Job 41
1 But will you catch the serpent with a hook, and put a halter about his nose?
Canst thou draw forth the crocodile with a hook, Or press down his tongue with a cord?
2 Or will you fasten a ring in his nostril, and bore his lip with a clasp?
Canst thou put a rope into his nose, Or pierce his cheek with a hook?
3 Will he address you with a petition? softly, with the voice of a suppliant?
Will he make many entreaties to thee? Will he speak soft words to thee?
4 And will he make a covenant with you? and will you take him for a perpetual servant?
Will he make a covenant with thee? Canst thou take him for a servant for ever?
5 And will you play with him as with a bird? or bind him as a sparrow for a child?
Canst thou play with him, as with a bird? Or canst thou bind him for thy maidens?
6 And do the nations feed upon him, and the nations of the Phoenicians share him?
Do men in company lay snares for him? Do they divide him among the merchants?
7 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.
Canst thou fill his skirt with barbed irons, Or his head with fish-spears?
8 But you shall lay your hand upon him [once], remembering the war that is waged by his mouth; and let it not be done any more.
Do but lay thy hand upon him, —Thou wilt no more think of battle!
9 Hast you not seen him? and have you not wondered at the things said [of him]?
Behold, his hope is vain! Is he not cast down at the very sight of him?
10 Do you not fear because preparation has been made by me? for who is there that resists me?
None is so fierce that he dare stir him up; Who then is he that can stand before me?
11 Or who will resist me, and abide, since the whole [world] under heaven is mine?
Who hath done me a favor, that I must repay him? Whatever is under the whole heaven is mine.
12 I will not be silent because of him: though because of his power [one] shall pity his antagonist.
I will not be silent concerning his limbs, And his strength, and the beauty of his armor.
13 Who will open the face of his garment? and who can enter within the fold of his breastplate?
Who can uncover the surface of his garment? Who will approach his jaws?
14 Who will open the doors of his face? terror is round about his teeth.
Who will open the doors of his face? The rows of his teeth are terrible!
15 His inwards are as brazen plates, and the texture of his [skin] as a smyrite stone.
His glory is his strong shields, United with each other, as with a close seal.
16 One [part] cleaves fast to another, and the air can’t come between them.
They are joined one to another, So that no air can come between them.
17 They will remain united each to the other: they are closely joined, and can’t be separated.
They cleave fast to each other, They hold together, and cannot be separated.
18 At his sneezing a light shines, and his eyes are [as] the appearance of the morning star.
His sneezing sendeth forth light, And his eyes are like the eyelashes of the morning.
19 Out of his mouth proceed as it were burning lamps, and as it were hearths of fire are cast abroad.
Out of his mouth go flames, And sparks of fire leap forth.
20 Out of his nostrils proceeds smoke of a furnace burning with fire of coals.
From his nostrils issueth smoke, as from a heated pot, or caldron.
21 His breath is [as] live coals, and a flame goes out of his mouth.
His breath kindleth coals, And flames issue from his mouth.
22 And power is lodged in his neck, before him destruction runs.
In his neck dwelleth strength, And terror danceth before him.
23 The flesh also of his body is joined together: [if one] pours [violence] upon him, he shall not be moved.
The flakes of his flesh cleave fast together; They are firm upon him, and cannot be moved.
24 His heart is firm as a stone, and it stands like an unyielding anvil.
His heart is solid like a stone; Yea, solid like the nether millstone.
25 And when he turns, [he is] a terror to the four-footed wild beasts which leap upon the earth.
When he riseth up, the mighty are afraid; Yea, they lose themselves for terror.
26 If spears should come against him, [men] will effect nothing, [either with] the spear or the breast-plate.
The sword of him that assaileth him doth not stand, The spear, the dart, nor the habergeon.
27 For he considers iron as chaff, and brass as rotten wood.
He regardeth iron as straw, And brass as rotten wood.
28 The bow of brass shall not would him, he deems a slinger as grass.
The arrow cannot make him flee; Sling-stones to him become stubble;
29 Mauls are counted as stubble; and he laughs to scorn the waving of the firebrand.
Clubs are accounted by him as straw; He laugheth at the shaking of the spear.
30 His lair is [formed of] sharp points; and all the gold of the sea under him is an immense [quantity of] clay.
Under him are sharp potsherds; He spreadeth out a thrashing-sledge upon the mire.
31 He makes the deep boil like a brazen caldron; and he regards the sea as a pot of ointment,
He maketh the deep to boil like a caldron; He maketh the sea like a pot of ointment.
32 and the lowest part of the deep as a captive: he reckons the deep as [his] range.
Behind him he leaveth a shining path; One would think the deep to be hoary.
33 There is nothing upon the earth like to him, formed to be sported with by my angels.
Upon the earth there is not his master; He is made without fear.
34 He beholds every high thing: and he is king of all that are in the waters.
He looketh down upon all that is high; He is king over all the sons of pride.
