1 “ Can you pull the crocodile out with a fish-hook? Can you tie his tongue down with a rope?

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

2 C an you put a rope in his nose, or put a hook through his jaw?

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

3 W ill he beg you to be good to him? Will he speak soft words to you?

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

4 W ill he make an agreement with you to take him and make him your servant forever?

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

5 W ill you play with him as if he were a bird? Or will you put him on a rope for your young women?

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

6 W ill traders talk about buying and selling him? Will they divide him among the store-keepers?

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

7 C an you fill his skin or his head with fish spears?

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

8 L ay your hand on him, and remember the battle. You will not do it again!

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

9 S ee, the hope of man is false. One is laid low even when seeing him.

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

10 N o one is so powerful that he would wake him. Who then can stand before Me?

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

11 W ho has given Me everything, that I should pay him back? Whatever is under the whole heaven is Mine.

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

12 “ I will not keep quiet about his legs, or his powerful strength, or the good way he is made.

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

13 W ho can take off his outside clothing? Who can get through his hard skin?

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

14 W ho can open the doors of his mouth? Around his teeth is much fear.

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

15 H is hard covering is his pride. He is shut up as with a lock.

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

16 O ne piece of his hard skin is so close 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 hold on to each other and cannot be separated.

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

18 H is breath gives out light. And his eyes are like those of the first light of day.

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

19 B urning light goes out of his mouth. Fire comes out.

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

20 S moke goes out of his nostrils, as from a boiling pot and burning grass.

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

21 H is breath sets fire to coals. A fire goes out of his mouth.

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

22 S trength is in his neck, and fear jumps in front of him.

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

23 T he folds of his flesh are joined together. They are set in place and cannot be moved.

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

24 H is heart is as hard as a stone, even as hard as a grinding-stone.

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

25 W hen he raises himself up, the powerful are afraid. They are troubled because of his noise.

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

26 T he sword that hits him cannot cut. And spears are of no use.

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

27 H e thinks of iron as straw, and brass as soft wood.

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

28 T he arrow cannot make him run away. Stones thrown at him are like dry grass to him.

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

29 H e thinks of heavy sticks as dry grass. He laughs at the noise of the spear.

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

30 T he parts under him are like sharp pieces of a pot. He spreads out like a grain crusher on the mud.

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

31 H e makes the sea boil like a pot. He makes the sea like a jar of oil.

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

32 H e makes his way shine behind him. One would think that the sea has white hair.

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

33 N othing on earth is like him, one made without fear.

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

34 H e looks on everything that is high. He is king over all that are proud.”

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