¹Canst thou draw out leviathan with an hook? or his tongue with a cord which thou lettest down?

¹Ingen er så djerv at han tør tirre den; hvem tør da sette sig op imot mig?

²Canst thou put an hook into his nose? or bore his jaw through with a thorn?

²Hvem gav mig noget først, så jeg skulde gi ham vederlag? Alt under himmelen hører mig til.

³Will he make many supplications unto thee? will he speak soft words unto thee?

³Jeg vil ikke tie om dens lemmer, om dens store styrke og dens fagre bygning.

⁴Will he make a covenant with thee? wilt thou take him for a servant for ever?

⁴Hvem har dradd dens klædning av? Hvem tør komme innenfor dens dobbelte rad av tenner?

⁵Wilt thou play with him as with a bird? or wilt thou bind him for thy maidens?

⁵Hvem har åpnet dens kjevers dør? Rundt om dens tenner er redsel.

⁶Shall the companions make a banquet of him? shall they part him among the merchants?

⁶Stolte er skjoldenes rader; hvert av dem er tillukket som med et fast segl.

⁷Canst thou fill his skin with barbed irons? or his head with fish spears?

⁷De ligger tett innpå hverandre, og ingen luft trenger inn imellem dem.

⁸Lay thine hand upon him, remember the battle, do no more.

⁸Det ene skjold henger fast ved det andre; de griper inn i hverandre og skilles ikke at.

⁹Behold, the hope of him is in vain: shall not one be cast down even at the sight of him?

⁹Når den nyser, stråler det frem lys, og dens øine er som morgenrødens øielokk.

¹⁰None is so fierce that dare stir him up: who then is able to stand before me?

¹⁰Bluss farer ut av dens gap, gnister spruter frem.

¹¹Who hath prevented me, that I should repay him? whatsoever is under the whole heaven is mine.

¹¹Fra dens nesebor kommer røk som av en gryte som koker over siv.

¹²I will not conceal his parts, nor his power, nor his comely proportion.

¹²Dens ånde tender kull i brand, og luer går ut av dens gap.

¹³Who can discover the face of his garment? or who can come to him with his double bridle?

¹³På dens hals har styrken sin bolig, og angsten springer foran den.

¹⁴Who can open the doors of his face? his teeth are terrible round about.

¹⁴Dens doglapper sitter fast; de er som støpt på den og rører sig ikke.

¹⁵His scales are his pride, shut up together as with a close seal.

¹⁵Dens hjerte er fast som sten, fast som den underste kvernsten.

¹⁶One is so near to another, that no air can come between them.

¹⁶Når den hever sig, gruer helter; av redsel mister de sans og samling.

¹⁷They are joined one to another, they stick together, that they cannot be sundered.

¹⁷Rammes den med sverd, så biter det ikke på den, heller ikke lanse, pil eller kastespyd.

¹⁸By his neesings a light doth shine, and his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning.

¹⁸Den akter jern som strå, kobber som ormstukket tre.

¹⁹Out of his mouth go burning lamps, and sparks of fire leap out.

¹⁹Buens sønn* jager den ikke på flukt; slyngens stener blir som halm for den. / {* pilen.}

²⁰Out of his nostrils goeth smoke, as out of a seething pot or caldron.

²⁰Stridsklubber aktes som halm, og den ler av det susende spyd.

²¹His breath kindleth coals, and a flame goeth out of his mouth.

²¹På dens buk sitter skarpe skår, den gjør spor i dyndet som efter en treskeslede.

²²In his neck remaineth strength, and sorrow is turned into joy before him.

²²Den får dypet til å koke som en gryte; den får havet til å skumme som en salvekokers kjele.

²³The flakes of his flesh are joined together: they are firm in themselves; they cannot be moved.

²³Efter den lyser dens sti; dypet synes å ha sølvhår.

²⁴His heart is as firm as a stone; yea, as hard as a piece of the nether millstone.

²⁴Det er intet på jorden som er herre over den; den er skapt til ikke å reddes.

²⁵When he raiseth up himself, the mighty are afraid: by reason of breakings they purify themselves.

²⁵Alt som er høit, ser den i øiet; den er en konge over alle stolte dyr.

²⁶The sword of him that layeth at him cannot hold: the spear, the dart, nor the habergeon.

²⁷He esteemeth iron as straw, and brass as rotten wood.

²⁸The arrow cannot make him flee: slingstones are turned with him into stubble.

²⁹Darts are counted as stubble: he laugheth at the shaking of a spear.

³⁰Sharp stones are under him: he spreadeth sharp pointed things upon the mire.

³¹He maketh the deep to boil like a pot: he maketh the sea like a pot of ointment.

³²He maketh a path to shine after him; one would think the deep to be hoary.

³³Upon earth there is not his like, who is made without fear.

³⁴He beholdeth all high things: he is a king over all the children of pride.