¶ Canst thou draw out leviathan¹ with an hook? or his tongue with a cord which thou lettest down²?

³Canst thou put an hook into his nose? or bore his jaw through with a thorn?

⁴Will he make many supplications unto thee? will he speak soft words unto thee?

Will he⁵ make a covenant with thee? wilt thou⁶ take him for a servant⁷ for ever?

Wilt thou play⁸ with him as with a bird? or wilt thou bind⁹ him for thy maidens?

¹⁰Shall the companions make a banquet of him? shall they part him among the merchants?

Canst¹¹ thou fill his skin with barbed irons? or his head with fish¹² spears?

¹³Lay thine hand upon him, remember the battle, do no more.

Behold, the hope of him is in vain: shall¹⁴ not one be cast down even at the sight of him?

¶ None is so fierce that dare¹⁵ stir him up: who¹⁶ then is able to stand before me?

¶ Who¹⁷ hath prevented me, that I should repay him? whatsoever¹⁸ is under the whole heaven is mine.

I will not conceal his parts, nor his power, nor his comely¹⁹ proportion.

Who can discover the face of his garment? or who can come to him with²⁰ his double bridle?

Who can open the²¹ doors of his face? his teeth²² are terrible round about.

His scales²³ are his pride, shut up together as with a close²⁴ seal.

One is so near²⁵ to another, that no air²⁶ can come between them.

They are joined²⁷ one to another, they stick together, that they cannot be sundered.

By his neesings a light doth shine, and his eyes are like the eyelids²⁸ of the morning.

²⁹Out of his mouth go burning lamps, and sparks of fire leap out.

¶³⁰Out of his nostrils goeth smoke, as out of a seething pot or caldron.

³¹His breath kindleth coals, and a flame goeth out of his mouth.

³²In his neck remaineth strength, and sorrow is turned into joy³³ before him.

The flakes³⁴ 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 hard³⁵ as a piece of the nether millstone.

When he raiseth up himself, the mighty are afraid: by³⁶ reason of breakings they purify themselves.

The sword³⁷ of him that layeth at him cannot hold: the spear, the dart, nor the habergeon³⁸.

He esteemeth³⁹ iron⁴⁰ as straw⁴¹, and brass⁴² as rotten wood⁴³.

The arrow cannot make him flee: slingstones⁴⁴ are turned with him into stubble.

⁴⁵Darts are counted as stubble: he laugheth at the shaking of a spear.

¶ Sharp stones⁴⁶ are under him: he spreadeth⁴⁷ sharp pointed things⁴⁸ upon the mire⁴⁹.

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

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

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

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