Job 41
La Bible du Semeur
41 Vois, devant lui, ╵tout espoir de le vaincre ╵est illusoire.
A sa vue seule, ╵on sera terrassé.
2 Nul n’aura assez de courage ╵pour l’exciter.
Qui donc alors ╵pourrait me tenir tête ?
3 Qui m’a prêté ╵pour que j’aie à lui rendre ?
Tout est à moi ╵sous l’étendue du ciel[a].
4 Je ne veux pas ╵me taire sur ses membres,
et je dirai sa force, ╵et la beauté ╵de sa constitution.
5 Qui a ouvert ╵par-devant son habit[b] ?
Qui a franchi ╵les deux rangs de ses dents ?
6 Qui a forcé ╵les battants de sa gueule ?
Ses crocs aigus ╵font régner la terreur.
7 Majestueuses ╵sont ses rangées d’écailles,
et tels des boucliers ╵scellés entre eux,
8 serrées les unes ╵contre les autres,
de sorte qu’aucun souffle ╵ne pourrait se glisser entre elles :
9 soudées ensemble, ╵chacune à sa voisine,
elles se tiennent ╵et sont inséparables.
10 Il éternue : ╵c’est un jet de lumière[c].
Ses yeux ressemblent ╵aux lueurs de l’aurore[d].
11 Des étincelles ╵jaillissent de sa gueule,
ce sont des gerbes ╵de flammes qui s’échappent.
12 De ses narines ╵la fumée sort en jets
comme d’une marmite ╵ou d’un chaudron bouillant.
13 Son souffle embrase ╵comme un charbon ardent
et, de sa gueule, ╵une flamme jaillit.
14 C’est dans son cou ╵que sa vigueur réside,
et la terreur ╵danse au-devant de lui.
15 Qu’ils sont massifs, ╵les replis de sa peau !
Soudés sur lui, ╵ils sont inébranlables.
16 Son cœur est dur, ╵figé comme une pierre
il est durci ╵comme une meule à grain.
17 Quand il se dresse[e], ╵les plus vaillants ont peur.
Ils se dérobent, ╵saisis par l’épouvante.
18 L’épée l’atteint ╵sans trouver nulle prise[f],
et il en va de même de la lance, ╵de la flèche ou du javelot.
19 Pour lui, le fer ╵est comme de la paille,
il prend le bronze ╵pour du bois vermoulu.
20 Les traits de l’arc ╵ne le font jamais fuir
et les cailloux ╵qu’on lance avec la fronde ╵ne sont pour lui ╵que des fétus de paille.
21 Oui, la massue ╵est pour lui un fétu de paille,
et il se rit ╵du sifflement des lances.
22 Son ventre, armé ╵de tessons acérés,
est une herse ╵qu’il traîne sur la boue.
23 Les eaux profondes, ╵il les fait bouillonner ╵comme un chaudron.
Il transforme le lac, ╵lorsqu’il y entre, ╵en un brûle-parfum.
24 Sur son passage ╵son sillage étincelle.
Les flots paraissent ╵couverts de cheveux blancs.
25 Nul n’est son maître ╵ici-bas sur la terre.
Il fut créé ╵pour ne rien redouter.
26 Il brave tous les grands colosses.
Il est le roi ╵des plus fiers animaux.
Footnotes
- 41.3 Cité en Rm 11.35.
- 41.5 Sa carapace est comparée à une cuirasse couvrant son corps.
- 41.10 Par sa respiration et ses éternuements, de fines gouttelettes sont projetées en l’air ; éclairées par les rayons du soleil, elles font l’effet de jets de lumière.
- 41.10 Dans l’écriture hiéroglyphique, l’aurore est représentée par des yeux de crocodile.
- 41.17 Autre traduction : Devant sa majesté.
- 41.18 Autre traduction : Pour celui qui l’approche, l’épée ne sert à rien.
Job 41
King James Version
41 Canst thou draw out leviathan with an hook? or his tongue with a cord which thou lettest down?
2 Canst thou put an hook into his nose? or bore his jaw through with a thorn?
3 Will he make many supplications unto thee? will he speak soft words unto thee?
4 Will he make a covenant with thee? wilt thou take him for a servant for ever?
5 Wilt thou play with him as with a bird? or wilt thou bind him for thy maidens?
6 Shall the companions make a banquet of him? shall they part him among the merchants?
7 Canst thou fill his skin with barbed irons? or his head with fish spears?
8 Lay thine hand upon him, remember the battle, do no more.
9 Behold, the hope of him is in vain: shall not one be cast down even at the sight of him?
10 None is so fierce that dare stir him up: who then is able to stand before me?
11 Who hath prevented me, that I should repay him? whatsoever is under the whole heaven is mine.
12 I will not conceal his parts, nor his power, nor his comely proportion.
13 Who can discover the face of his garment? or who can come to him with his double bridle?
14 Who can open the doors of his face? his teeth are terrible round about.
15 His scales are his pride, shut up together as with a close seal.
16 One is so near to another, that no air can come between them.
17 They are joined one to another, they stick together, that they cannot be sundered.
18 By his neesings a light doth shine, and his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning.
19 Out of his mouth go burning lamps, and sparks of fire leap out.
20 Out of his nostrils goeth smoke, as out of a seething pot or caldron.
21 His breath kindleth coals, and a flame goeth out of his mouth.
22 In his neck remaineth strength, and sorrow is turned into joy before him.
23 The flakes of his flesh are joined together: they are firm in themselves; they cannot be moved.
24 His heart is as firm as a stone; yea, as hard as a piece of the nether millstone.
25 When he raiseth up himself, the mighty are afraid: by reason of breakings they purify themselves.
26 The sword of him that layeth at him cannot hold: the spear, the dart, nor the habergeon.
27 He esteemeth iron as straw, and brass as rotten wood.
28 The arrow cannot make him flee: slingstones are turned with him into stubble.
29 Darts are counted as stubble: he laugheth at the shaking of a spear.
30 Sharp stones are under him: he spreadeth sharp pointed things upon the mire.
31 He maketh the deep to boil like a pot: he maketh the sea like a pot of ointment.
32 He maketh a path to shine after him; one would think the deep to be hoary.
33 Upon earth there is not his like, who is made without fear.
34 He beholdeth all high things: he is a king over all the children of pride.
La Bible Du Semeur (The Bible of the Sower) Copyright © 1992, 1999 by Biblica, Inc.®
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