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

“Can you pull in Leviathan with a hook or tie down his tongue with a rope?

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

Can you put a cord through his nose or pierce his jaw with a hook?

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

Will he beg you for mercy or speak to you softly?

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

Will he make a covenant with you to take him as a slave for life?

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

Can you pet him like a bird or put him on a leash for your maidens?

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

Will traders barter for him or divide him among the merchants?

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

Can you fill his hide with harpoons or his head with fishing spears?

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

If you lay a hand on him, you will remember the battle and never repeat it!

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

Surely hope of overcoming him is false. Is not the sight of him overwhelming?

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

No one is so fierce as to rouse Leviathan. Then who is able to stand against Me?

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

Who has given to Me that I should repay him? Everything under heaven is Mine.

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

I cannot keep silent about his limbs, his power and graceful form.

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

Who can strip off his outer coat? Who can approach him with a bridle?

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

Who can open his jaws, ringed by his fearsome teeth?

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

His rows of scales are his pride, tightly sealed together.

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

One scale is so near to another that no air can pass between them.

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

They are joined to one another; they clasp and cannot be separated.

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

His snorting flashes with light, and his eyes are like the rays of dawn.

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

Firebrands stream from his mouth; fiery sparks shoot forth!

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

Smoke billows from his nostrils as from a boiling pot over burning reeds.

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

His breath sets coals ablaze, and flames pour from his mouth.

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

Strength resides in his neck, and dismay leaps before him.

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

The folds of his flesh are tightly joined; they are firm and immovable.

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

His chest is as hard as a rock, as hard as a lower millstone!

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

When Leviathan rises up, the mighty are terrified; they withdraw before his thrashing.

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

The sword that reaches him has no effect, nor does the spear or dart or arrow.

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

He regards iron as straw and bronze as rotten wood.

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

No arrow can make him flee; slingstones become like chaff to him.

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

A club is regarded as straw, and he laughs at the sound of the lance.

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

His undersides are jagged potsherds, spreading out the mud like a threshing sledge.

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

He makes the depths seethe like a cauldron; he makes the sea like a jar of ointment.

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

He leaves a glistening wake behind him; one would think the deep had white hair!

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

Nothing on earth is his equal— a creature devoid of fear!

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

He looks down on all the haughty; he is king over all the proud.”