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 hook, Or snare his tongue with a line which you lower?

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

Can you put a reed through 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? Will he speak softly to you?

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 as 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 leash him for your maidens?

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

Will your companions make a banquet of him? Will they apportion 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— Never do it again!

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

Indeed, any hope of overcoming him is false; Shall one not be overwhelmed 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 would dare stir him up. Who then is able to stand against Me?

11 W ho has given Me everything, that I should pay him back? Whatever 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 keep quiet about his legs, or his powerful strength, or the good way he is made.

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

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

Who can remove his outer coat? Who can approach him with a 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, With his terrible teeth all around?

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

His rows of scales are his pride, Shut up tightly as with a 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 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 and cannot be parted.

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

His sneezings 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 lights; Sparks of fire shoot out.

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

Smoke goes out of his nostrils, 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 out of his mouth.

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

Strength dwells in his neck, And sorrow dances 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; They are firm on him and cannot be moved.

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

His heart is as hard as stone, Even as hard as the 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 are afraid; Because of his crashings they are beside themselves.

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

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

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

He regards iron as straw, And 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 become like stubble to him.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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