Chapter 41
The LORD’s Power Shown in Leviathan
1
[“]Can you pull in Leviathan with a hook or tie down his tongue… with a rope?
𐤕𐤌𐤔𐤊 𐤋𐤅𐤉𐤕𐤍 𐤁𐤇𐤊𐤄 𐤋𐤔𐤍𐤅 𐤕𐤔𐤒𐤉𐤏 𐤅𐤁𐤇𐤁𐤋
תִּמְשֹׁ֣ךְ לִוְיָתָ֣ן בְּחַכָּ֑ה לְשֹׁנֽוֹ׃ תַּשְׁקִ֥יעַ וּ֝בְחֶ֗בֶל tim·šōḵ liw·yā·ṯān bə·ḥak·kāh lə·šō·nōw taš·qî·a‘ ū·ḇə·ḥe·ḇel — WLC · 1
2
Can you put a cord through his nose or pierce his jaw with a hook?
𐤄𐤕𐤔𐤉𐤌 𐤀𐤂𐤌𐤅𐤍 𐤁𐤀𐤐𐤅 𐤕𐤒𐤅𐤁 𐤋𐤇𐤉𐤅 𐤅𐤁𐤇𐤅𐤇
הֲתָשִׂ֣ים אַגְמ֣וֹן בְּאַפּ֑וֹ תִּקּ֥וֹב לֶֽחֱיוֹ׃ וּ֝בְח֗וֹחַ hă·ṯā·śîm ’aḡ·mō·wn bə·’ap·pōw tiq·qō·wḇ le·ḥĕ·yōw ū·ḇə·ḥō·w·aḥ — WLC · 2
3
Will he beg you for mercy or speak to you softly?
𐤄𐤉𐤓𐤁𐤄 𐤀𐤋𐤉𐤊 𐤕𐤇𐤍𐤅𐤍𐤉𐤌 𐤀𐤌 𐤉𐤃𐤁𐤓 𐤀𐤋𐤉𐤊 𐤓𐤊𐤅𐤕
הֲיַרְבֶּ֣ה אֵ֭לֶיךָ תַּחֲנוּנִ֑ים אִם־ יְדַבֵּ֖ר אֵלֶ֣יךָ רַכּֽוֹת׃ hă·yar·beh ’ê·le·ḵā ta·ḥă·nū·nîm ’im- yə·ḏab·bêr ’ê·le·ḵā rak·kō·wṯ — WLC · 3
4
Will he make a covenant with you to take him as a slave for life?
𐤄𐤉𐤊𐤓𐤕 𐤁𐤓𐤉𐤕 𐤏𐤌𐤊 𐤕𐤒𐤇𐤍𐤅 𐤋𐤏𐤁𐤃 𐤏𐤅𐤋𐤌
הֲיִכְרֹ֣ת בְּרִ֣ית עִמָּ֑ךְ תִּ֝קָּחֶ֗נּוּ לְעֶ֣בֶד עוֹלָֽם׃ hă·yiḵ·rōṯ bə·rîṯ ‘im·māḵ tiq·qā·ḥen·nū lə·‘e·ḇeḏ ‘ō·w·lām — WLC · 4
5
Can you pet him like a bird or put him on a leash for your maidens?
𐤄𐤕𐤔𐤇𐤒 𐤁𐤅 𐤊𐤑𐤐𐤅𐤓 𐤅𐤕𐤒𐤔𐤓𐤍𐤅 𐤋𐤍𐤏𐤓𐤅𐤕𐤉𐤊
הַֽתְשַׂחֶק־ בּ֭וֹ כַּצִּפּ֑וֹר וְ֝תִקְשְׁרֶ֗נּוּ לְנַעֲרוֹתֶֽיךָ׃ haṯ·śa·ḥeq- bōw kaṣ·ṣip·pō·wr wə·ṯiq·šə·ren·nū lə·na·‘ă·rō·w·ṯe·ḵā — WLC · 5
6
Will traders barter for him or divide him among the merchants?
