Job 41:1–8

“Can you pull in Leviathan with a fishhook

or tie down its tongue with a rope?

Can you put a cord through its nose

or pierce its jaw with a hook?

Will it keep begging you for mercy?

Will it speak to you with gentle words?

Will it make an agreement with you

for you to take it as your slave for life?

Can you make a pet of it like a bird

or put it on a leash for the young women in your house?

Will traders barter for it?

Will they divide it up among the merchants?

Can you fill its hide with harpoons

or its head with fishing spears?

If you lay a hand on it,

you will remember the struggle and never do it again!

Can you pull in Leviathan with a hook

or tie his tongue down with a rope?

Can you put a cord through his nose

or pierce his jaw with a hook?

Will he beg you for mercy

or speak softly to you?

Will he make a covenant with you

so that you can take him as a slave forever?

Can you play with him like a bird

or put him on a leash for your girls?

Will traders bargain for him

or divide him among the merchants?

Can you fill his hide with harpoons

or his head with fishing spears?

Lay a hand on him.

You will remember the battle

and never repeat it!

“Can you catch Leviathan with a hook

or put a noose around its jaw?

Can you tie it with a rope through the nose

or pierce its jaw with a spike?

Will it beg you for mercy

or implore you for pity?

Will it agree to work for you,

to be your slave for life?

Can you make it a pet like a bird,

or give it to your little girls to play with?

Will merchants try to buy it

to sell it in their shops?

Will its hide be hurt by spears

or its head by a harpoon?

If you lay a hand on it,

you will certainly remember the battle that follows.

You won’t try that again!

“Can you draw out Leviathan with a fishhook?

Or can you tie down its mouth with a cord?

Can you put a rope in its nose?

Or can you pierce its jawbone with a hook?

Will it make numerous pleas for mercy to you?

Or will it speak gentle words to you?

Will it make a covenant with you?

Will you take it as a slave forever?

Will you play with it as with birds

and put it on a leash for your girls?

Will guildsmen bargain over it?

Will they divide it between tradesmen?

Can you fill its skin with harpoons

or its head with fish spears?

Lay your hands on it;

think about the battle—you will not do it again!

Canst thou draw out leviathan with an hook?

Or his tongue with a cord which thou lettest down?

Canst thou put an hook into his nose?

Or bore his jaw through with a thorn?

Will he make many supplications unto thee?

Will he speak soft words unto thee?

Will he make a covenant with thee?

Wilt thou take him for a servant for ever?

Wilt thou play with him as with a bird?

Or wilt thou bind him for thy maidens?

Shall the companions make a banquet of him?

Shall they part him among the merchants?

Canst thou fill his skin with barbed irons?

Or his head with fish spears?

Lay thine hand upon him,

Remember the battle, do no more.