1 D ost thou draw leviathan with an angle? And with a rope thou lettest down -- his tongue?

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

2 D ost thou put a reed in his nose? And with a thorn pierce his jaw?

Can you put a reed through his nose, Or pierce his jaw with a hook?

3 D oth he multiply unto thee supplications? Doth he speak unto thee tender things?

Will he make many supplications to you? Will he speak softly to you?

4 D oth he make a covenant with thee? Dost thou take him for a servant age-during?

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

5 D ost thou play with him as a bird? And dost thou bind him for thy damsels?

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

6 ( Feast upon him do companions, They divide him among the merchants!)

Will your companions make a banquet of him? Will they apportion him among the merchants?

7 D ost thou fill with barbed irons his skin? And with fish-spears his head?

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

8 P lace on him thy hand, Remember the battle -- do not add!

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

9 L o, the hope of him is found a liar, Also at his appearance is not one cast down?

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

10 N one so fierce that he doth awake him, And who he before Me stationeth himself?

No one is so fierce that he would dare stir him up. Who then is able to stand against Me?

11 W ho hath brought before Me and I repay? Under the whole heavens it mine.

Who has preceded Me, that I should pay him? Everything under heaven is Mine.

12 I do not keep silent concerning his parts, And the matter of might, And the grace of his arrangement.

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

13 W ho hath uncovered the face of his clothing? Within his double bridle who doth enter?

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

14 T he doors of his face who hath opened? Round about his teeth terrible.

Who can open the doors of his face, With his terrible teeth all around?

15 A pride -- strong ones of shields, Shut up -- a close seal.

His rows of scales are his pride, Shut up tightly as with a seal;

16 O ne unto another they draw nigh, And air doth not enter between them.

One is so near another That no air can come between them;

17 O ne unto another they adhere, They stick together and are not separated.

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

18 H is sneezings cause light to shine, And his eyes as the eyelids of the dawn.

His sneezings flash forth light, And his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning.

19 O ut of his mouth do flames go, sparks of fire escape.

Out of his mouth go burning lights; Sparks of fire shoot out.

20 O ut of his nostrils goeth forth smoke, As a blown pot and reeds.

Smoke goes out of his nostrils, As from a boiling pot and burning rushes.

21 H is breath setteth coals on fire, And a flame from his mouth goeth forth.

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

22 I n his neck lodge doth strength, And before him doth grief exult.

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

23 T he flakes of his flesh have adhered -- Firm upon him -- it is not moved.

The folds of his flesh are joined together; They are firm on him and cannot be moved.

24 H is heart firm as a stone, Yea, firm as the lower piece.

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

25 F rom his rising are the mighty afraid, From breakings they keep themselves free.

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

26 T he sword of his overtaker standeth not, Spear -- dart -- and lance.

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

27 H e reckoneth iron as straw, brass as rotten wood.

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

28 T he son of the bow doth not cause him to flee, Turned by him into stubble are stones of the sling.

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

29 A s stubble have darts been reckoned, And he laugheth at the shaking of a javelin.

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

30 U nder him sharp points of clay, He spreadeth gold on the mire.

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

31 H e causeth to boil as a pot the deep, The sea he maketh as a pot of ointment.

He makes the deep boil like a pot; He makes the sea like a pot of ointment.

32 A fter him he causeth a path to shine, One thinketh the deep to be hoary.

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

33 T here is not on the earth his like, That is made without terror.

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

34 E very high thing he doth see, He king over all sons of pride.

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