𐤇𐤁𐤓𐤉𐤌 𐤉𐤊𐤓𐤅 𐤏𐤋𐤉𐤅 𐤉𐤇𐤑𐤅𐤄𐤅 𐤁𐤉𐤍 𐤊𐤍𐤏𐤍𐤉𐤌
חַבָּרִ֑ים יִכְר֣וּ עָ֭לָיו יֶ֝חֱצ֗וּהוּ בֵּ֣ין כְּֽנַעֲנִֽים׃ ḥab·bā·rîm yiḵ·rū ‘ā·lāw ye·ḥĕ·ṣū·hū bên kə·na·‘ă·nîm — WLC · 6
7
Can you fill his hide with harpoons or his head with fishing spears?
𐤄𐤕𐤌𐤋𐤀 𐤏𐤅𐤓𐤅 𐤁𐤔𐤊𐤅𐤕 𐤓𐤀𐤔𐤅 𐤃𐤂𐤉𐤌 𐤅𐤁𐤑𐤋𐤑𐤋
הַֽתְמַלֵּ֣א עוֹר֑וֹ בְשֻׂכּ֣וֹת רֹאשֽׁוֹ׃ דָּגִ֣ים וּבְצִלְצַ֖ל haṯ·mal·lê ‘ō·w·rōw ḇə·śuk·kō·wṯ rō·šōw dā·ḡîm ū·ḇə·ṣil·ṣal — WLC · 7
8
If you lay a hand on him, you will remember the battle and never repeat it!
𐤔𐤉𐤌 𐤊𐤐𐤊 𐤏𐤋𐤉𐤅 𐤆𐤊𐤓 𐤌𐤋𐤇𐤌𐤄 𐤀𐤋 𐤕𐤅𐤎𐤐
שִׂים־ כַּפֶּ֑ךָ עָלָ֥יו זְכֹ֥ר מִ֝לְחָמָ֗ה אַל־ תּוֹסַֽף׃ śîm- kap·pe·ḵā ‘ā·lāw zə·ḵōr mil·ḥā·māh ’al- tō·w·sap̄ — WLC · 8
9
Surely hope of [overcoming] him is false. Is not the sight of him overwhelming?
𐤄𐤍 𐤕𐤇𐤋𐤕𐤅 𐤍𐤊𐤆𐤁𐤄 𐤄𐤂𐤌 𐤀𐤋 𐤌𐤓𐤀𐤉𐤅 𐤉𐤈𐤋
הֵן־ תֹּחַלְתּ֥וֹ נִכְזָ֑בָה הֲגַ֖ם אֶל־ מַרְאָ֣יו יֻטָֽל׃ hên- tō·ḥal·tōw niḵ·zā·ḇāh hă·ḡam ’el- mar·’āw yu·ṭāl — WLC · 9
10
No one is so fierce as to rouse Leviathan. Then who… is able to stand against Me?
𐤋𐤀 𐤀𐤊𐤆𐤓 𐤊𐤉 𐤉𐤏𐤅𐤓𐤍𐤅 𐤅𐤌𐤉 𐤄𐤅𐤀 𐤉𐤕𐤉𐤑𐤁 𐤋𐤐𐤍𐤉
לֹֽא־ אַ֭כְזָר כִּ֣י יְעוּרֶ֑נּוּ וּמִ֥י ה֝֗וּא יִתְיַצָּֽב׃ לְפָנַ֥י lō- ’aḵ·zār kî yə·‘ū·ren·nū ū·mî hū yiṯ·yaṣ·ṣāḇ lə·p̄ā·nay — WLC · 10
11
Who has given to Me that I should repay him? Everything under heaven is Mine.
𐤌𐤉 𐤄𐤒𐤃𐤉𐤌𐤍𐤉 𐤅𐤀𐤔𐤋𐤌 𐤊𐤋 𐤕𐤇𐤕 𐤄𐤔𐤌𐤉𐤌 𐤄𐤅𐤀 𐤋𐤉
מִ֣י הִ֭קְדִּימַנִי וַאֲשַׁלֵּ֑ם כָּל־ תַּ֖חַת הַשָּׁמַ֣יִם הֽוּא׃ לִי־ mî hiq·dî·ma·nî wa·’ă·šal·lêm kāl- ta·ḥaṯ haš·šā·ma·yim hū lî- — WLC · 11
12
I cannot keep silent about his limbs,… his power and graceful form.
