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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.

41 [a]Can you pull in Leviathan(A) with a hook(B)
or tie his tongue down with a rope?
Can you put a cord[b] through his nose
or pierce his jaw with a hook?(C)
Will he beg you for mercy
or speak softly to you?
Will he make a covenant with you
so that you can take him as a slave forever?(D)
Can you play with him like a bird
or put him on a leash[c] for your girls?
Will traders bargain for him
or divide him among the merchants?
Can you fill his hide with harpoons
or his head with fishing spears?
Lay a[d] hand on him.
You will remember the battle
and never repeat it!
[e]Any hope of capturing him proves false.
Does a person not collapse at the very sight of him?
10 No one is ferocious enough to rouse Leviathan;(E)
who then can stand against Me?
11 Who confronted Me, that I should repay him?
Everything under heaven belongs to Me.(F)

12 I cannot be silent about his limbs,
his power, and his graceful proportions.
13 Who can strip off his outer covering?
Who can penetrate his double layer of armor?[f](G)
14 Who can open his jaws,[g]
surrounded by those terrifying teeth?
15 His pride is in his rows of scales,
closely sealed together.
16 One scale is so close to another[h]
that no air can pass between them.
17 They are joined to one another,
so closely connected[i] they cannot be separated.
18 His snorting[j] flashes with light,
while his eyes are like the rays[k] of dawn.
19 Flaming torches shoot from his mouth;
fiery sparks fly out!
20 Smoke billows from his nostrils(H)
as from a boiling pot or burning reeds.
21 His breath sets coals ablaze,
and flames pour out of his mouth.
22 Strength resides in his neck,
and dismay dances before him.
23 The folds of his flesh are joined together,
solid as metal[l] and immovable.
24 His heart is as hard as a rock,
as hard as a lower millstone!
25 When Leviathan rises, the mighty[m] are terrified;
they withdraw because of his thrashing.
26 The sword that reaches him will have no effect,
nor will a spear, dart, or arrow.
27 He regards iron as straw,
and bronze as rotten wood.
28 No arrow can make him flee;
slingstones become like stubble to him.
29 A club is regarded as stubble,
and he laughs(I) at the sound of a javelin.
30 His undersides are jagged potsherds,
spreading the mud like a threshing sledge.(J)
31 He makes the depths seethe like a cauldron;
he makes the sea like an ointment jar.
32 He leaves a shining wake behind him;[n]
one would think the deep had gray hair!
33 He has no equal on earth—
a creature devoid of fear!
34 He surveys everything that is haughty;
he is king over all the proud beasts.[o]

Footnotes

  1. Job 41:1 Jb 40:25 in Hb
  2. Job 41:2 Lit reed
  3. Job 41:5 Lit or bind him
  4. Job 41:8 Lit your
  5. Job 41:9 Jb 41:1 in Hb
  6. Job 41:13 LXX; MT reads double bridle
  7. Job 41:14 Lit open the doors of his face
  8. Job 41:16 Lit One by one they approach
  9. Job 41:17 Lit another; they cling together and
  10. Job 41:18 Or sneezing
  11. Job 41:18 Lit eyelids
  12. Job 41:23 Lit together, hard on him
  13. Job 41:25 Or the divine beings
  14. Job 41:32 Lit a path
  15. Job 41:34 Lit the children of pride

41 Canst thou draw out [a]leviathan with a fishhook?
Or press down his tongue with a cord?
Canst thou put [b]a rope into his nose?
Or pierce his jaw through with a [c]hook?
Will he make many supplications unto thee?
Or will he speak soft words unto thee?
Will he make a covenant with thee,
That thou shouldest take him for a servant for ever?
Wilt thou play with him as with a bird?
Or wilt thou bind him for thy maidens?
Will the bands of fishermen make traffic of him?
Will they part him among the merchants?
Canst thou fill his skin with barbed irons,
Or his head with fish-spears?
Lay thy hand upon him;
Remember the battle, and do so no more.
Behold, the hope of him is in vain:
Will not one be cast down even at the sight of him?

10 None is so fierce that he dare stir him up;
Who then is he that can stand before me?
11 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.
13 Who can [d]strip off his outer garment?
Who shall come within his jaws?
14 Who can open the doors of his face?
[e]Round about his teeth is terror.
15 His [f]strong 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, so that they cannot be sundered.
18 His sneezings flash forth light,
And his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning.
19 Out of his mouth go burning torches,
And sparks of fire leap forth.
20 Out of his nostrils a smoke goeth,
As of a boiling pot and burning rushes.
21 His breath kindleth coals,
And a flame goeth forth from his mouth.
22 In his neck abideth strength,
And terror danceth before him.
23 The flakes of his flesh are joined together:
They are firm upon him; they cannot be moved.
24 His heart is as firm as a stone;
Yea, firm as the nether millstone.
25 When he raiseth himself up, the mighty are afraid:
By reason of consternation they are beside themselves.
26 If one lay at him with the sword, it cannot avail;
Nor the spear, the dart, nor the [g]pointed shaft.
27 He counteth iron as straw,
And brass as rotten wood.
28 The [h]arrow cannot make him flee:
Sling-stones are turned with him into stubble.
29 Clubs are counted as stubble:
He laugheth at the rushing of the javelin.
30 His underparts are like sharp potsherds:
He spreadeth as it were a threshing-wain 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,
That is made without fear.
34 He beholdeth everything that is high:
He is king over all the sons of pride.

