Job 41:1-24

Other Translations of Job 41:1-24

New International Version

41¹ "Can you pull in Leviathan with a fishhook or tie down its tongue with a rope? ² Can you put a cord through its nose or pierce its jaw with a hook? ³ Will it keep begging you for mercy? Will it speak to you with gentle words? ⁴ Will it make an agreement with you for you to take it as your slave for life? ⁵ Can you make a pet of it like a bird or put it on a leash for the young women in your house? ⁶ Will traders barter for it? Will they divide it up among the merchants? ⁷ Can you fill its hide with harpoons or its head with fishing spears? ⁸ If you lay a hand on it, you will remember the struggle and never do it again! ⁹ Any hope of subduing it is false; the mere sight of it is overpowering. ¹⁰ No one is fierce enough to rouse it. Who then is able to stand against me?

¹¹ Who has a claim against me that I must pay? Everything under heaven belongs to me. ¹² "I will not fail to speak of Leviathan's limbs, its strength and its graceful form. ¹³ Who can strip off its outer coat? Who can penetrate its double coat of armorSeptuagint; Hebrew "double bridle" ? ¹⁴ Who dares open the doors of its mouth, ringed about with fearsome teeth? ¹⁵ Its back hasOr "Its pride is its" rows of shields tightly sealed together; ¹⁶ each is so close to the next that no air can pass between. ¹⁷ They are joined fast to one another; they cling together and cannot be parted. ¹⁸ Its snorting throws out flashes of light; its eyes are like the rays of dawn. ¹⁹ Flames stream from its mouth; sparks of fire shoot out. ²⁰ Smoke pours from its nostrils as from a boiling pot over burning reeds. ²¹ Its breath sets coals ablaze, and flames dart from its mouth. ²² Strength resides in its neck; dismay goes before it. ²³ The folds of its flesh are tightly joined; they are firm and immovable. ²⁴ Its chest is hard as rock, hard as a lower millstone.

English Standard Version

41¹ Ch 40:25 in Hebrew"Can you draw out LeviathanA large sea animal, exact identity unknown with a fishhook or press down his tongue with a cord? ² Can you put a rope in his nose or pierce his jaw with a hook? ³ Will he make many pleas to you? Will he speak to you soft words? ⁴ Will he make a covenant with you to take him for your servant forever? ⁵ Will you play with him as with a bird, or will you put him on a leash for your girls? ⁶ Will traders bargain over him? Will they divide him up among the merchants? ⁷ Can you fill his skin with harpoons or his head with fishing spears? ⁸ Lay your hands on him; remember the battle--you will not do it again! ⁹ Ch 41:1 in Hebrew Behold, the hope of a man is false; he is laid low even at the sight of him. ¹⁰ No one is so fierce that he dares to stir him up. Who then is he who can stand before me?

¹¹ Who has first given to me, that I should repay him? Whatever is under the whole heaven is mine. ¹² "I will not keep silence concerning his limbs, or his mighty strength, or his goodly frame. ¹³ Who can strip off his outer garment? Who would come near him with a bridle? ¹⁴ Who can open the doors of his face? Around his teeth is terror. ¹⁵ His back is made ofOr His pride is in his rows of shields, shut up closely as with a seal. ¹⁶ One is so near to another that no air can come between them. ¹⁷ They are joined one to another; they clasp each other and cannot be separated. ¹⁸ His sneezings flash forth light, and his eyes are like the eyelids of the dawn. ¹⁹ Out of his mouth go flaming torches; sparks of fire leap forth. ²⁰ Out of his nostrils comes forth smoke, as from a boiling pot and burning rushes. ²¹ His breath kindles coals, and a flame comes forth from his mouth. ²² In his neck abides strength, and terror dances before him. ²³ The folds of his flesh stick together, firmly cast on him and immovable. ²⁴ His heart is hard as a stone, hard as the lower millstone.

