English Standard Version ESV
New Revised Standard NRS
1 “Can you draw out Leviathan with a fishhook or press down his tongue with a cord?
1
"Can you draw out Leviathan with a fishhook, or press down its tongue with a cord?
2 Can you put a rope in his nose or pierce his jaw with a hook?
2
Can you put a rope in its nose, or pierce its jaw with a hook?
3 Will he make many pleas to you? Will he speak to you soft words?
3
Will it make many supplications to you? Will it speak soft words to you?
4 Will he make a covenant with you to take him for your servant forever?
4
Will it make a covenant with you to be taken as your servant forever?
5 Will you play with him as with a bird, or will you put him on a leash for your girls?
5
Will you play with it as with a bird, or will you put it on leash for your girls?
6 Will traders bargain over him? Will they divide him up among the merchants?
6
Will traders bargain over it? Will they divide it up among the merchants?
7 Can you fill his skin with harpoons or his head with fishing spears?
7
Can you fill its skin with harpoons, or its head with fishing spears?
8 Lay your hands on him; remember the battle—you will not do it again!
8
Lay hands on it; think of the battle; you will not do it again!
9 Behold, the hope of a man is false; he is laid low even at the sight of him.
9
Any hope of capturing it will be disappointed; were not even the gods overwhelmed at the sight of it?
10 No one is so fierce that he dares to stir him up. Who then is he who can stand before me?
10
No one is so fierce as to dare to stir it up. Who can stand before it?
11 Who has first given to me, that I should repay him? Whatever is under the whole heaven is mine.
11
Who can confront it and be safe? —under the whole heaven, who?
12 “I will not keep silence concerning his limbs, or his mighty strength, or his goodly frame.
12
"I will not keep silence concerning its limbs, or its mighty strength, or its splendid frame.
13 Who can strip off his outer garment? Who would come near him with a bridle?
13
Who can strip off its outer garment? Who can penetrate its double coat of mail?
14 Who can open the doors of his face? Around his teeth is terror.
14
Who can open the doors of its face? There is terror all around its teeth.
15 His back is made of rows of shields, shut up closely as with a seal.
15
Its back is made of shields in rows, shut up closely as with a seal.
16 One is so near to another that no air can come between them.
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.
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.
18
Its sneezes flash forth light, and its eyes are like the eyelids of the dawn.
19 Out of his mouth go flaming torches; sparks of fire leap forth.
19
From its mouth go flaming torches; sparks of fire leap out.
20 Out of his nostrils comes forth smoke, as from a boiling pot and burning rushes.
20
Out of its nostrils comes smoke, as from a boiling pot and burning rushes.
21 His breath kindles coals, and a flame comes forth from his mouth.
21
Its breath kindles coals, and a flame comes out of its mouth.
22 In his neck abides strength, and terror dances before him.
22
In its neck abides strength, and terror dances before it.
23 The folds of his flesh stick together, firmly cast on him and immovable.
23
The folds of its flesh cling together; it is firmly cast and immovable.
24 His heart is hard as a stone, hard as the lower millstone.
24
Its heart is as hard as stone, as hard as the lower millstone.
25 When he raises himself up the mighty are afraid; at the crashing they are beside themselves.
25
When it raises itself up the gods are afraid; at the crashing they are beside themselves.
26 Though the sword reaches him, it does not avail, nor the spear, the dart, or the javelin.
26
Though the sword reaches it, it does not avail, nor does the spear, the dart, or the javelin.
27 He counts iron as straw, and bronze as rotten wood.
27
It counts iron as straw, and bronze as rotten wood.
28 The arrow cannot make him flee; for him sling stones are turned to stubble.
28
The arrow cannot make it flee; slingstones, for it, are turned to chaff.
29 Clubs are counted as stubble; he laughs at the rattle of javelins.
29
Clubs are counted as chaff; it laughs at the rattle of javelins.
30 His underparts are like sharp potsherds; he spreads himself like a threshing sledge on the mire.
30
Its underparts are like sharp potsherds; it spreads itself like a threshing sledge on the mire.
31 He makes the deep boil like a pot; he makes the sea like a pot of ointment.
31
It makes the deep boil like a pot; it makes the sea like a pot of ointment.
32 Behind him he leaves a shining wake; one would think the deep to be white-haired.
32
It leaves a shining wake behind it; one would think the deep to be white-haired.
33 On earth there is not his like, a creature without fear.
33
On earth it has no equal, a creature without fear.
34 He sees everything that is high; he is king over all the sons of pride. ”
34
It surveys everything that is lofty; it is king over all that are proud."
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2025
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.