- 1
- Wilt thou draw out the leviathan with the hook, and press down his tongue with a cord?
- 2
- Wilt thou put a rush-rope into his nose, and pierce his jaw with a spike?
- 3
- Will he make many supplications unto thee?
or will he speak softly unto thee?
- 4
- Will he make a covenant with thee?
wilt thou take him as a bondman for ever?
- 5
- Wilt thou play with him as with a bird, and wilt thou bind him for thy maidens?
- 6
- Shall partners make traffic of him, will they divide him among merchants?
- 7
- Wilt thou fill his skin with darts, and his head with fish-spears?
- 8
- Lay thy hand upon him;
remember the battle, — do no more!
- 9
- Lo, hope as to him is belied: is not one cast down even at the sight of him?
- 10
- None is so bold as to stir him up;
and who is he that will stand before me?
- 11
- Who hath first given to me, that I should repay [him]?
[Whatsoever is] under the whole heaven is mine.
- 12
- I will not be silent as to his parts, the story of his power, and the beauty of his structure.
- 13
- Who can uncover the surface of his garment?
who can come within his double jaws?
- 14
- Who can open the doors of his face?
Round about his teeth is terror.
- 15
- The rows of his shields are a 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 each to its fellow;
they stick together, and cannot be sundered.
- 18
- His sneezings flash light, and his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning.
- 19
- Out of his mouth go forth flames;
sparks of fire leap out:
- 20
- Out of his nostrils goeth smoke, as out of a boiling pot and cauldron.
- 21
- His breath kindleth coals, and a flame goeth out of his mouth.
- 22
- In his neck lodgeth strength, and terror danceth before him.
- 23
- The flakes of his flesh are joined together: they are fused upon him, they cannot be moved.
- 24
- His heart is firm as a stone, yea, firm as the nether [millstone].
- 25
- When he raiseth himself up, the mighty are afraid: they are beside themselves with consternation.
- 26
- If any reach him with a sword, it cannot hold;
neither spear, nor dart, nor harpoon.
- 27
- He esteemeth iron as straw, bronze as rotten wood.
- 28
- The arrow will not make him flee;
slingstones are turned with him into stubble.
- 29
- Clubs are counted as stubble;
he laugheth at the shaking of a javelin.
- 30
- His under parts are sharp potsherds: he spreadeth a threshing-sledge 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 the 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 king over all the proud beasts.
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