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

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

2 C anst thou put an 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? wilt thou take him for a servant 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 bind him 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 fill his skin with barbed irons? or his head with fish spears?

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

8 L ay thine hand upon him, remember the battle, do no more.

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

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

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

10 N one is so fierce that dare stir him up: who then is 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 W ho hath prevented me, that I should repay him? whatsoever 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 parts, nor his power, nor his comely proportion.

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

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

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

14 W ho can open the doors of his face? his teeth are terrible round about.

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 sundered.

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

18 B y his neesings a light doth shine, 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 goeth 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 kindleth coals, and a flame goeth out of his mouth.

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

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

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

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

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; yea, as hard as a piece of the nether millstone.

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

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

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

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

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

27 H e esteemeth iron as straw, and brass as rotten wood.

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

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

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

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

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

30 S harp stones are under him: he spreadeth sharp pointed things upon the mire.

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

31 H e maketh the deep to boil like a pot: he maketh 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 maketh a path to 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 is made without fear.

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

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

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