King James Version KJV
Good News Translation GNT
1 Canst thou draw out leviathan with an hook? or his tongue with a cord which thou lettest down?
1
Can you catch Leviathan with a fishhook or tie his tongue down with a rope?
2 Canst thou put an hook into his nose? or bore his jaw through with a thorn?
2
Can you put a rope through his snout or put a hook through his jaws?
3 Will he make many supplications unto thee? will he speak soft words unto thee?
3
Will he beg you to let him go? Will he plead with you for mercy?
4 Will he make a covenant with thee? wilt thou take him for a servant for ever?
4
Will he make an agreement with you and promise to serve you forever?
5 Wilt thou play with him as with a bird? or wilt thou bind him for thy maidens?
5
Will you tie him like a pet bird, like something to amuse your servant women?
6 Shall the companions make a banquet of him? shall they part him among the merchants?
6
Will fishermen bargain over him? Will merchants cut him up to sell?
7 Canst thou fill his skin with barbed irons? or his head with fish spears?
7
Can you fill his hide with fishing spears or pierce his head with a harpoon?
8 Lay thine hand upon him, remember the battle, do no more.
8
Touch him once and you'll never try it again; you'll never forget the fight!
9 Behold, the hope of him is in vain: shall not one be cast down even at the sight of him?
9
Anyone who sees Leviathan loses courage and falls to the ground.
10 None is so fierce that dare stir him up: who then is able to stand before me?
10
When he is aroused, he is fierce; no one would dare to stand before him.
11 Who hath prevented me, that I should repay him? whatsoever is under the whole heaven is mine.
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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 conceal his parts, nor his power, nor his comely proportion.
12
Let me tell you about Leviathan's legs and describe how great and strong he is.
13 Who can discover the face of his garment? or who can come to him with his double bridle?
13
No one can tear off his outer coat or pierce the armor he wears.
14 Who can open the doors of his face? his teeth are terrible round about.
14
Who can make him open his jaws, ringed with those terrifying teeth?
15 His scales are his pride, shut up together as with a close seal.
15
His back is made of rows of shields, fastened together and hard as stone.
16 One is so near to another, that no air can come between them.
16
Each one is joined so tight to the next, not even a breath can come between.
17 They are joined one to another, they stick together, that they cannot be sundered.
17
They all are fastened so firmly together that nothing can ever pull them apart.
18 By his neesings a light doth shine, and his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning.
18
Light flashes when he sneezes, and his eyes glow like the rising sun.
19 Out of his mouth go burning lamps, and sparks of fire leap out.
19
Flames blaze from his mouth, and streams of sparks fly out.
20 Out of his nostrils goeth smoke, as out of a seething pot or caldron.
20
Smoke comes pouring out of his nose, like smoke from weeds burning under a pot.
21 His breath kindleth coals, and a flame goeth out of his mouth.
21
His breath starts fires burning; flames leap out of his mouth.
22 In his neck remaineth strength, and sorrow is turned into joy before him.
22
His neck is so powerful that all who meet him are terrified.
23 The flakes of his flesh are joined together: they are firm in themselves; they cannot 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 firm as a stone; yea, as hard as a piece of the nether millstone.
24
His stony heart is without fear, as unyielding and hard as a millstone.
25 When he raiseth up himself, the mighty are afraid: by reason of breakings they purify themselves.
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When he rises up, even the strongest are frightened; they are helpless with fear.
26 The sword of him that layeth at him cannot hold: the spear, the dart, nor the habergeon.
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There is no sword that can wound him; no spear or arrow or lance that can harm him.
27 He esteemeth iron as straw, and brass as rotten wood.
27
For him iron is as flimsy as straw, and bronze as soft as rotten wood.
28 The arrow cannot make him flee: slingstones are turned with him into stubble.
28
There is no arrow that can make him run; rocks thrown at him are like bits of straw.
29 Darts are counted as stubble: he laugheth at the shaking of a spear.
29
To him a club is a piece of straw, and he laughs when men throw spears.
30 Sharp stones are under him: he spreadeth sharp pointed things upon the mire.
30
The scales on his belly are like jagged pieces of pottery; they tear up the muddy ground like a threshing sledge.
31 He maketh the deep to boil like a pot: he maketh the sea like a pot of ointment.
31
He churns up the sea like boiling water and makes it bubble like a pot of oil.
32 He maketh a path to shine after him; one would think the deep to be hoary.
32
He leaves a shining path behind him and turns the sea to white foam.
33 Upon earth there is not his like, who is made without fear.
33
There is nothing on earth to compare with him; he is a creature that has no fear.
34 He beholdeth all high things: he is a king over all the children of pride.
34
He looks down on even the proudest animals; he is king of all wild beasts.
The King James Version is in the public domain.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.