New King James Version

King James Bible

1“Can you draw out Leviathan with a hook, Or snare his tongue with a line which you lower?

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

2Can you put a reed through his nose, Or pierce his jaw with a hook?

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

3Will he make many supplications to you? Will he speak softly to you?

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

4Will he make a covenant with you? Will you take him as a servant forever?

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

5Will you play with him as with a bird, Or will you leash him for your maidens?

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

6Will your companions make a banquet of him? Will they apportion him among the merchants?

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

7Can you fill his skin with harpoons, Or his head with fishing spears?

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

8Lay your hand on him; Remember the battle— Never do it again!

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

9Indeed, any hope of overcoming him is false; Shall one not be overwhelmed at the sight of him?

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

10No one is so fierce that he would dare stir him up. Who then is able to stand against Me?

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

11Who has preceded Me, that I should pay him? Everything under heaven is Mine.

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

12“I will not conceal his limbs, His mighty power, or his graceful proportions.

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

13Who can remove his outer coat? Who can approach him with a double bridle?

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

14Who can open the doors of his face, With his terrible teeth all around?

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

15His rows of scales are his pride, Shut up tightly as with a seal;

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

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

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

17They are joined one to another, They stick together and cannot be parted.

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

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

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

19Out of his mouth go burning lights; Sparks of fire shoot out.

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

20Smoke goes out of his nostrils, As from a boiling pot and burning rushes.

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

21His breath kindles coals, And a flame goes out of his mouth.

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

22Strength dwells in his neck, And sorrow dances before him.

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

23The folds of his flesh are joined together; They are firm on him and cannot be moved.

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

24His heart is as hard as stone, Even as hard as the lower millstone.

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

25When he raises himself up, the mighty are afraid; Because of his crashings they are beside themselves.

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

26Though the sword reaches him, it cannot avail; Nor does spear, dart, or javelin.

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

27He regards iron as straw, And bronze as rotten wood.

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

28The arrow cannot make him flee; Slingstones become like stubble to him.

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

29Darts are regarded as straw; He laughs at the threat of javelins.

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

30His undersides are like sharp potsherds; He spreads pointed marks in the mire.

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

31He makes the deep boil like a pot; He makes the sea like a pot of ointment.

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

32He leaves a shining wake behind him; One would think the deep had white hair.

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

33On earth there is nothing like him, Which is made without fear.

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

34He beholds every high thing; He is king over all the children of pride.”

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

The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.

King James Bible, text courtesy of BibleProtector.com.