𐤋𐤀 𐤀𐤇𐤓𐤉𐤔 𐤁𐤃𐤉𐤅 𐤅𐤃𐤁𐤓 𐤂𐤁𐤅𐤓𐤅𐤕 𐤅𐤇𐤉𐤍 𐤏𐤓𐤊𐤅
לֹא אַחֲרִ֥ישׁ בַּדָּ֑יו וּדְבַר־ גְּ֝בוּר֗וֹת וְחִ֣ין עֶרְכּֽוֹ׃ lō ’a·ḥă·rîš bad·dāw ū·ḏə·ḇar- gə·ḇū·rō·wṯ wə·ḥîn ‘er·kōw — WLC · 12
13
Who can strip off his outer coat? Who can approach [him] with a bridle
𐤌𐤉 𐤂𐤋𐤄 𐤐𐤍𐤉 𐤋𐤁𐤅𐤔𐤅 𐤌𐤉 𐤉𐤁𐤅𐤀 𐤁𐤊𐤐𐤋 𐤓𐤎𐤍𐤅
מִֽי־ גִ֭לָּה פְּנֵ֣י לְבוּשׁ֑וֹ מִ֣י יָבֽוֹא׃ בְּכֶ֥פֶל רִ֝סְנ֗וֹ mî- ḡil·lāh pə·nê lə·ḇū·šōw mî yā·ḇō·w bə·ḵe·p̄el ris·nōw — WLC · 13
14
Who can open his jaws…, ringed by his fearsome teeth?
𐤌𐤉 𐤐𐤕𐤇 𐤃𐤋𐤕𐤉 𐤐𐤍𐤉𐤅 𐤎𐤁𐤉𐤁𐤅𐤕 𐤀𐤉𐤌𐤄 𐤔𐤍𐤉𐤅
מִ֣י פִתֵּ֑חַ דַּלְתֵ֣י פָ֭נָיו סְבִיב֖וֹת אֵימָֽה׃ שִׁנָּ֣יו mî p̄it·tê·aḥ dal·ṯê p̄ā·nāw sə·ḇî·ḇō·wṯ ’ê·māh šin·nāw — WLC · 14
15
[His] rows of scales are [his] pride, tightly sealed together…
𐤀𐤐𐤉𐤒𐤉 𐤌𐤂𐤍𐤉𐤌 𐤂𐤀𐤅𐤄 𐤎𐤂𐤅𐤓 𐤇𐤅𐤕𐤌 𐤑𐤓
אֲפִיקֵ֣י מָֽגִנִּ֑ים גַּ֭אֲוָה סָ֝ג֗וּר חוֹתָ֥ם צָֽר׃ ’ă·p̄î·qê mā·ḡin·nîm ga·’ă·wāh sā·ḡūr ḥō·w·ṯām ṣār — WLC · 15
16
One scale is so near to another that no air can pass between them.
𐤀𐤇𐤃 𐤉𐤂𐤔𐤅 𐤁𐤀𐤇𐤃 𐤋𐤀 𐤅𐤓𐤅𐤇 𐤉𐤁𐤅𐤀 𐤁𐤉𐤍𐤉𐤄𐤌
אֶחָ֣ד יִגַּ֑שׁוּ בְּאֶחָ֣ד לֹא־ וְ֝ר֗וּחַ יָב֥וֹא בֵֽינֵיהֶֽם׃ ’e·ḥāḏ yig·ga·šū bə·’e·ḥāḏ lō- wə·rū·aḥ yā·ḇō·w ḇê·nê·hem — WLC · 16
17
They are joined to one another; they clasp and cannot be separated.
𐤉𐤃𐤁𐤒𐤅 𐤀𐤉𐤔 𐤁𐤀𐤇𐤉𐤄𐤅 𐤉𐤕𐤋𐤊𐤃𐤅 𐤅𐤋𐤀 𐤉𐤕𐤐𐤓𐤃𐤅
יְדֻבָּ֑קוּ אִישׁ־ בְּאָחִ֥יהוּ יִ֝תְלַכְּד֗וּ וְלֹ֣א יִתְפָּרָֽדוּ׃ yə·ḏub·bā·qū ’îš- bə·’ā·ḥî·hū yiṯ·lak·kə·ḏū wə·lō yiṯ·pā·rā·ḏū — WLC · 17
18
His snorting flashes with light, and his eyes are like the rays of dawn.
