41 Ingen är så dumdristig att han retar denne.
    Vem är då den som vågar sätta sig upp mot mig?
Vem har givit mig något som jag måste betala igen?
Mitt är allt som finns under himlen.

Jag vill inte tiga om hans lemmar,
    om hans styrka och sköna gestalt.
Vem kan rycka av honom hans beklädnad?
Vem vågar sig in mellan hans båda käkar?
Vem kan öppna hans ansiktes dörr?
Omkring hans tänder bor skräck.
Sköldarnas rader sitter stolta på honom, sammanfogade
med hård försegling,
den ena tätt intill den andra,
    ingen vindfläkt tränger in mellan dem,
de är sammanfogade med varandra,
de griper in i varandra och kan ej skiljas åt.
När han fnyser strålar det av ljus,
    hans blickar är som morgonrodnadens ögonlock.
10 Hans gap sprutar ut flammor,
    eldgnistor bryter fram.
11 Hans näsborrar bolmar ut rök
    som från en kokande gryta på elden.
12 Hans andedräkt får kol att brinna,
    ur hans gap flammar det av eld.
13 På hans nacke bor styrkan,
    och skräck dansar framför honom.
14 Hudvecken på hans buk är fasta,
    de sitter hårt och orubbligt.
15 Hans hjärta är hårt som sten,
    lik den understa kvarnstenen.
16 När han reser sig bävar hjältar,
    i ångest förlorar de fattningen.
17 Ett angripande svärd kan inte hålla stånd,
    inte heller spjut, pil eller lans.
18 Han aktar järn som strå,
    koppar som murket trä.
19 Han flyr ej för bågskott,
    för honom är slungstenar som agnar.
20 Stridsklubbor aktar han som strå,
    han skrattar åt rasslet av lansar.
21 Hans buk är som skarpa lerskivor,
    i dyn sätter han spår som av en tröskvagn.
22 Han gör djupet kokande som en gryta,
han får havet att skumma som när man blandar salvor.
23 I hans kölvatten strålar vägen av ljus,
djupet synes bära silverhår.
24 På jorden finns inte hans like,
    han skapades utan fruktan.
25 Han ser på allt som är upphöjt,
    han är kung över allt som är stolt.

41 Canst thou draw out leviathan with an hook?
or his tongue with a cord which thou lettest down?
Canst thou put an hook into his nose?
or bore his jaw through with a thorn?
Will he make many supplications unto thee?
will he speak soft words unto thee?
Will he make a covenant with thee?
wilt thou take him for a servant for ever?
Wilt thou play with him as with a bird?
or wilt thou bind him for thy maidens?
Shall the companions make a banquet of him?
shall they part him among the merchants?
Canst thou fill his skin with barbed irons?
or his head with fish spears?
Lay thine hand upon him,
remember the battle, do no more.
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.