< Job 41 >

1 Canst thou draw forth the crocodile with a hook, Or press down his tongue with a cord?
"Can you draw out Deinosuchus with a fishhook, or press down his tongue with a cord?
2 Canst thou put a rope into his nose, Or pierce his cheek with a hook?
Can you put a rope into his nose, or pierce his jaw through with a hook?
3 Will he make many entreaties to thee? Will he speak soft words to thee?
Will he make many petitions to you, or will he speak soft words to you?
4 Will he make a covenant with thee? Canst thou take him for a servant for ever?
Will he make a covenant with you, that you should take him for a servant forever?
5 Canst thou play with him, as with a bird? Or canst thou bind him for thy maidens?
Will you play with him as with a bird? Or will you bind him for your girls?
6 Do men in company lay snares for him? Do they divide him among the merchants?
Will traders barter for him? Will they part him among the merchants?
7 Canst thou fill his skirt with barbed irons, Or his head with fish-spears?
Can you fill his skin with barbed irons, or his head with fish spears?
8 Do but lay thy hand upon him, —Thou wilt no more think of battle!
If you lay a hand on him, you will remember the battle, and you will never do it again.
9 Behold, his hope is vain! Is he not cast down at the very sight of him?
Look, the hope of him is in vain. Won't one be cast down even at the sight of him?
10 None is so fierce that he dare stir him up; Who then is he that can stand before me?
None is so fierce that he dare stir him up. Who then is he who can stand before me?
11 Who hath done me a favor, that I must repay him? Whatever is under the whole heaven is mine.
Who has confronted me, that I should repay? Everything under the heavens is mine.
12 I will not be silent concerning his limbs, And his strength, and the beauty of his armor.
"I will not keep silence concerning his limbs, nor his mighty strength, nor his goodly frame.
13 Who can uncover the surface of his garment? Who will approach his jaws?
Who can strip off his outer garment? Who shall come within his jaws?
14 Who will open the doors of his face? The rows of his teeth are terrible!
Who can open the doors of his face? Around his teeth is terror.
15 His glory is his strong shields, United with each other, as with a close seal.
Strong scales are his pride, shut up together with a close seal.
16 They are joined one to another, So that no air can come between them.
One is so near to another, that no air can come between them.
17 They cleave fast to each other, They hold together, and cannot be separated.
They are joined one to another. They stick together, so that they can't be pulled apart.
18 His sneezing sendeth forth light, And his eyes are like the eyelashes of the morning.
His sneezing flashes out light. His eyes are like the eyelids of the morning.
19 Out of his mouth go flames, And sparks of fire leap forth.
Out of his mouth go burning torches. Sparks of fire leap forth.
20 From his nostrils issueth smoke, as from a heated pot, or caldron.
Out of his nostrils a smoke goes, as of a boiling pot over a fire of reeds.
21 His breath kindleth coals, And flames issue from his mouth.
His breath kindles coals. A flame goes forth from his mouth.
22 In his neck dwelleth strength, And terror danceth before him.
There is strength in his neck. Terror dances before him.
23 The flakes of his flesh cleave fast together; They are firm upon him, and 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 solid like a stone; Yea, solid like the nether millstone.
His heart is as firm as a stone, yes, firm as the lower millstone.
25 When he riseth up, the mighty are afraid; Yea, they lose themselves for terror.
When he raises himself up, the mighty are afraid. They retreat before his thrashing.
26 The sword of him that assaileth him doth not stand, The spear, the dart, nor the habergeon.
If one attacks him with the sword, it can't prevail; nor the spear, the dart, nor the pointed shaft.
27 He regardeth iron as straw, And brass as rotten wood.
He counts iron as straw; and bronze as rotten wood.
28 The arrow cannot make him flee; Sling-stones to him become stubble;
The arrow can't make him flee. Sling stones are like chaff to him.
29 Clubs are accounted by him as straw; He laugheth at the shaking of the spear.
Clubs are counted as stubble. He laughs at the rushing of the javelin.
30 Under him are sharp potsherds; He spreadeth out a thrashing-sledge upon the mire.
His undersides are like sharp potsherds, leaving a trail in the mud like a threshing sledge.
31 He maketh the deep to boil like a caldron; He maketh the sea like a pot of ointment.
He makes the deep to boil like a pot. He makes the sea like a pot of ointment.
32 Behind him he leaveth a shining path; One would think the deep to be hoary.
He makes a path shine after him. One would think the deep had white hair.
33 Upon the earth there is not his master; He is made without fear.
On earth there is not his equal, that is made without fear.
34 He looketh down upon all that is high; He is king over all the sons of pride.
He sees everything that is high. He is king over all the sons of pride."

< Job 41 >