𐤏𐤈𐤉𐤔𐤕𐤉𐤅 𐤕𐤄𐤋 𐤀𐤅𐤓 𐤅𐤏𐤉𐤍𐤉𐤅 𐤊𐤏𐤐𐤏𐤐𐤉 𐤔𐤇𐤓
עֲֽ֭טִישֹׁתָיו תָּ֣הֶל א֑וֹר וְ֝עֵינָ֗יו כְּעַפְעַפֵּי־ שָֽׁחַר׃ ‘ăṭî·šō·ṯāw tā·hel ’ō·wr wə·‘ê·nāw kə·‘ap̄·‘ap·pê- šā·ḥar — WLC · 18
19
Firebrands stream from his mouth; fiery sparks shoot forth!
𐤋𐤐𐤉𐤃𐤉𐤌 𐤉𐤄𐤋𐤊𐤅 𐤌𐤐𐤉𐤅 𐤀𐤔 𐤊𐤉𐤃𐤅𐤃𐤉 𐤉𐤕𐤌𐤋𐤈𐤅
לַפִּידִ֣ים יַהֲלֹ֑כוּ מִ֭פִּיו אֵ֝֗שׁ כִּיד֥וֹדֵי יִתְמַלָּֽטוּ׃ lap·pî·ḏîm ya·hă·lō·ḵū mip·pîw ’êš kî·ḏō·w·ḏê yiṯ·mal·lā·ṭū — WLC · 19
20
Smoke billows from his nostrils as from a boiling pot over burning reeds.
𐤏𐤔𐤍 𐤉𐤑𐤀 𐤌𐤍𐤇𐤉𐤓𐤉𐤅 𐤍𐤐𐤅𐤇 𐤊𐤃𐤅𐤃 𐤅𐤀𐤂𐤌𐤍
עָשָׁ֑ן יֵצֵ֣א מִ֭נְּחִירָיו נָפ֣וּחַ כְּד֖וּד וְאַגְמֹֽן׃ ‘ā·šān yê·ṣê min·nə·ḥî·rāw nā·p̄ū·aḥ kə·ḏūḏ wə·’aḡ·mōn — WLC · 20
21
His breath sets coals ablaze, and flames pour from his mouth.
𐤍𐤐𐤔𐤅 𐤂𐤇𐤋𐤉𐤌 𐤕𐤋𐤄𐤈 𐤅𐤋𐤄𐤁 𐤉𐤑𐤀 𐤌𐤐𐤉𐤅
נַ֭פְשׁוֹ גֶּחָלִ֣ים תְּלַהֵ֑ט וְ֝לַ֗הַב יֵצֵֽא׃ מִפִּ֥יו nap̄·šōw ge·ḥā·lîm tə·la·hêṭ wə·la·haḇ yê·ṣê mip·pîw — WLC · 21
22
Strength resides in his neck, and dismay leaps before him.
𐤏𐤆 𐤉𐤋𐤉𐤍 𐤁𐤑𐤅𐤀𐤓𐤅 𐤃𐤀𐤁𐤄 𐤕𐤃𐤅𐤑 𐤅𐤋𐤐𐤍𐤉𐤅
עֹ֑ז יָלִ֣ין בְּֽ֭צַוָּארוֹ דְּאָבָֽה׃ תָּד֥וּץ וּ֝לְפָנָ֗יו ‘ōz yā·lîn bə·ṣaw·wā·rōw də·’ā·ḇāh tā·ḏūṣ ū·lə·p̄ā·nāw — WLC · 22
23
The folds of his flesh are tightly joined; they are firm and immovable…
𐤌𐤐𐤋𐤉 𐤁𐤔𐤓𐤅 𐤃𐤁𐤒𐤅 𐤉𐤑𐤅𐤒 𐤏𐤋𐤉𐤅 𐤁𐤋 𐤉𐤌𐤅𐤈
מַפְּלֵ֣י בְשָׂר֣וֹ דָבֵ֑קוּ יָצ֥וּק עָ֝לָ֗יו בַּל־ יִמּֽוֹט׃ map·pə·lê ḇə·śā·rōw ḏā·ḇê·qū yā·ṣūq ‘ā·lāw bal- yim·mō·wṭ — WLC · 23
24
His chest is as hard as a rock, as hard as a lower millstone!