Footnotes

  1. Job 41:1 That is, the crocodile.
  2. Job 41:2 Hebrew a rope of rushes.
  3. Job 41:2 Or, spike
  4. Job 41:13 Hebrew uncover the face of his garment.
  5. Job 41:14 Or, His teeth are terrible round about
  6. Job 41:15 Or, courses of scales. Hebrew channels of shields.
  7. Job 41:26 Or, coat of mail
  8. Job 41:28 Hebrew son of the bow.

41 Dost thou draw leviathan with an angle? And with a rope thou lettest down -- his tongue?

Dost thou put a reed in his nose? And with a thorn pierce his jaw?

Doth he multiply unto thee supplications? Doth he speak unto thee tender things?

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

Dost thou play with him as a bird? And dost thou bind him for thy damsels?

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

Dost thou fill with barbed irons his skin? And with fish-spears his head?

Place on him thy hand, Remember the battle -- do not add!

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

10 None so fierce that he doth awake him, And who [is] he before Me stationeth himself?

11 Who hath brought before Me and I repay? Under the whole heavens it [is] mine.

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

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

14 The doors of his face who hath opened? Round about his teeth [are] terrible.

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

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

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

18 His sneezings cause light to shine, And his eyes [are] as the eyelids of the dawn.

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

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

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

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

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

24 His heart [is] firm as a stone, Yea, firm as the lower piece.

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

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

27 He reckoneth iron as straw, brass as rotten wood.

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

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

30 Under him [are] sharp points of clay, He spreadeth gold on the mire.

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

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

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

34 Every high thing he doth see, He [is] king over all sons of pride.

41 [a] “Can you draw out Levi′athan[b] with a fishhook,
    or press down his tongue with a cord?
Can you put a rope in his nose,
    or pierce his jaw with a hook?
Will he make many supplications to you?
    Will he speak to you soft words?
Will he make a covenant with you
    to take him for your servant for ever?
Will you play with him as with a bird,
    or will you put him on leash for your maidens?
Will traders bargain over him?
    Will they divide him up among the merchants?
Can you fill his skin with harpoons,
    or his head with fishing spears?
Lay hands on him;
    think of the battle; you will not do it again!
[c] Behold, the hope of a man is disappointed;
    he is laid low even at the sight of him.
10 No one is so fierce that he dares to stir him up.
    Who then is he that can stand before me?
11 Who has given to me,[d] that I should repay him?
    Whatever is under the whole heaven is mine.

12 “I will not keep silence concerning his limbs,
    or his mighty strength, or his goodly frame.
13 Who can strip off his outer garment?
    Who can penetrate his double coat of mail?[e]
14 Who can open the doors of his face?
    Round about his teeth is terror.
15 His back[f] is made of rows of shields,
    shut up closely as with a seal.
16 One is so near to another
    that no air can come between them.
17 They are joined one to another;
    they clasp each other and cannot be separated.
18 His sneezings flash forth light,
    and his eyes are like the eyelids of the dawn.
19 Out of his mouth go flaming torches;
    sparks of fire leap forth.
20 Out of his nostrils comes forth smoke,
    as from a boiling pot and burning rushes.
21 His breath kindles coals,
    and a flame comes forth from his mouth.
22 In his neck abides strength,
    and terror dances before him.
23 The folds of his flesh cleave together,
    firmly cast upon him and immovable.
24 His heart is hard as a stone,
    hard as the nether millstone.
25 When he raises himself up the mighty[g] are afraid;
    at the crashing they are beside themselves.
26 Though the sword reaches him, it does not avail;
    nor the spear, the dart, or the javelin.
27 He counts iron as straw,
    and bronze as rotten wood.
28 The arrow cannot make him flee;
    for him slingstones are turned to stubble.
29 Clubs are counted as stubble;
    he laughs at the rattle of javelins.
30 His underparts are like sharp potsherds;
    he spreads himself like a threshing sledge on the mire.
31 He makes the deep boil like a pot;
    he makes the sea like a pot of ointment.
32 Behind him he leaves a shining wake;
    one would think the deep to be hoary.
33 Upon earth there is not his like,
    a creature without fear.
34 He beholds everything that is high;
    he is king over all the sons of pride.”

Footnotes

  1. Job 41:1 Ch 40.25 in Heb
  2. Job 41:1 Or the crocodile
  3. Job 41:9 Ch 41.1 in Heb
  4. Job 41:11 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain
  5. Job 41:13 Gk: Heb bridle
  6. Job 41:15 Cn Compare Gk Vg: Heb pride
  7. Job 41:25 Or gods