Job 41:13–25

Who can strip off his outer garment?

Who would come near him with a bridle?

Who can open the doors of his face?

Around his teeth is terror.

His back is made of rows of shields,

shut up closely as with a seal.

One is so near to another

that no air can come between them.

They are joined one to another;

they clasp each other and cannot be separated.

His sneezings flash forth light,

and his eyes are like the eyelids of the dawn.

Out of his mouth go flaming torches;

sparks of fire leap forth.

Out of his nostrils comes forth smoke,

as from a boiling pot and burning rushes.

His breath kindles coals,

and a flame comes forth from his mouth.

In his neck abides strength,

and terror dances before him.

The folds of his flesh stick together,

firmly cast on him and immovable.

His heart is hard as a stone,

hard as the lower millstone.

When he raises himself up, the mighty are afraid;

at the crashing they are beside themselves.

Who can strip off its outer coat?

Who can penetrate its double coat of armor?

Who dares open the doors of its mouth,

ringed about with fearsome teeth?

Its back has rows of shields

tightly sealed together;

each is so close to the next

that no air can pass between.

They are joined fast to one another;

they cling together and cannot be parted.

Its snorting throws out flashes of light;

its eyes are like the rays of dawn.

Flames stream from its mouth;

sparks of fire shoot out.

Smoke pours from its nostrils

as from a boiling pot over burning reeds.

Its breath sets coals ablaze,

and flames dart from its mouth.

Strength resides in its neck;

dismay goes before it.

The folds of its flesh are tightly joined;

they are firm and immovable.

Its chest is hard as rock,

hard as a lower millstone.

When it rises up, the mighty are terrified;

they retreat before its thrashing.

Who can strip off his outer covering?

Who can penetrate his double layer of armor?

Who can open his jaws,

surrounded by those terrifying teeth?

His pride is in his rows of scales,

closely sealed together.

One scale is so close to another

that no air can pass between them.

They are joined to one another,

so closely connected they cannot be separated.

His snorting flashes with light,

while his eyes are like the rays of dawn.

Flaming torches shoot from his mouth;

fiery sparks fly out!

Smoke billows from his nostrils

as from a boiling pot or burning reeds.

His breath sets coals ablaze,

and flames pour out of his mouth.

Strength resides in his neck,

and dismay dances before him.

The folds of his flesh are joined together,

solid as metal and immovable.

His heart is as hard as a rock,

as hard as a lower millstone!

When Leviathan rises, the mighty are terrified;

they withdraw because of his thrashing.

Who can strip off its hide,

and who can penetrate its double layer of armor?

Who could pry open its jaws?

For its teeth are terrible!

The scales on its back are like rows of shields

tightly sealed together.

They are so close together

that no air can get between them.

Each scale sticks tight to the next.

They interlock and cannot be penetrated.

“When it sneezes, it flashes light!

Its eyes are like the red of dawn.

Lightning leaps from its mouth;

flames of fire flash out.

Smoke streams from its nostrils

like steam from a pot heated over burning rushes.

Its breath would kindle coals,

for flames shoot from its mouth.

“The tremendous strength in Leviathan’s neck

strikes terror wherever it goes.

Its flesh is hard and firm

and cannot be penetrated.

Its heart is hard as rock,

hard as a millstone.

When it rises, the mighty are afraid,

gripped by terror.

Who can strip off its outer covering?

Who can penetrate its double harness?

Who can open the doors of its face?

Its teeth all around are fearsome.

Its back has scales of shields;

it is shut up closely as with a seal.

They are close to one another—

even the air cannot come between them.

They are joined one to another;

they cling together and cannot be separated.

“Its snorting flashes forth light,

and its eyes are red like dawn.

Torches go from its mouth;

sparks of fire shoot out.

Smoke comes from its nostrils

as from a kettle boiling and burning bulrushes.

Its breath kindles charcoal,

and a flame comes from its mouth.

“Strength abides in its neck,

and dismay dances before it.

Its flesh’s folds of skin cling together;

it is cast on it—it will not be moved.

Its heart is cast as stone;

yes, it is cast as the lower millstone.

When it raises itself, the mighty ones are terrified;

they retreat because of its thrashing.

Who can discover the face of his garment?

Or who can come to him with his double bridle?

Who can open the doors of his face?

His teeth are terrible round about.

His scales are his pride,

Shut up together as with a close seal.

One is so near to another,

That no air can come between them.

They are joined one to another,

They stick together, that they cannot be sundered.

By his neesings a light doth shine,

And his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning.

Out of his mouth go burning lamps,

And sparks of fire leap out.

Out of his nostrils goeth smoke,

As out of a seething pot or caldron.

His breath kindleth coals,

And a flame goeth out of his mouth.

In his neck remaineth strength,

And sorrow is turned into joy before him.

The flakes of his flesh are joined together:

They are firm in themselves; they cannot be moved.

His heart is as firm as a stone;

Yea, as hard as a piece of the nether millstone.

When he raiseth up himself, the mighty are afraid:

By reason of breakings they purify themselves.