hardened upon him, they cannot be moved;
The flakes of his flesh are joined together. They are firm on him. They can’t be moved.
24 His heart, is hardened like a stone, yea hardened, like the nether millstone;
His heart is as firm as a stone, yes, firm as the lower millstone.
25 At his rising up, mighty men are afraid, by reason of terror, they are beside themselves:
When he raises himself up, the mighty are afraid. They retreat before his thrashing.
26 As for him that assaileth him, the sword availeth not, spear, dart, or coat of mail:
If one attacks him with the sword, it can’t prevail; nor the spear, the dart, nor the pointed shaft.
27 He counteth iron as broken straw, and bronze as rotten wood:
He counts iron as straw, and bronze as rotten wood.
28 The arrow, will not make him flee, Into chaff, are sling-stones changed by him:
The arrow can’t make him flee. Sling stones are like chaff to him.
29 As a straw, is a club accounted, and he laugheth at the whir of the javelin;
Clubs are counted as stubble. He laughs at the rushing of the javelin.
30 His underparts, are points of potsherd, a pointed threshing roller spreadeth out upon the slime:
His undersides are like sharp potsherds, leaving a trail in the mud like a threshing sledge.
31 He causeth to boil, as a cauldron, the raging deep, the sea, he maketh like a brewing vessel:
He makes the deep to boil like a pot. He makes the sea like a pot of ointment.
32 After him, he lighteth up a path, one might think the resounding deep to be hoary!
He makes a path shine after him. One would think the deep had white hair.
33 There is not—upon the dust—his like, that hath been made to be without fear;
On earth there is not his equal, that is made without fear.
34 Every thing lofty, he beholdeth, he, is king over all ravenous beasts.
He sees everything that is high. He is king over all the sons of pride.”