𐤋𐤁𐤅 𐤉𐤑𐤅𐤒 𐤊𐤌𐤅 𐤀𐤁𐤍 𐤅𐤉𐤑𐤅𐤒 𐤕𐤇𐤕𐤉𐤕 𐤊𐤐𐤋𐤇
לִ֭בּוֹ יָצ֣וּק כְּמוֹ־ אָ֑בֶן וְ֝יָצ֗וּק תַּחְתִּֽית׃ כְּפֶ֣לַח lib·bōw yā·ṣūq kə·mōw- ’ā·ḇen wə·yā·ṣūq taḥ·tîṯ kə·p̄e·laḥ — WLC · 24
25
When Leviathan rises up, the mighty are terrified; they withdraw before his thrashing.
𐤌𐤔𐤕𐤅 𐤀𐤋𐤉𐤌 𐤉𐤂𐤅𐤓𐤅 𐤉𐤕𐤇𐤈𐤀𐤅 𐤌𐤔𐤁𐤓𐤉𐤌
מִ֭שֵּׂתוֹ אֵלִ֑ים יָג֣וּרוּ יִתְחַטָּֽאוּ׃ מִ֝שְּׁבָרִ֗ים miś·śê·ṯōw ’ê·lîm yā·ḡū·rū yiṯ·ḥaṭ·ṭā·’ū miš·šə·ḇā·rîm — WLC · 25
26
The sword that reaches him has no effect, nor does the spear or dart or arrow.
𐤇𐤓𐤁 𐤌𐤔𐤉𐤂𐤄𐤅 𐤁𐤋𐤉 𐤕𐤒𐤅𐤌 𐤇𐤍𐤉𐤕 𐤌𐤎𐤏 𐤅𐤔𐤓𐤉𐤄
חֶ֭רֶב מַשִּׂיגֵ֣הוּ בְּלִ֣י תָק֑וּם חֲנִ֖ית מַסָּ֣ע וְשִׁרְיָֽה׃ ḥe·reḇ maś·śî·ḡê·hū bə·lî ṯā·qūm ḥă·nîṯ mas·sā‘ wə·šir·yāh — WLC · 26
27
He regards iron as straw and bronze as rotten wood.
𐤉𐤇𐤔𐤁 𐤁𐤓𐤆𐤋 𐤋𐤕𐤁𐤍 𐤍𐤇𐤅𐤔𐤄 𐤓𐤒𐤁𐤅𐤍 𐤋𐤏𐤑
יַחְשֹׁ֣ב בַּרְזֶ֑ל לְתֶ֣בֶן נְחוּשָֽׁה׃ רִקָּב֣וֹן לְעֵ֖ץ yaḥ·šōḇ bar·zel lə·ṯe·ḇen nə·ḥū·šāh riq·qā·ḇō·wn lə·‘êṣ — WLC · 27
28
No arrow can make him flee;… slingstones… become like chaff to him.
𐤋𐤀 𐤒𐤔𐤕 𐤉𐤁𐤓𐤉𐤇𐤍𐤅 𐤁𐤍 𐤀𐤁𐤍𐤉 𐤒𐤋𐤏 𐤍𐤄𐤐𐤊𐤅 𐤋𐤒𐤔 𐤋𐤅
לֹֽא־ קָ֑שֶׁת יַבְרִיחֶ֥נּוּ בֶן־ אַבְנֵי־ קָֽלַע׃ נֶהְפְּכוּ־ לְ֝קַ֗שׁ ל֥וֹ lō- qā·šeṯ yaḇ·rî·ḥen·nū ḇen- ’aḇ·nê- qā·la‘ neh·pə·ḵū- lə·qaš lōw — WLC · 28
29
A club is regarded as straw, and he laughs at the sound of the lance.
