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

“ Can you draw out Leviathan with a fishhook? Or press down his tongue with a cord?

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

“Can you put a rope in his nose Or pierce his jaw with a hook?

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

“Will he make many supplications to you, Or will he speak to you soft words?

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

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

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?

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

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

“Will the traders bargain over him? Will they divide him among the merchants?

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

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

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

“Lay your hand on him; Remember the battle; you will not do it again!

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

“ Behold, your expectation is false; Will you be laid low even at the sight of him?

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

“No one is so fierce that he dares to arouse him; Who then is he that can 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 has given to Me that I should repay him ? Whatever 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 keep silence concerning his limbs, Or his mighty strength, or his orderly frame.

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

“Who can strip off his outer armor? Who can come within his double mail?

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

“Who can open the doors of his face? Around his teeth there is terror.

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

“ His strong scales are his pride, Shut up as with a tight 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 clasp each other and cannot be separated.

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

“His sneezes flash forth light, 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 torches; Sparks of fire leap forth.

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

“Out of his nostrils smoke goes forth As from a boiling pot and burning rushes.

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

“His breath kindles coals, And a flame goes forth from his mouth.

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

“In his neck lodges strength, And dismay leaps before him.

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

“The folds of his flesh are joined together, Firm on him and immovable.

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

“His heart is as hard as a stone, Even as hard as a lower millstone.

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

“When he raises himself up, the mighty fear; Because of the crashing they are bewildered.

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

“The sword that reaches him cannot avail, Nor the spear, the dart or the javelin.

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

“He regards iron as straw, Bronze 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 into stubble for him.

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

“Clubs are regarded as stubble; He laughs at the rattling of the javelin.

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

“His underparts are like sharp potsherds; He spreads out like a threshing sledge on the mire.

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

“He makes the depths boil like a pot; He makes the sea like a jar of ointment.

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

“Behind him he makes a wake to shine; One would think the deep to be gray-haired.

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

“ Nothing on earth is like him, One made without fear.

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

“ He looks on everything that is high; He is king over all the sons of pride.”