Yahweh’s Power Shown in Leviathan

1  תִּמְשֹׁ֣ךְ (Can you draw out) לִוְיָתָ֣ן (Leviathan) בְּחַכָּ֑ה (with a hook)

וּ֝בְחֶ֗בֶל (and with a rope) תַּשְׁקִ֥יעַ (press down) לְשֹׁנֽוֹ׃ (his tongue)?

2  הֲתָשִׂ֣ים (Can you put) אַגְמ֣וֹן (a cord) בְּאַפּ֑וֹ (in his nose)

וּ֝בְח֗וֹחַ (and with a hook) תִּקּ֥וֹב (pierce) לֶֽחֱיוֹ׃ (his jaw)?

3  הֲיַרְבֶּ֣ה (Will he multiply) אֵ֭לֶיךָ (to you) תַּחֲנוּנִ֑ים (supplications),

אִם־ (indeed) יְדַבֵּ֖ר (will he speak) אֵלֶ֣יךָ (to you) רַכּֽוֹת׃ (softly)?

4  הֲיִכְרֹ֣ת (Will he cut) בְּרִ֣ית (a covenant) עִמָּ֑ךְ (with you)

תִּ֝קָּחֶ֗נּוּ (to take him) לְעֶ֣בֶד (as a slave) עוֹלָֽם׃ (forever)?

5  הַֽתְשַׂחֶק־ (Will you play) בּ֭וֹ (with him) כַּצִּפּ֑וֹר (like a bird)

וְ֝תִקְשְׁרֶ֗נּוּ (and leash him) לְנַעֲרוֹתֶֽיךָ׃ (for your maidens)?

6  יִכְר֣וּ (Barter) עָ֭לָיו (for him) חַבָּרִ֑ים (Will traders)?

יֶ֝חֱצ֗וּהוּ (Will they divide him) בֵּ֣ין (among) כְּֽנַעֲנִֽים׃ (the merchants)?

7  הַֽתְמַלֵּ֣א (Can you fill) בְשֻׂכּ֣וֹת (with harpoons) עוֹר֑וֹ (his skin),

וּבְצִלְצַ֖ל (or with spears) דָּגִ֣ים (of fishing) רֹאשֽׁוֹ׃ (his head)?

8  שִׂים־ (Put) עָלָ֥יו (on him) כַּפֶּ֑ךָ (your hands)

זְכֹ֥ר (may you remember) מִ֝לְחָמָ֗ה (the battle), אַל־ (and not) תּוֹסַֽף׃ (add).

9  הֵן־ (Behold), תֹּחַלְתּ֥וֹ (the hope of him) נִכְזָ֑בָה (is false);

הֲגַ֖ם (even) אֶל־ (at) מַרְאָ֣יו (the sight of him) יֻטָֽל׃ (one is cast down)?

10  לֹֽא־ (None) אַ֭כְזָר (is so fierce) כִּ֣י (that) יְעוּרֶ֑נּוּ (he would rouse him);

וּמִ֥י (and who) ה֝֗וּא (is he) לְפָנַ֥י (before my face) יִתְיַצָּֽב׃ (who will stand).

11  מִ֣י (Who) הִ֭קְדִּימַנִי (has brought before Me) וַאֲשַׁלֵּ֑ם (that I should repay him)?

תַּ֖חַת (Under) כָּל־ (all) הַשָּׁמַ֣יִם (the heavens), לִי־ (unto Me) הֽוּא׃ (it is).

12  לֹא (Not) אַחֲרִ֥ישׁ (will I keep silent) בַּדָּ֑יו (about his limbs)

וּדְבַר־ (and the matter) גְּ֝בוּר֗וֹת (of his strength) וְחִ֣ין (and the grace) עֶרְכּֽוֹ׃ (of his form).

13  מִֽי־ (Who) גִ֭לָּה (can uncover) פְּנֵ֣י (the face) לְבוּשׁ֑וֹ (of his clothing)?

בְּכֶ֥פֶל (With the double-plating) רִ֝סְנ֗וֹ (of his armor), מִ֣י (who) יָבֽוֹא׃ (can enter into)?

14  דַּלְתֵ֣י (The doors) פָ֭נָיו (of his face), מִ֣י (who) פִתֵּ֑חַ (can open them)?

סְבִיב֖וֹת (All around) שִׁנָּ֣יו (his teeth) אֵימָֽה׃ (are terror).

15  גַּ֭אֲוָה (His pride) אֲפִיקֵ֣י (has rows) מָֽגִנִּ֑ים (of shields),

סָ֝ג֗וּר (shut up) חוֹתָ֥ם (with a seal) צָֽר׃ (tight).

16  אֶחָ֣ד (One) בְּאֶחָ֣ד (by one) יִגַּ֑שׁוּ (they draw near),

וְ֝ר֗וּחַ (and air) לֹא־ (not) יָב֥וֹא (can come) בֵֽינֵיהֶֽם׃ (between them).

17  אִישׁ־ (A man) בְּאָחִ֥יהוּ (to his brother) יְדֻבָּ֑קוּ (they are joined);

יִ֝תְלַכְּד֗וּ (they clasp together) וְלֹ֣א (and not) יִתְפָּרָֽדוּ׃ (can be separated).

