< Job 41 >

1 Canst thou draw out the leviathan with a hook, or canst thou tie his tongue with a cord?
Canst thou draw forth the crocodile with a hook, Or press down his tongue with a cord?
2 Canst thou put a ring in his nose, or bore through his jaw with a buckle?
Canst thou put a rope into his nose, Or pierce his cheek with a hook?
3 Will he make many supplications to thee, or speak soft words to thee?
Will he make many entreaties to thee? Will he speak soft words to thee?
4 Will he make a covenant with thee, and wilt thou take him to be a servant for ever?
Will he make a covenant with thee? Canst thou take him for a servant for ever?
5 Shalt thou play with him as with a bird, or tie him up for thy handmaids?
Canst thou play with him, as with a bird? Or canst thou bind him for thy maidens?
6 Shall friends cut him in pieces, shall merchants divide him?
Do men in company lay snares for him? Do they divide him among the merchants?
7 Wilt thou fill nets with his skin, and the cabins of fishes with his head?
Canst thou fill his skirt with barbed irons, Or his head with fish-spears?
8 Lay thy hand upon him: remember the battle, and speak no more.
Do but lay thy hand upon him, —Thou wilt no more think of battle!
9 Behold his hope shall fail him, and in the sight of all he shall be cast down.
Behold, his hope is vain! Is he not cast down at the very sight of him?
10 I will not stir him up, like one that is cruel: for who can resist my countenance?
None is so fierce that he dare stir him up; Who then is he that can stand before me?
11 Who hath given me before that I should repay him? All things that are under heaven are mine.
Who hath done me a favor, that I must repay him? Whatever is under the whole heaven is mine.
12 I will not spare him, nor his mighty words, and framed to make supplication.
I will not be silent concerning his limbs, And his strength, and the beauty of his armor.
13 Who can discover the face of his garment? or who can go into the midst of his mouth?
Who can uncover the surface of his garment? Who will approach his jaws?
14 Who can open the doors of his face? his teeth are terrible round about.
Who will open the doors of his face? The rows of his teeth are terrible!
15 His body is like molten shields, shut close up with scales pressing upon one another.
His glory is his strong shields, United with each other, as with a close seal.
16 One is joined to another, and not so much as any air can come between them:
They are joined one to another, So that no air can come between them.
17 They stick one to another and they hold one another fast, and shall not be separated.
They cleave fast to each other, They hold together, and cannot be separated.
18 His sneezing is like the shining of fire, and his eyes like the eyelids of the morning.
His sneezing sendeth forth light, And his eyes are like the eyelashes of the morning.
19 Out of his mouth go forth lamps, like torches of lighted fire.
Out of his mouth go flames, And sparks of fire leap forth.
20 Out of his nostrils goeth smoke, like that of a pot heated and boiling.
From his nostrils issueth smoke, as from a heated pot, or caldron.
21 His breath kindleth coals, and a flame cometh forth out of his mouth.
His breath kindleth coals, And flames issue from his mouth.
22 In his neck strength shall dwell, and want goeth before his face.
In his neck dwelleth strength, And terror danceth before him.
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 flakes of his flesh cleave fast together; They are firm upon him, and cannot be moved.
24 His heart shall be as hard as a stone, and as firm as a smith’s anvil.
His heart is solid like a stone; Yea, solid like the nether millstone.
25 When he shall raise him up, the angels shall fear, and being affrighted shall purify themselves.
When he riseth up, the mighty are afraid; Yea, they lose themselves for terror.
26 When a sword shall lay at him, it shall not be able to hold, nor a spear, nor a breastplate.
The sword of him that assaileth him doth not stand, The spear, the dart, nor the habergeon.
27 For he shall esteem iron as straw, and brass as rotten wood.
He regardeth iron as straw, 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 arrow cannot make him flee; Sling-stones to him become stubble;
29 As stubble will he esteem the hammer, and he will laugh him to scorn who shaketh the spear.
Clubs are accounted by him as straw; He laugheth at the shaking of the spear.
30 The beams of the sun shall be under him, and he shall strew gold under him like mire.
Under him are sharp potsherds; He spreadeth out a thrashing-sledge upon the mire.
31 He shall make the deep sea to boil like a pot, and shall make it as when ointments boil.
He maketh the deep to boil like a caldron; He maketh the sea like a pot of ointment.
32 A path shall shine after him, he shall esteem the deep as growing old.
Behind him he leaveth a shining path; One would think the deep to be hoary.
33 There is no power upon earth that can be compared with him who was made to fear no one.
Upon the earth there is not his master; He is made without fear.
34 He beholdeth every high thing, he is king over all the children of pride.
He looketh down upon all that is high; He is king over all the sons of pride.

< Job 41 >