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

“Can you draw out Leviathan with a hook, Or snare his tongue with a line which you lower?

2 C anst thou put a hook into his nose or bore his jaw through with a thorn?

Can you put a reed through his nose, Or pierce his jaw with a hook?

3 W ill he make many supplications unto thee? Will he speak soft words unto thee?

Will he make many supplications to you? Will he speak softly to you?

4 W ill he make a covenant with thee that thou shall take him for a slave for ever?

Will he make a covenant with you? Will you take him as a servant forever?

5 W ilt thou play with him as with a bird, or wilt thou tie him up for thy maidens?

Will you play with him as with a bird, Or will you leash him for your maidens?

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

Will your companions make a banquet of him? Will they apportion him among the merchants?

7 C anst thou cut his skin with knives or his head with a fish spear?

Can you fill his skin with harpoons, Or his head with fishing spears?

8 L ay thine hand upon him; thou shalt remember the battle and do no more.

Lay your hand on him; Remember the battle— Never do it again!

9 B ehold, your hope regarding him shall fail; for even at the sight of him they shall faint.

Indeed, any hope of overcoming him is false; Shall one not be overwhelmed at the sight of him?

10 N o one is so bold as to dare stir him up; who then shall be able to stand before me?

No one is so fierce that he would dare stir him up. Who then is able to stand against Me?

11 ¶ Who has preceded me, that I should repay him? All that is under the whole heaven is mine.

Who has preceded Me, that I should pay him? Everything under heaven is Mine.

12 I will not conceal his lies, nor his might, nor the beauty of his order.

“I will not conceal his limbs, His mighty power, or his graceful proportions.

13 W ho shall uncover the face of his garment? Or who shall come to him with a double bridle?

Who can remove his outer coat? Who can approach him with a double bridle?

14 W ho shall open the doors of his face? The orders of his teeth are terrible.

Who can open the doors of his face, With his terrible teeth all around?

15 H is scales are his pride, shut up together as with a close seal.

His rows of scales are his pride, Shut up tightly as with a seal;

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

One is so near another That no air can come between them;

17 T hey are joined one to another; they stick together, that they cannot be separated.

They are joined one to another, They stick together and cannot be parted.

18 B y his sneezings lights are lit, and his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning.

His sneezings flash forth light, And his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning.

19 O ut of his mouth go burning lamps, and sparks of fire leap out.

Out of his mouth go burning lights; Sparks of fire shoot out.

20 O ut of his nostrils goes forth smoke, as out of a seething pot or caldron.

Smoke goes out of his nostrils, As from a boiling pot and burning rushes.

21 H is breath kindles coals, and a flame goes out of his mouth.

His breath kindles coals, And a flame goes out of his mouth.

22 I n his neck dwells strength, and before him the work is undone.

Strength dwells in his neck, And sorrow dances before him.

23 T he failings of his flesh are joined together; his flesh is firm in him and does not move.

The folds of his flesh are joined together; They are firm on him and cannot be moved.

24 H is heart is as firm as a stone; as hard as a piece of the lower millstone.

His heart is as hard as stone, Even as hard as the lower millstone.

25 O f his greatness, the mighty are afraid; by reason of breakings they remove sin from themselves.

When he raises himself up, the mighty are afraid; Because of his crashings they are beside themselves.

26 W hen one catches up to him, no sword or spear or dart or coat of mail shall endure against him.

Though the sword reaches him, it cannot avail; Nor does spear, dart, or javelin.

27 H e esteems iron as straw and bronze as rotten wood.

He regards iron as straw, And bronze as rotten wood.

28 T he arrow cannot make him flee; with him, slingstones are turned into stubble.

The arrow cannot make him flee; Slingstones become like stubble to him.

29 H e counts any weapon as stubble; he laughs at the shaking of a spear.

Darts are regarded as straw; He laughs at the threat of javelins.

30 B roken clay vessels are under him; he carves his imprint upon the mire.

His undersides are like sharp potsherds; He spreads pointed marks in the mire.

31 H e makes the deep to boil like a pot; he makes the sea like a pot of ointment.

He makes the deep boil like a pot; He makes the sea like a pot of ointment.

32 H e makes the path shine after him; one would think the deep to be hoary.

He leaves a shining wake behind him; One would think the deep had white hair.

33 U pon earth there is not his like, who behaves without fear.

On earth there is nothing like him, Which is made without fear.

34 H e despises all exalted things; he is king over all the sons of pride.

He beholds every high thing; He is king over all the children of pride.”