Liber Iob, 41
1. Ecce spes eius frustrabitur eum, et aspectu eius praecipitabitur.
1. "Can you draw out Levi'athan with a fishhook, or press down his tongue with a cord?
2. Nemo tam audax, ut suscitet eum. Quis enim resistere potest vultui eius?
2. Can you put a rope in his nose, or pierce his jaw with a hook?
3. Quis eum aggressus est et salvus fuit? Sub omni caelo quisnam?
3. Will he make many supplications to you? Will he speak to you soft words?
4. Non tacebo super membra eius et eloquar robur et gratiam struis.
4. Will he make a covenant with you to take him for your servant for ever?
5. Quis revelabit faciem indumenti eius, et duplicia mandibulae eius quis intrabit?
5. Will you play with him as with a bird, or will you put him on leash for your maidens?
6. Portas vultus eius quis aperiet? Per gyrum dentium eius formido.
6. Will traders bargain over him? Will they divide him up among the merchants?
7. Corpus illius quasi scuta fusilia, compactum sigillo siliceo:
7. Can you fill his skin with harpoons, or his head with fishing spears?
8. unum uni coniungitur, et ne spiraculum quidem incedit per ea;
8. Lay hands on him; think of the battle; you will not do it again!
9. unum alteri adhaeret, et tenentes se nequaquam separantur.
9. Behold, the hope of a man is disappointed; he is laid low even at the sight of him.
10. Sternutatio eius favillae ignis, et oculi eius ut palpebrae diluculi.
10. No one is so fierce that he dares to stir him up. Who then is he that can stand before me?
11. De ore eius lampades procedunt, sicut scintillae ignis emittuntur.
11. Who has given to me, that I should repay him? Whatever is under the whole heaven is mine.
12. De naribus eius procedit fumus, sicut ollae succensae atque ferventis.
12. "I will not keep silence concerning his limbs, or his mighty strength, or his goodly frame.
13. Halitus eius prunas ardere facit, et flamma de ore eius egreditur.
13. Who can strip off his outer garment? Who can penetrate his double coat of mail?
14. In collo eius morabitur fortitudo, et faciem eius praecedit angor.
14. Who can open the doors of his face? Round about his teeth is terror.
15. Palearia eius cohaerentia sibi compressa non moventur.
15. His back is made of rows of shields, shut up closely as with a seal.
16. Cor eius induratur tamquam lapis et duratur quasi mola inferior.
16. One is so near to another that no air can come between them.
17. Cum surrexerit, tremunt fortes et ab undis retrorsum convertuntur.
17. They are joined one to another; they clasp each other and cannot be separated.
18. Qui impegerit in eum, gladius eius non stabit nec hasta neque pilum neque thorax;
18. His sneezings flash forth light, and his eyes are like the eyelids of the dawn.
19. reputat enim quasi paleas ferrum et quasi lignum putridum aes.
19. Out of his mouth go flaming torches; sparks of fire leap forth.
20. Non fugat eum vir sagittarius, in stipulam versi sunt ei lapides fundae.
20. Out of his nostrils comes forth smoke, as from a boiling pot and burning rushes.
21. Quasi stipulam aestimat fustem et deridet vibrantem acinacem.
21. His breath kindles coals, and a flame comes forth from his mouth.
22. Sub ipso acumina testae, et sternit tribula super lutum.
22. In his neck abides strength, and terror dances before him.
23. Fervescere facit quasi ollam profundum et mare ponit quasi vas unguentarium.
23. The folds of his flesh cleave together, firmly cast upon him and immovable.
24. Post se illuminat semitam, aestimatur abyssus quasi canescens.
24. His heart is hard as a stone, hard as the nether millstone.
25. Non est super terram potestas, quae comparetur ei, qui factus est, ut nullum timeret.
25. When he raises himself up the mighty are afraid; at the crashing they are beside themselves.
26. Omne sublime videt: ipse est rex super universos filios superbiae”.
26. Though the sword reaches him, it does not avail; nor the spear, the dart, or the javelin.
27.
27. He counts iron as straw, and bronze as rotten wood.
28.
28. The arrow cannot make him flee; for him slingstones are turned to stubble.
29.
29. Clubs are counted as stubble; he laughs at the rattle of javelins.
30.
30. His underparts are like sharp potsherds; he spreads himself like a threshing sledge on the mire.
31.
31. He makes the deep boil like a pot; he makes the sea like a pot of ointment.
32.
32. Behind him he leaves a shining wake; one would think the deep to be hoary.
33.
33. Upon earth there is not his like, a creature without fear.
34.
34. He beholds everything that is high; he is king over all the sons of pride."
