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.
1 Il n'y a point d'homme assez courageux pour le réveiller; qui est-ce donc qui se présentera devant moi?
2 Qui est-ce qui m'a prévenu, et je [le] lui rendrai? Ce qui est sous tous les cieux est à moi.
3 Je ne me tairai point de ses membres, ni de ce qui concerne ses forces, ni de la grâce de l'arrangement [des parties de son corps].
4 Qui est-ce qui découvrira le dessus de sa couverture, et se jettera entre les deux branches de son mors?
5 Qui est-ce qui ouvrira les portes de sa gueule? La terreur se tient autour de ses dents.
6 Les lames de ses boucliers ne sont que magnificence; elles sont étroitement serrées [comme] avec un cachet.
7 L'une approche de l'autre, et le vent n'entre point entre-deux.
8 Elles sont jointes l'une à l'autre, elles s'entretiennent, et ne se séparent point.
9 Ses éternuements éclaireraient la lumière, et ses yeux sont [comme] les paupières de l'aube du jour.
10 Des flambeaux sortent de sa bouche, et il en rejaillit des étincelles de feu.
11 Une fumée sort de ses narines comme d'un pot bouillant, ou d'une chaudière.
12 Son souffle enflammerait des charbons, et une flamme sort de sa gueule.
13 La force est dans son cou, et la terreur marche devant lui.
14 Sa chair est ferme, tout est massif en lui, rien n'y branle.
15 Son cœur est dur comme une pierre, même comme une pièce de la meule de dessous.
16 Les plus forts tremblent quand il s'élève, et ils ne savent où ils en sont, voyant comme il rompt tout.
17 Qui s'en approchera avec l'épée? ni elle, ni la lance, ni le dard, ni la cuirasse, ne pourront point subsister [devant lui].
18 Il ne tient pas plus de compte du fer que de la paille; et de l'airain, que du bois pourri.
19 La flèche ne le fera point fuir, les pierres d'une fronde lui sont comme du chaume.
20 Il tient les machines de guerre comme des brins de chaume; et il se moque du javelot qu'on lance sur lui.
21 Il a sous soi des tests aigus, et il abat [sous soi] des roseaux pointus [en se couchant] sur la boue.
22 Il fait bouillonner le gouffre comme une chaudière, et rend semblable la mer à un chaudron de parfumeur.
23 Il fait reluire après soi son sentier, et on prendrait l'abîme pour une tête blanchie de vieillesse.
24 Il n'y a rien sur la terre qui lui puisse être comparé, ayant été fait pour ne rien craindre.
25 Il voit [au-dessous de lui] tout ce qu'il y a de plus élevé; il est Roi sur tous les plus fiers animaux.