New King James Version

English Standard Version

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

1“Can you draw out Leviathan with a fishhook or press down his tongue with a cord?

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

2Can you put a rope in his nose or pierce his jaw with a hook?

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

3Will he make many pleas to you? Will he speak to you soft words?

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

4Will he make a covenant with you to take him for your servant forever?

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

5Will you play with him as with a bird, or will you put him on a leash for your girls?

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

6Will traders bargain over him? Will they divide him up among the merchants?

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

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

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

8Lay your hands on him; remember the battle—you will not do it again!

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

9Behold, the hope of a man is false; he is laid low 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?

10No one is so fierce that he dares to stir him up. Who then is he who can stand before me?

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

11Who has first given to me, that I should repay him? Whatever is under the whole heaven is mine.

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

12“I will not keep silence concerning his limbs, or his mighty strength, or his goodly frame.

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

13Who can strip off his outer garment? Who would come near him with a bridle?

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

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

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

15His back is made of rows of shields, shut up closely as with a 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 clasp each other and cannot be separated.

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

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

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

19Out of his mouth go flaming torches; sparks of fire leap forth.

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

20Out of his nostrils comes forth smoke, as from a boiling pot and burning rushes.

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

21His breath kindles coals, and a flame comes forth from his mouth.

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

22In his neck abides strength, and terror dances before him.

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

23The folds of his flesh stick together, firmly cast on him and immovable.

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

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

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

25When he raises himself up, the mighty are afraid; at the crashing they are beside themselves.

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

26Though the sword reaches him, it does not avail, nor the spear, the dart, or the javelin.

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

27He counts iron as straw, and bronze as rotten wood.

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

28The arrow cannot make him flee; for him, sling stones are turned to stubble.

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

29Clubs are counted as stubble; he laughs at the rattle of javelins.

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

30His underparts are like sharp potsherds; he spreads himself like a threshing sledge on the mire.

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

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

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

32Behind him he leaves a shining wake; one would think the deep to be white-haired.

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

33On earth there is not his like, a creature without fear.

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

34He sees everything that is high; he is king over all the sons of pride.”

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

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.