Job 41

Canst thou draw out leviathan with an hook? or his tongue with a cord which thou lettest down?

1God said, "Can you catch Leviathan with a fishhook? Can you tie down his tongue with a rope?

NoteLeviathan is a huge, strong creature that lives in the water. God has been asking Job questions he cannot answer, and this is the last one.

2Canst thou put an hook into his nose? or bore his jaw through with a thorn?

2Can you put a rope through his nose? Can you push a hook through his jaw?

3Will he make many supplications unto thee? will he speak soft words unto thee?

3Will he beg you to let him go? Will he speak soft, kind words to you?

4Will he make a covenant with thee? wilt thou take him for a servant for ever?

4Will he promise to serve you? Will you keep him as your worker for life?

5Wilt thou play with him as with a bird? or wilt thou bind him for thy maidens?

5Can you play with him like a pet bird? Can you tie him up for your servant girls?

6Shall the companions make a banquet of him? shall they part him among the merchants?

6Will traders bargain to buy him? Will merchants cut him up and share the pieces?

7Canst thou fill his skin with barbed irons? or his head with fish spears?

7Can you fill his skin with harpoons? Can you fill his head with fishing spears?

8Lay thine hand upon him, remember the battle, do no more.

8Just lay one hand on him. You will remember that fight. You will never try again.

9Behold, the hope of him is in vain: shall not one be cast down even at the sight of him?

9Hoping to beat him is useless. Even the sight of him knocks a person down.

10None is so fierce that dare stir him up: who then is able to stand before me?

10No one is brave enough to wake him up. So who can stand up against me?

11Who hath prevented me, that I should repay him? whatsoever is under the whole heaven is mine.

11Who ever gave me something first, so that I owe him? Everything under the sky is mine.

NoteThe King James Bible says "prevented me." Back then that meant "came before me" or "gave first," not "stopped me."

12I will not conceal his parts, nor his power, nor his comely proportion.

12I will not stay quiet about his body, his strength, and his fine shape.

13Who can discover the face of his garment? or who can come to him with his double bridle?

13Who can pull off his outer coat of skin? Who can walk up to him with a bridle?

14Who can open the doors of his face? his teeth are terrible round about.

14Who can pry open his mouth? Fearsome teeth stand all around it.

15His scales are his pride, shut up together as with a close seal.

15His rows of scales are his pride. They are shut tight, like a sealed door.

16One is so near to another, that no air can come between them.

16Each scale is so close to the next that no air can pass between them.

17They are joined one to another, they stick together, that they cannot be sundered.

17They are locked together. They hold on tight. Nothing can pull them apart.

18By his neesings a light doth shine, and his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning.

18When he snorts, light flashes out. His eyes glow like the first light of morning.

19Out of his mouth go burning lamps, and sparks of fire leap out.

19Flames come out of his mouth. Sparks of fire shoot out too.

20Out of his nostrils goeth smoke, as out of a seething pot or caldron.

20Smoke pours out of his nose. It looks like steam from a boiling pot.

21His breath kindleth coals, and a flame goeth out of his mouth.

21His breath sets coals on fire. A flame comes out of his mouth.

22In his neck remaineth strength, and sorrow is turned into joy before him.

22His neck is full of strength. Fear runs ahead of him wherever he goes.

23The flakes of his flesh are joined together: they are firm in themselves; they cannot be moved.

23The folds of his flesh are joined tight. They are firm and will not move.

24His heart is as firm as a stone; yea, as hard as a piece of the nether millstone.

24His chest is as hard as a rock. It is as hard as the bottom stone of a mill.

NoteA mill is two heavy stones that grind grain into flour. The bottom stone had to be the hardest one of all.

25When he raiseth up himself, the mighty are afraid: by reason of breakings they purify themselves.

25When he rises up, even strong men are afraid. They back away when he thrashes.

26The sword of him that layeth at him cannot hold: the spear, the dart, nor the habergeon.

26A sword that reaches him does no harm. A spear or a dart cannot hurt him.

27He esteemeth iron as straw, and brass as rotten wood.

27To him, iron is like straw. Bronze is like rotten wood.

28The arrow cannot make him flee: slingstones are turned with him into stubble.

28Arrows cannot make him run away. Stones from slings bounce off like dry grass.

29Darts are counted as stubble: he laugheth at the shaking of a spear.

29A club feels like straw to him. He laughs when a spear rattles at him.

30Sharp stones are under him: he spreadeth sharp pointed things upon the mire.

30His underside is jagged, like broken pieces of pottery. He drags deep marks through the mud.

31He maketh the deep to boil like a pot: he maketh the sea like a pot of ointment.

31He stirs the deep water until it bubbles like a pot. He churns the sea like oil in a jar.

32He maketh a path to shine after him; one would think the deep to be hoary.

32He leaves a shining trail behind him. The water turns white, like white hair.

33Upon earth there is not his like, who is made without fear.

33Nothing on earth is like him. He was made without any fear at all.

34He beholdeth all high things: he is a king over all the children of pride.

34He looks down on every proud creature. He is king over them all."