1 Ton espérance serait illusoire, car sa vue seule suffit à terrasser. | 1 Canst thou draw out leviathan with an hook? or his tongue with a cord which thou lettest down? |
2 Il devient féroce quand on l'éveille, qui peut lui résister en face? | 2 Canst thou put an hook into his nose? or bore his jaw through with a thorn? |
3 Qui donc l'a affronté sans en pâtir? Personne sous tous les cieux! | 3 Will he make many supplications unto thee? will he speak soft words unto thee? |
4 Je parlerai aussi de ses membres, je dirai sa force incomparable. | 4 Will he make a covenant with thee? wilt thou take him for a servant for ever? |
5 Qui a découvert par devant sa tunique, pénétré dans sa double cuirasse? | 5 Wilt thou play with him as with a bird? or wilt thou bind him for thy maidens? |
6 Qui a ouvert les battants de sa gueule? La terreur règne autour de ses dents! | 6 Shall the companions make a banquet of him? shall they part him among the merchants? |
7 Son dos, ce sont des rangées de boucliers, que ferme un sceau de pierre. | 7 Canst thou fill his skin with barbed iron? or his head with fish spears? |
8 Ils se touchent de si près qu'un souffle ne peut s'y infiltrer. | 8 Lay thine hand upon him, remember the battle, do no more. |
9 Ils adhèrent l'un à l'autre et font un bloc sans fissure. | 9 Behold, the hope of him is in vain: shall not one be cast down even at the sight of him? |
10 Son éternuement projette de la lumière, ses yeux ressemblent aux paupières de l'aurore. | 10 None is so fierce that dare stir him up: who then is able to stand before me? |
11 De sa gueule jaillissent des torches, il s'en échappe des étincelles de feu. | 11 Who hath prevented me, that I should repay him? whatsoever is under the whole heaven is mine. |
12 Ses naseaux crachent de la fumée, comme un chaudron qui bout sur le feu. | 12 I will not conceal his parts, nor his power, nor his comely proportion. |
13 Son souffle allumerait des charbons, une flamme sort de sa gueule. | 13 Who can discover the face of his garment? or who can come to him with his double bridle? |
14 Sur son cou est campée la force, et devant lui bondit la violence. | 14 Who can open the doors of his face? his teeth are terrible round about. |
15 Les fanons de sa chair sont soudés ensemble: ils adhèrent à elle, inébranlables. | 15 His scales are his pride, shut up together as with a close seal. |
16 Son coeur est dur comme le roc, résistant comme la meule de dessous. | 16 One is so near to another, that no air can come between them. |
17 Quand il se dresse, les flots prennent peur et les vagues de la mer se retirent. | 17 They are joined one to another, they stick together, that they cannot be sundered. |
18 L'épée l'atteint sans se fixer, de même lance, javeline ou dard. | 18 By his neesings a light doth shine, and his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning. |
19 Pour lui, le fer n'est que paille, et l'airain, du bois pourri. | 19 Out of his mouth go burning lamps, and sparks of fire leap out. |
20 Les traits de l'arc ne le font pas fuir: il reçoit comme un fétu les pierres de fronde. | 20 Out of his nostrils goeth smoke, as out of a seething pot or caldron. |
21 La massue lui semble un fétu, il se rit du javelot qui vibre. | 21 His breath kindleth coals, and a flame goeth out of his mouth. |
22 Il a sous lui des tessons aigus, comme une herse il passe sur la vase. | 22 In his neck remaineth strength, and sorrow is turned into joy before him. |
23 Il fait bouillonner le gouffre comme une chaudière, il change la mer en brûle-parfums. | 23 The flakes of his flesh are joined together: they are firm in themselves; they cannot be moved. |
24 Il laisse derrière lui un sillage lumineux, l'abîme semble couvert d'une toison blanche. | 24 His heart is as firm as a stone; yea, as hard as a piece of the nether millstone. |
25 Sur terre, il n'a point son pareil, il a été fait intrépide. | 25 When he raiseth up himself, the mighty are afraid: by reason of breakings they purify themselves. |
26 Il regarde en face les plus hautains, il est roi sur tous les fils de l'orgueil. | 26 The sword of him that layeth at him cannot hold: the spear, the dart, nor the habergeon. |
| 27 He esteemeth iron as straw, and brass as rotten wood. |
| 28 The arrow cannot make him flee: slingstones are turned with him into stubble. |
| 29 Darts are counted as stubble: he laugheth at the shaking of a spear. |
| 30 Sharp stones are under him: he spreadeth sharp pointed things upon the mire. |
| 31 He maketh the deep to boil like a pot: he maketh the sea like a pot of ointment. |
| 32 He maketh a path to shine after him; one would think the deep to be hoary. |
| 33 Upon earth there is not his like, who is made without fear. |
| 34 He beholdeth all high things: he is a king over all the children of pride. |