The Message

41¹ Or can you pull in the sea beast, Leviathan, with a fly rod and stuff him in your creel? ² Can you lasso him with a rope, or snag him with an anchor? ³ Will he beg you over and over for mercy, or flatter you with flowery speech? ⁴ Will he apply for a job with you to run errands and serve you the rest of your life? ⁵ Will you play with him as if he were a pet goldfish? Will you make him the mascot of the neighborhood children? ⁶ Will you put him on display in the market and have shoppers haggle over the price? ⁷ Could you shoot him full of arrows like a pin cushion, or drive harpoons into his huge head? ⁸ If you so much as lay a hand on him, you won't live to tell the story. ⁹ What hope would you have with such a creature? Why, one look at him would do you in! ¹⁰ If you can't hold your own against his glowering visage, how, then, do you expect to stand up to me?

¹¹ Who could confront me and get by with it? I'm in charge of all this - I run this universe! ¹² "But I've more to say about Leviathan, the sea beast, his enormous bulk, his beautiful shape. ¹³ Who would even dream of piercing that tough skin or putting those jaws into bit and bridle? ¹⁴ And who would dare knock at the door of his mouth filled with row upon row of fierce teeth? ¹⁵ His pride is invincible; nothing can make a dent in that pride. ¹⁶ Nothing can get through that proud skin - impervious to weapons and weather, ¹⁷ The thickest and toughest of hides, impenetrable! ¹⁸ "He snorts and the world lights up with fire, he blinks and the dawn breaks. ¹⁹ Comets pour out of his mouth, fireworks arc and branch. ²⁰ Smoke erupts from his nostrils like steam from a boiling pot. ²¹ He blows and fires blaze; flames of fire stream from his mouth. ²² All muscle he is - sheer and seamless muscle. To meet him is to dance with death. ²³ Sinewy and lithe, there's not a soft spot in his entire body - ²⁴ As tough inside as out, rock-hard, invulnerable.

New King James Version

41¹ "Can you draw out Leviathan with a hook, Or snare his tongue with a line which you lower? ² Can you put 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 as with a bird, Or will you leash him for your maidens? ⁶ Will your companions 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, any hope of overcoming him is false; Shall one not be overwhelmed at the sight of him? ¹⁰ No one is so fierce that he would dare stir him up. Who then is able to stand against Me?

¹¹ Who has preceded Me, that I should pay him? 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 approach him with a double bridle? ¹⁴ Who can open the doors of his face, With his terrible teeth all around? ¹⁵ His rows of scales are his pride, Shut up tightly as with a 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 eyes are like 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, As from a 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 lower millstone.

New Living Translation

41¹ "Can you catch Leviathan with a hook or put a noose around its jaw? ² Can you tie it with a rope through the nose or pierce its jaw with a spike? ³ Will it beg you for mercy or implore you for pity? ⁴ Will it agree to work for you, to be your slave for life? ⁵ Can you make it a pet like a bird, or give it to your little girls to play with? ⁶ Will merchants try to buy it to sell it in their shops? ⁷ Will its hide be hurt by spears or its head by a harpoon? ⁸ If you lay a hand on it, you will certainly remember the battle that follows. You won't try that again! ⁹ No, it is useless to try to capture it. The hunter who attempts it will be knocked down. ¹⁰ And since no one dares to disturb it, who then can stand up to me?

¹¹ Who has given me anything that I need to pay back? Everything under heaven is mine. ¹² "I want to emphasize Leviathan's limbs and its enormous strength and graceful form. ¹³ Who can strip off its hide, and who can penetrate its double layer of armor? ¹⁴ Who could pry open its jaws? For its teeth are terrible! ¹⁵ The scales on its back are like rows of shields tightly sealed together. ¹⁶ They are so close together that no air can get between them. ¹⁷ Each scale sticks tight to the next. They interlock and cannot be penetrated. ¹⁸ "When it sneezes, it flashes light! Its eyes are like the red of dawn. ¹⁹ Lightning leaps from its mouth; flames of fire flash out. ²⁰ Smoke streams from its nostrils like steam from a pot heated over burning rushes. ²¹ Its breath would kindle coals, for flames shoot from its mouth. ²² "The tremendous strength in Leviathan's neck strikes terror wherever it goes. ²³ Its flesh is hard and firm and cannot be penetrated. ²⁴ Its heart is hard as rock, hard as a millstone.