Job 41

1 Canst thou draw out the leviathan with a hook, or canst thou tie his tongue with a cord?

But wilt thou catch the serpent with a hook, and put a halter about his nose?

2 Canst thou put a ring in his nose, or bore through his jaw with a buckle?

Or wilt thou fasten a ring in his nostril, and bore his lip with a clasp?

3 Will he make many supplications to thee, or speak soft words to thee?

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

4 Will he make a covenant with thee, and wilt thou take him to be a servant for ever?

And will he make a covenant with thee? and wilt thou take him for a perpetual servant?

5 Shalt thou play with him as with a bird, or tie him up for thy handmaids?

And wilt thou play with him as with a bird? or bind him as a sparrow for a child?

6 Shall friends cut him in pieces, shall merchants divide him?

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

7 Wilt thou fill nets with his skin, and the cabins of fishes with his head?

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, and speak no more.

But thou shalt lay thy hand upon him [once], remembering the war that is waged by his mouth; and let it not be done any more.

9 Behold his hope shall fail him, and in the sight of all he shall be cast down.

Hast thou not seen him? and hast thou not wondered at the things said [of him]?

10 I will not stir him up, like one that is cruel: for who can resist my countenance?

Dost thou not fear because preparation has been made by me? for who is there that resists me?

11 Who hath given me before that I should repay him? All things that are under heaven are mine.

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

12 I will not spare him, nor his mighty words, and framed to make supplication.

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

13 Who can discover the face of his garment? or who can go into the midst of his mouth?

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? his teeth are terrible round about.

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

15 His body is like molten shields, shut close up with scales pressing upon one another.

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

16 One is joined to another, and not so much as any air can come between them:

One [part] cleaves fast to another, and the air cannot come between them.

17 They stick one to another and they hold one another fast, and shall not be separated.

They will remain united each to the other: they are closely joined, and cannot be separated.

18 His sneezing is like the shining of fire, and his eyes 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 lamps, like torches of lighted fire.

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, like that of a pot heated and boiling.

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

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

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

22 In his neck strength shall dwell, and want goeth before his face.

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

23 The members of his flesh cleave one to another: he shall send lightnings against him, and they shall not be carried to another place.

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

24 His heart shall be as hard as a stone, and as firm as a smith’s anvil.

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

25 When he shall raise him up, the angels shall fear, and being affrighted shall purify themselves.

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

26 When a sword shall lay at him, it shall not be able to hold, nor a spear, nor a breastplate.

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

27 For he shall esteem iron as straw, and brass as rotten wood.

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

28 The archer shall not put him to flight, the stones of the sling are to him like stubble.

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

29 As stubble will he esteem the hammer, and he will laugh him to scorn who shaketh the spear.

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

30 The beams of the sun shall be under him, and he shall strew gold under him like 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 shall make the deep sea to boil like a pot, and shall make it as when ointments boil.

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

32 A path shall shine after him, he shall esteem the deep as growing old.

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

33 There is no power upon earth that can be compared with him who was made to fear no one.

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

34 He beholdeth every high thing, he is king over all the children of pride.

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