²⁵ Can you lead Leviathan^[a] about with a hook,
    or tie down his tongue with a rope?
²⁶ Can you put a ring into his nose,
    or pierce through his cheek with a gaff?
²⁷ Will he then plead with you, time after time,
    or address you with tender words?
²⁸ Will he make a covenant with you
    that you may have him as a slave forever?
²⁹ Can you play with him, as with a bird?
    Can you tie him up for your little girls?
³⁰ Will the traders bargain for him?
    Will the merchants^[b] divide him up?
³¹ Can you fill his hide with barbs,
    or his head with fish spears?
³² Once you but lay a hand upon him,
    no need to recall any other conflict!

¹ Whoever might vainly hope to do so
    need only see him to be overthrown.
² No one is fierce enough to arouse him;
    who then dares stand before me?
³ Whoever has assailed me, I will pay back—
    Everything under the heavens is mine.
⁴ I need hardly mention his limbs,
    his strength, and the fitness of his equipment.
⁵ Who can strip off his outer garment,
    or penetrate his double armor?
⁶ Who can force open the doors of his face,
    close to his terrible teeth?
⁷ Rows of scales are on his back,
    tightly sealed together;
⁸ They are fitted so close to each other
    that no air can come between them;
⁹ So joined to one another
    that they hold fast and cannot be parted.
¹⁰ When he sneezes, light flashes forth;
    his eyes are like the eyelids of the dawn.
¹¹ Out of his mouth go forth torches;
    sparks of fire leap forth.
¹² From his nostrils comes smoke
    as from a seething pot or bowl.
¹³ His breath sets coals afire;
    a flame comes from his mouth.
¹⁴ Strength abides in his neck,
    and power leaps before him.
¹⁵ The folds of his flesh stick together,
    it is cast over him and immovable.
¹⁶ His heart is cast as hard as stone;
    cast as the lower millstone.
¹⁷ When he rises up, the gods are afraid;
    when he crashes down, they fall back.
¹⁸ Should a sword reach him, it will not avail;
    nor will spear, dart, or javelin.
¹⁹ He regards iron as chaff,
    and bronze as rotten wood.
²⁰ No arrow will put him to flight;
    slingstones used against him are but straw.
²¹ Clubs he regards as straw;
    he laughs at the crash of the spear.
²² Under him are sharp pottery fragments,
    spreading a threshing sledge upon the mire.
²³ He makes the depths boil like a pot;
    he makes the sea like a perfume bottle.
²⁴ Behind him he leaves a shining path;
    you would think the deep had white hair.
²⁵ Upon the earth there is none like him,
    he was made fearless.
²⁶ He looks over all who are haughty,
    he is king over all proud beasts.