Job 41

1 Canst thou draw out leviathan with an hook? or his tongue with a cord which thou lettest down?

But will you catch the serpent with a hook, and put a halter about his nose?

2 Canst thou put an hook into his nose? or bore his jaw through with a thorn?

Or will you fasten a ring in his nostril, and bore his lip with a clasp?

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

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

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

And will he make a covenant with you? and will you take him for a perpetual servant?

5 Wilt thou play with him as with a bird? or wilt thou bind him for thy maidens?

And will you play with him as with a bird? or bind him as a sparrow for a child?

6 Shall the companions make a banquet of him? shall they part him among the merchants?

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

7 Canst thou fill his skin with barbed irons? or his head with fish spears?

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, do no more.

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.

9 Behold, the hope of him is in vain: shall not one be cast down even at the sight of him?

Hast you not seen him? and have you not wondered at the things said [of him]?

10 None is so fierce that he dare rouse him: who then is able to stand before me?

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

11 Who hath given to me, that I should repay him? whatever is under the whole heaven is mine.

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

12 I will not conceal his parts, nor his power, nor his comely proportion.

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

13 Who can uncover the face of his garment? or who can come to him with his double bridle?

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? Around his teeth there is terror.

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

15 His scales are his pride, shut together as with a close seal.

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

16 One is so near to another, that no air can come between them.

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

17 They are joined one to another, they stick together, that they cannot be sundered.

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

18 His sneezes flash light, and his eyes are 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 burning lamps, and sparks of fire dart forth.

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, as out of a boiling pot or caldron.

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

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

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

22 In his neck remaineth strength, and sorrow is turned into joy before him.

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

23 The flakes of his flesh are joined together: they are firm in themselves; they cannot be moved.

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

24 His heart is as firm as a stone; yea, as hard as a piece of the lower millstone.

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

25 When he raiseth himself, the mighty are afraid: by reason of the crashing they purify themselves.

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

26 The sword of him that overtaketh him cannot hold: the spear, the dart, nor the javelin.

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

27 He esteemeth iron as straw, and brass as rotten wood.

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

28 The arrow cannot make him flee: slingstones are turned with him into stubble.

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

29 Darts are counted as stubble: he laugheth at the shaking of a spear.

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

30 Sharp stones are under him: he spreadeth sharp pointed things upon the 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 maketh the deep to boil like a pot: he maketh the sea like a pot of ointment.

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

32 He maketh a path to shine after him; one would think the deep to be hoary.

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

33 Upon earth there is not his like, who is made without fear.

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

34 He beholdeth all high things: he is a king over all the children of pride.

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