1 “ Can you draw out Leviathan with a fish hook, or press down his tongue with a cord?
Canst thou draw out leviathan with a fishhook? Or press down his tongue with a cord?
2 C an you put a rope into his nose, or pierce his jaw through with a hook?
Canst thou put a rope into his nose? Or pierce his jaw through with a hook?
3 W ill he make many petitions to you, or will he speak soft words to you?
Will he make many supplications unto thee? Or will he speak soft words unto thee?
4 W ill he make a covenant with you, that you should take him for a servant forever?
Will he make a covenant with thee, That thou shouldest take him for a servant for ever?
5 W ill you play with him as with a bird? Or will you bind him for your girls?
Wilt thou play with him as with a bird? Or wilt thou bind him for thy maidens?
6 W ill traders barter for him? Will they part him among the merchants?
Will the bands of fishermen make traffic of him? Will they part him among the merchants?
7 C an you fill his skin with barbed irons, 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. Remember the battle, and do so no more.
Lay thy hand upon him; Remember the battle, and do so no more.
9 B ehold, the hope of him is in vain. Won’t one be cast down even at the sight of him?
Behold, the hope of him is in vain: Will not one be cast down even at the sight of him?
10 N one is so fierce that he dare stir him up. Who then is he who can stand before me?
None is so fierce that he dare stir him up; Who then is he that can stand before me?
11 W ho has first given to me, that I should repay him? Everything under the heavens is mine.
Who hath first given unto me, that I should repay him? Whatsoever is under the whole heaven is mine.
12 “ I will not keep silence concerning his limbs, nor his mighty strength, nor his goodly frame.
I will not keep silence concerning his limbs, Nor his mighty strength, nor his goodly frame.
13 W ho can strip off his outer garment? Who shall come within his jaws?
Who can strip off his outer garment? Who shall come within his jaws?
14 W ho can open the doors of his face? Around his teeth is terror.
Who can open the doors of his face? Round about his teeth is terror.
15 S trong scales are his pride, shut up together with a close seal.
His strong scales are his pride, Shut up together as 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 to one another. They stick together, so that they can’t be pulled apart.
They are joined one to another; They stick together, so that they cannot be sundered.
18 H is sneezing flashes out light. 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 torches. Sparks of fire leap out.
Out of his mouth go burning torches, And sparks of fire leap forth.
20 O ut of his nostrils a smoke goes, as of a boiling pot over a fire of reeds.
Out of his nostrils a smoke goeth, As of a boiling pot and burning rushes.
21 H is breath kindles coals. A flame goes out of his mouth.
His breath kindleth coals, And a flame goeth forth from his mouth.
22 T here is strength in his neck. Terror dances before him.
In his neck abideth strength, And terror danceth before him.
23 T he flakes of his flesh are joined together. They are firm on him. They can’t be moved.
The flakes of his flesh are joined together: They are firm upon him; they cannot be moved.
24 H is heart is as firm as a stone, yes, firm as the lower millstone.
His heart is as firm as a stone; Yea, firm as the nether millstone.
25 W hen he raises himself up, the mighty are afraid. They retreat before his thrashing.
When he raiseth himself up, the mighty are afraid: By reason of consternation they are beside themselves.
26 I f one attacks him with the sword, it can’t prevail; nor the spear, the dart, nor the pointed shaft.
If one lay at him with the sword, it cannot avail; Nor the spear, the dart, nor the pointed shaft.
27 H e counts iron as straw; and brass as rotten wood.
He counteth iron as straw, And brass as rotten wood.
28 T he arrow can’t make him flee. Sling stones are like chaff to him.
The arrow cannot make him flee: Sling-stones are turned with him into stubble.
29 C lubs are counted as stubble. He laughs at the rushing of the javelin.
Clubs are counted as stubble: He laugheth at the rushing of the javelin.
30 H is undersides are like sharp potsherds, leaving a trail in the mud like a threshing sledge.
His underparts are like sharp potsherds: He spreadeth as it were a threshing-wain upon the mire.
31 H e makes the deep to boil like a pot. He makes the sea like a pot of ointment.
He maketh the deep to boil like a pot: He maketh the sea like a pot of ointment.
32 H e makes a path shine after him. One would think the deep had white hair.
He maketh a path to shine after him; One would think the deep to be hoary.
33 O n earth there is not his equal, that is made without fear.
Upon earth there is not his like, That is made without fear.
34 H e sees everything that is high. He is king over all the sons of pride.”
He beholdeth everything that is high: He is king over all the sons of pride.