1 “Can you draw outLeviathan with a hook,
Orsnarehis tongue with a linewhichyou lower?
2 Can youput a reed through his nose,
Or pierce his jaw with a hook?
3 Will he make many supplications to you?
Will he speak softly to you?
4 Will he make a covenant with you?
Will you take him as a servant forever?
5 Will you play with him aswitha bird,
Or will you leash him for your maidens?
6 Willyourcompanions make a banquet of him?
Will they apportion him among the merchants?
7 Can you fill his skin with harpoons,
Or his head with fishing spears?
8 Lay your hand on him;
Remember the battle—
Never do it again!
9 Indeed,anyhope ofovercominghim is false;
Shallonenotbe overwhelmed at the sight of him?
10 No oneissofierce that he would dare stir him up.
Who then is able to stand against Me?
11 Who has preceded Me, that I should payhim?
# Everything under heaven is Mine.
12 “I will not conceal his limbs,
His mighty power, or his graceful proportions.
13 Who can remove his outer coat?
Who can approachhimwith a double bridle?
14 Who can open the doors of his face,
Withhis terrible teeth all around?
15 Hisrows of scales arehispride,
Shut up tightlyaswitha seal;
16 One is so near another
That no air can come between them;
17 They are joined one to another,
They stick together and cannot be parted.
18 His sneezings flash forth light,
And his eyesarelike the eyelids of the morning.
19 Out of his mouth go burning lights;
Sparks of fire shoot out.
20 Smoke goes out of his nostrils,
Asfroma boiling pot and burning rushes.
21 His breath kindles coals,
And a flame goes out of his mouth.
22 Strength dwells in his neck,
And sorrow dances before him.
23 The folds of his flesh are joined together;
They are firm on him and cannot be moved.
24 His heart is as hard as stone,
Even as hard as the lowermillstone.
25 When he raises himself up, the mighty are afraid;
Because of his crashings they are beside themselves.
26 Thoughthe sword reaches him, it cannot avail;
Nor does spear, dart, or javelin.
27 He regards iron as straw,
Andbronze as rotten wood.
28 The arrow cannot make him flee;
Slingstones become like stubble to him.
29 Darts are regarded as straw;
He laughs at the threat of javelins.
30 His undersidesarelike sharp potsherds;
He spreads pointedmarksin the mire.
31 He makes the deep boil like a pot;
He makes the sea like a pot of ointment.
32 He leaves a shining wake behind him;
Onewould think the deep had white hair.
33 On earth there is nothing like him,
Which is made without fear.
34 He beholds every highthing;
Heisking over all the children of pride.”