Job 41

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

Can you reel in the mighty sea creature with a fishing hook? Or tie its tongue with a rope you lower down?

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

Can you control him by piercing his nose? Or inflict pain by piercing his jaw?

Will he make many supplications unto thee? will he speak soft words unto thee?

Will he plead passionately to you? Will he speak gently to you?

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

Will he make a pact with you? Will you take him as your servant for life?

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

Would you treat him like a pet bird, playing with him? Or would you tie him up for your girls to keep?

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

Will teams of fishermen make a feast of him? Will they divide him up among the merchants for trade?

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

Can you pierce his skin with sharp arrows, or his head with fishing harpoons?

Lay thine hand upon him, remember the battle, do no more.

Just lay a hand on him, and you will remember the fight and never try it again.

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

Indeed, any hope of overpowering him is pointless. Won't just a glimpse of him bring a person to despair?

None is so fierce that dare stir him up: who then is able to stand before me?

No one is brave enough to provoke him; who then has the courage to face me?

Who hath prevented me, that I should repay him? whatsoever is under the whole heaven is mine.

Who has ever given me anything first, so that I owe him repayment? Everything under the vast sky belongs to me.

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

I won't hide his strengths, his power, or his beautiful balance.

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

Who can strip off his outer coat? Or who can come near him with a double bridle?

Who can open the doors of his face? his teeth are terrible round about.

Who would dare to pry open his jaws? His teeth, a terrifying sight, surround his mouth.

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

He takes great pride in his protective scales, tightly bound together like a securely sealed envelope.

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

They are so close to each other, not even a breath can separate them.

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

They are deeply connected, inseparable, their bond unbreakable.

By his neesings a light doth shine, and his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning.

His sneezes radiate like a beacon, and his eyes glow with the freshness of dawn.

Out of his mouth go burning lamps, and sparks of fire leap out.

From his mouth stream blazing torches, and sparks of fire leap out.

Out of his nostrils goeth smoke, as out of a seething pot or caldron.

From his nostrils, smoke billows, like steam from a boiling pot.

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

His breath sets coals ablaze, and flames pour from his mouth.

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

He carries strength in his neck, and dread dances on ahead of him wherever he goes.

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

His skin is tightly knit, strong and unyielding; it simply cannot be shifted.

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

His heart is unyieldingly solid, as tough as the hardest rock.

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

When he stands tall, even the powerful tremble; they cleanse themselves out of fear and respect.

The sword of him that layeth at him cannot hold: the spear, the dart, nor the habergeon.

The weapons of those who attack him are useless: neither the sword, the spear, nor the armor can withstand him.

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

He regards iron as if it were mere hay, and treats brass as if it were decaying timber.

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

No arrow can scare him away, and stones thrown at him are as insignificant as chaff.

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

He treats arrows as if they were mere straws and scoffs at the threat of a spear.

Sharp stones are under him: he spreadeth sharp pointed things upon the mire.

He lies on jagged rocks, scattering piercing objects in the mud.

He maketh the deep to boil like a pot: he maketh the sea like a pot of ointment.

He stirs the ocean depths until they bubble like a boiling pot, and he churns the sea until it froths like ointment simmering in a pot.

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

He leaves a shining wake behind him, so white with foam that the deep seems to have grey hair.

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

There is none like him on earth, a creature made without fear.

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

He sees everything lofty and grand; he reigns supreme over all who are arrogant.