𐤕𐤅𐤕𐤇 𐤍𐤇𐤔𐤁𐤅 𐤊𐤒𐤔 𐤅𐤉𐤔𐤇𐤒 𐤋𐤓𐤏𐤔 𐤊𐤉𐤃𐤅𐤍
תוֹתָ֑ח נֶחְשְׁב֣וּ כְּ֭קַשׁ וְ֝יִשְׂחַ֗ק לְרַ֣עַשׁ כִּידֽוֹן׃ ṯō·w·ṯāḥ neḥ·šə·ḇū kə·qaš wə·yiś·ḥaq lə·ra·‘aš kî·ḏō·wn — WLC · 29
30
His undersides are jagged potsherds, spreading out the mud like a threshing sledge…
𐤕𐤇𐤕𐤉𐤅 𐤇𐤃𐤅𐤃𐤉 𐤇𐤓𐤔 𐤉𐤓𐤐𐤃 𐤈𐤉𐤈 𐤇𐤓𐤅𐤑 𐤏𐤋𐤉
תַּ֭חְתָּיו חַדּ֣וּדֵי חָ֑רֶשׂ יִרְפַּ֖ד טִֽיט׃ חָר֣וּץ עֲלֵי־ taḥ·tāw ḥad·dū·ḏê ḥā·reś yir·paḏ ṭîṭ ḥā·rūṣ ‘ă·lê- — WLC · 30
31
He makes the depths seethe like a cauldron; he makes the sea like a jar of ointment.
𐤌𐤑𐤅𐤋𐤄 𐤉𐤓𐤕𐤉𐤇 𐤊𐤎𐤉𐤓 𐤉𐤔𐤉𐤌 𐤉𐤌 𐤊𐤌𐤓𐤒𐤇𐤄
מְצוּלָ֑ה יַרְתִּ֣יחַ כַּסִּ֣יר יָשִׂ֥ים יָ֝֗ם כַּמֶּרְקָחָֽה׃ mə·ṣū·lāh yar·tî·aḥ kas·sîr yā·śîm yām kam·mer·qā·ḥāh — WLC · 31
32
He leaves a glistening wake behind him; one would think the deep had white hair!
𐤉𐤀𐤉𐤓 𐤍𐤕𐤉𐤁 𐤀𐤇𐤓𐤉𐤅 𐤉𐤇𐤔𐤁 𐤕𐤄𐤅𐤌 𐤋𐤔𐤉𐤁𐤄
יָאִ֣יר נָתִ֑יב אַ֭חֲרָיו יַחְשֹׁ֖ב תְּה֣וֹם לְשֵׂיבָֽה׃ yā·’îr nā·ṯîḇ ’a·ḥă·rāw yaḥ·šōḇ tə·hō·wm lə·śê·ḇāh — WLC · 32
33
Nothing on earth is his equal— a creature devoid of fear!
𐤀𐤉𐤍 𐤏𐤋 𐤏𐤐𐤓 𐤌𐤔𐤋𐤅 𐤄𐤏𐤔𐤅 𐤋𐤁𐤋𐤉 𐤇𐤕
אֵֽין־ עַל־ עָפָ֥ר מָשְׁל֑וֹ הֶ֝עָשׂ֗וּ לִבְלִי־ חָֽת׃ ’ên- ‘al- ‘ā·p̄ār mā·šə·lōw he·‘ā·śū liḇ·lî- ḥāṯ — WLC · 33
34
He looks down on all the haughty; he is king over all the proud.”
𐤉𐤓𐤀𐤄 𐤊𐤋 𐤂𐤁𐤄 𐤄𐤅𐤀 𐤌𐤋𐤊 𐤏𐤋 𐤀𐤕 𐤊𐤋 𐤁𐤍𐤉 𐤔𐤇𐤑𐤎
יִרְאֶ֑ה כָּל־ גָּבֹ֥הַּ ה֝֗וּא מֶ֣לֶךְ עַל־ אֵֽת־ כָּל־ בְּנֵי־ שָֽׁחַץ׃ס yir·’eh kāl- gā·ḇō·ah hū me·leḵ ‘al- ’êṯ- kāl- bə·nê- šā·ḥaṣ — WLC · 34