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

¹Wilt thou draw out the leviathan with the hook, and press down his tongue with a cord?

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

²Wilt thou put a rush-rope into his nose, and pierce his jaw with a spike?

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

³Will he make many supplications unto thee? or will he speak softly unto thee?

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

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

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

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

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

⁶Shall partners make traffic of him, will they divide him among merchants?

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

⁷Wilt thou fill his skin with darts, and his head with fish-spears?

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

⁸Lay thy hand upon him; remember the battle, -- do no more!

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

⁹Lo, hope as to him is belied: is not one cast down even at the sight of him?

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

¹⁰None is so bold as to stir him up; and who is he that will stand before me?

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

¹¹Who hath first given to me, that I should repay [him]? [Whatsoever is] under the whole heaven is mine.

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

¹²I will not be silent as to his parts, the story of his power, and the beauty of his structure.

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

¹³Who can uncover the surface of his garment? who can come within his double jaws?

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

¹⁴Who can open the doors of his face? Round about his teeth is terror.

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

¹⁵The rows of his shields are a pride, shut up together [as with] a close seal.

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

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

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

¹⁷They are joined each to its fellow; they stick together, and cannot be sundered.

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

¹⁸His sneezings flash light, and his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning.

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

¹⁹Out of his mouth go forth flames; sparks of fire leap out:

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

²⁰Out of his nostrils goeth smoke, as out of a boiling pot and cauldron.

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

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

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

²²In his neck lodgeth strength, and terror danceth before him.

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

²³The flakes of his flesh are joined together: they are fused upon him, they cannot be moved.

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

²⁴His heart is firm as a stone, yea, firm as the nether [millstone].

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

²⁵When he raiseth himself up, the mighty are afraid: they are beside themselves with consternation.

²⁶If any reach him with a sword, it cannot hold; neither spear, nor dart, nor harpoon.

²⁷He esteemeth iron as straw, bronze as rotten wood.

²⁸The arrow will not make him flee; slingstones are turned with him into stubble.

²⁹Clubs are counted as stubble; he laugheth at the shaking of a javelin.

³⁰His under parts are sharp potsherds: he spreadeth a threshing-sledge upon the mire.

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

³²He maketh the 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 king over all the proud beasts.