The Bible in Basic English BBE
Good News Translation GNT
1 Is it possible for Leviathan to be pulled out with a fish-hook, or for a hook to be put through the bone of his mouth?
1
Can you catch Leviathan with a fishhook or tie his tongue down with a rope?
2 Will you put a cord into his nose, or take him away with a cord round his tongue?
2
Can you put a rope through his snout or put a hook through his jaws?
3 Will he make prayers to you, or say soft words to you?
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Will he beg you to let him go? Will he plead with you for mercy?
4 Will he make an agreement with you, so that you may take him as a servant for ever?
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Will he make an agreement with you and promise to serve you forever?
5 Will you make sport with him, as with a bird? or put him in chains for your young women?
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Will you tie him like a pet bird, like something to amuse your servant women?
6 Will the fishermen make profit out of him? will they have him cut up for the traders?
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Will fishermen bargain over him? Will merchants cut him up to sell?
7 Will you put sharp-pointed irons into his skin, or fish-spears into his head?
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Can you fill his hide with fishing spears or pierce his head with a harpoon?
8 Only put your hand on him, and see what a fight you will have; you will not do it again!
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Touch him once and you'll never try it again; you'll never forget the fight!
9 Truly, the hope of his attacker is false; he is overcome even on seeing him!
9
Anyone who sees Leviathan loses courage and falls to the ground.
10 He is so cruel that no one is ready to go against him. Who then is able to keep his place before me?
10
When he is aroused, he is fierce; no one would dare to stand before him.
11 Who ever went against me, and got the better of me? There is no one under heaven!
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Who can attack him and still be safe? No one in all the world can do it.
12 I will not keep quiet about the parts of his body, or about his power, and the strength of his frame.
12
Let me tell you about Leviathan's legs and describe how great and strong he is.
13 Who has ever taken off his outer skin? who may come inside his inner coat of iron?
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No one can tear off his outer coat or pierce the armor he wears.
14 Who has made open the doors of his face? Fear is round about his teeth.
14
Who can make him open his jaws, ringed with those terrifying teeth?
15 His back is made of lines of plates, joined tight together, one against the other, like a stamp.
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His back is made of rows of shields, fastened together and hard as stone.
16 One is so near to the other that no air may come between them.
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Each one is joined so tight to the next, not even a breath can come between.
17 They take a grip of one another; they are joined together, so that they may not be parted.
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They all are fastened so firmly together that nothing can ever pull them apart.
18 His sneezings give out flames, and his eyes are like the eyes of the dawn.
18
Light flashes when he sneezes, and his eyes glow like the rising sun.
19 Out of his mouth go burning lights, and flames of fire are jumping up.
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Flames blaze from his mouth, and streams of sparks fly out.
20 Smoke comes out of his nose, like a pot boiling on the fire.
20
Smoke comes pouring out of his nose, like smoke from weeds burning under a pot.
21 His breath puts fire to coals, and a flame goes out of his mouth.
21
His breath starts fires burning; flames leap out of his mouth.
22 Strength is in his neck, and fear goes dancing before him.
22
His neck is so powerful that all who meet him are terrified.
23 The plates of his flesh are joined together, fixed, and not to be moved.
23
There is not a weak spot in his skin; it is as hard and unyielding as iron.
24 His heart is as strong as a stone, hard as the lower crushing-stone.
24
His stony heart is without fear, as unyielding and hard as a millstone.
25 When he gets ready for the fight, the strong are overcome with fear.
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When he rises up, even the strongest are frightened; they are helpless with fear.
26 The sword may come near him but is not able to go through him; the spear, or the arrow, or the sharp-pointed iron.
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There is no sword that can wound him; no spear or arrow or lance that can harm him.
27 Iron is to him as dry grass, and brass as soft wood.
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For him iron is as flimsy as straw, and bronze as soft as rotten wood.
28 The arrow is not able to put him to flight: stones are no more to him than dry stems.
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There is no arrow that can make him run; rocks thrown at him are like bits of straw.
29 A thick stick is no better than a leaf of grass, and he makes sport of the onrush of the spear.
29
To him a club is a piece of straw, and he laughs when men throw spears.
30 Under him are sharp edges of broken pots: as if he was pulling a grain-crushing instrument over the wet earth.
30
The scales on his belly are like jagged pieces of pottery; they tear up the muddy ground like a threshing sledge.
31 The deep is boiling like a pot of spices, and the sea like a perfume-vessel.
31
He churns up the sea like boiling water and makes it bubble like a pot of oil.
32 After him his way is shining, so that the deep seems white.
32
He leaves a shining path behind him and turns the sea to white foam.
33 On earth there is not another like him, who is made without fear.
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There is nothing on earth to compare with him; he is a creature that has no fear.
34 Everything which is high goes in fear of him; he is king over all the sons of pride.
34
He looks down on even the proudest animals; he is king of all wild beasts.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.