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 fish hook, or press down his tongue with a cord?

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

Can you put a rope into his nose, or pierce his jaw through with a hook?

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

Will he make many petitions to you, or will he speak soft words 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, that you should take him for 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 bind him for your girls?

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

Will traders barter for him? Will they part 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 barbed irons, or his head with fish 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, and do so no more.

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

Behold, the hope of him is in vain. Won’t one be cast down even 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?

None is so fierce that he dare stir him up. Who then is he who can stand before me?

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

Who has first given to me, that I should repay him? Everything under the heavens is mine.

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

“I will not keep silence concerning his limbs, nor his mighty strength, nor his goodly frame.

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

Who can strip off his outer garment? Who shall come within his jaws?

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? Around his teeth is terror.

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

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

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

One is so near to 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 to one another. They stick together, so that they can’t be pulled apart.

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

His sneezing flashes out light. 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 torches. Sparks of fire leap out.

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

Out of his nostrils a smoke goes, as of a boiling pot over a fire of reeds.

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

His breath kindles coals. A flame goes out of his mouth.

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

There is strength in his neck. Terror dances before him.

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

The flakes of his flesh are joined together. They are firm on him. They can’t 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 firm as a stone, yes, firm 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. They retreat before his thrashing.

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

If one attacks him with the sword, it can’t prevail; nor the spear, the dart, nor the pointed shaft.

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

He counts iron as straw; and brass as rotten wood.

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

The arrow can’t make him flee. Sling stones are like chaff to him.

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

Clubs are counted as stubble. He laughs at the rushing of the javelin.

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

His undersides are like sharp potsherds, leaving a trail in the mud like a threshing sledge.

31 H e makes the deep to boil like a pot; he makes 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 H e makes the path shine after him; one would think the deep to be hoary.

He makes a path shine after 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 not his equal, that is made without fear.

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

He sees everything that is high. He is king over all the sons of pride.”