18  עֲ‍ֽ֭טִישֹׁתָיו (His sneezings) תָּ֣הֶל (flash forth) א֑וֹר (light),

וְ֝עֵינָ֗יו (and his eyes are) כְּעַפְעַפֵּי־ (like the eyelids) שָֽׁחַר׃ (of the dawn).

19  מִ֭פִּיו (From his mouth) לַפִּידִ֣ים (torches) יַהֲלֹ֑כוּ (go forth);

כִּיד֥וֹדֵי (sparks) אֵ֝֗שׁ (of fire) יִתְמַלָּֽטוּ׃ (leap out).

20  מִ֭נְּחִירָיו (From his nostrils) יֵצֵ֣א (comes forth) עָשָׁ֑ן (smoke),

כְּד֖וּד (like a pot) נָפ֣וּחַ (boiling) וְאַגְמֹֽן׃ (and a reed).

21  נַ֭פְשׁוֹ (His breath) גֶּחָלִ֣ים (the coals) תְּלַהֵ֑ט (will kindle),

וְ֝לַ֗הַב (and a flame) מִפִּ֥יו (from his mouth) יֵצֵֽא׃ (goes forth).

22  בְּֽ֭צַוָּארוֹ (In his neck) יָלִ֣ין (lodges) עֹ֑ז (strength),

וּ֝לְפָנָ֗יו (and before him) תָּד֥וּץ (dances) דְּאָבָֽה׃ (terror).

23  מַפְּלֵ֣י (The folds) בְשָׂר֣וֹ (of his flesh) דָבֵ֑קוּ (are joined together);

יָצ֥וּק (being cast firmly) עָ֝לָ֗יו (on him) בַּל־ (and not) יִמּֽוֹט׃ (it can be shaken).

24  לִ֭בּוֹ (His heart) יָצ֣וּק (is as firm) כְּמוֹ־ (as) אָ֑בֶן (a stone),

וְ֝יָצ֗וּק (even as firm) כְּפֶ֣לַח (as a millstone) תַּחְתִּֽית׃ (lower).

25  מִ֭שֵּׂתוֹ (From his elevating), יָג֣וּרוּ (are afraid) אֵלִ֑ים (the mighty);

מִ֝שְּׁבָרִ֗ים (before his thrashing) יִתְחַטָּֽאוּ׃ (they cleanse themselves from sin).

26  מַשִּׂיגֵ֣הוּ (Reaching him) חֶ֭רֶב (the sword), בְּלִ֣י (shall not) תָק֑וּם (stand),

חֲנִ֖ית (not spear), מַסָּ֣ע (dart), וְשִׁרְיָֽה׃ (or lance).

27  יַחְשֹׁ֣ב (He regards) לְתֶ֣בֶן (as straw) בַּרְזֶ֑ל (iron),

לְעֵ֖ץ (and as wood) רִקָּב֣וֹן (rotten), נְחוּשָֽׁה׃ (the bronze).

28  לֹֽא־ (Not) יַבְרִיחֶ֥נּוּ (can make him flee) בֶן־ (the son) קָ֑שֶׁת (of the bow);

לְ֝קַ֗שׁ (like stubble) נֶהְפְּכוּ־ (are turned over) ל֥וֹ (before him) אַבְנֵי־ (the stones) קָֽלַע׃ (of the sling).

29  כְּ֭קַשׁ (As stubble) נֶחְשְׁב֣וּ (are considered) תוֹתָ֑ח (club),

וְ֝יִשְׂחַ֗ק (and he laughs) לְרַ֣עַשׁ (at the rattle) כִּידֽוֹן׃ (of a lance).

30  תַּ֭חְתָּיו (Beneath him) חַדּ֣וּדֵי (are points) חָ֑רֶשׂ (of a shard);

יִרְפַּ֖ד (he spreads out) חָר֣וּץ (like a threshing sledge) עֲלֵי־ (upon) טִֽיט׃ (the mud).

31  יַרְתִּ֣יחַ (He makes boil) כַּסִּ֣יר (like a pot) מְצוּלָ֑ה (the deep);

יָ֝֗ם (the sea) יָשִׂ֥ים (He makes) כַּמֶּרְקָחָֽה׃ (like an ointment pot).

32  אַ֭חֲרָיו (Behind him) יָאִ֣יר (he makes shine) נָתִ֑יב (a path);

יַחְשֹׁ֖ב (one would think) תְּה֣וֹם (the deep) לְשֵׂיבָֽה׃ (were white-haired).

33  אֵֽין־ (There is nothing) עַל־ (on) עָפָ֥ר (earth) מָשְׁל֑וֹ (like him),

הֶ֝עָשׂ֗וּ (the one made) לִבְלִי־ (devoid) חָֽת׃ (of fear).

34  אֵֽת־ (-) כָּל־ (every) גָּבֹ֥הַּ (high thing) יִרְאֶ֑ה (he beholds)

ה֝֗וּא (he is) מֶ֣לֶךְ (king) עַל־ (over) כָּל־ (all) בְּנֵי־ (the sons) שָֽׁחַץ׃ס (of pride).