1 “ Can you pull the crocodile out with a fish-hook? Can you tie his tongue down with a rope?

2 C an you put a rope in his nose, or put a hook through his jaw?

3 W ill he beg you to be good to him? Will he speak soft words to you?

4 W ill he make an agreement with you to take him and make him your servant forever?

5 W ill you play with him as if he were a bird? Or will you put him on a rope for your young women?

6 W ill traders talk about buying and selling him? Will they divide him among the store-keepers?

7 C an you fill his skin or his head with fish spears?

8 L ay your hand on him, and remember the battle. You will not do it again!

9 S ee, the hope of man is false. One is laid low even when seeing him.

10 N o one is so powerful that he would wake him. Who then can stand before Me?

11 W ho has given Me everything, that I should pay him back? Whatever is under the whole heaven is Mine.

12 “ I will not keep quiet about his legs, or his powerful strength, or the good way he is made.

13 W ho can take off his outside clothing? Who can get through his hard skin?

14 W ho can open the doors of his mouth? Around his teeth is much fear.

15 H is hard covering is his pride. He is shut up as with a lock.

16 O ne piece of his hard skin is so close to another that no air can come between them.

17 T hey are joined one to another. They hold on to each other and cannot be separated.

18 H is breath gives out light. And his eyes are like those of the first light of day.

19 B urning light goes out of his mouth. Fire comes out.

20 S moke goes out of his nostrils, as from a boiling pot and burning grass.

21 H is breath sets fire to coals. A fire goes out of his mouth.

22 S trength is in his neck, and fear jumps in front of him.

23 T he folds of his flesh are joined together. They are set in place and cannot be moved.

24 H is heart is as hard as a stone, even as hard as a grinding-stone.

25 W hen he raises himself up, the powerful are afraid. They are troubled because of his noise.

26 T he sword that hits him cannot cut. And spears are of no use.

27 H e thinks of iron as straw, and brass as soft wood.

28 T he arrow cannot make him run away. Stones thrown at him are like dry grass to him.

29 H e thinks of heavy sticks as dry grass. He laughs at the noise of the spear.

30 T he parts under him are like sharp pieces of a pot. He spreads out like a grain crusher on the mud.

31 H e makes the sea boil like a pot. He makes the sea like a jar of oil.

32 H e makes his way shine behind him. One would think that the sea has white hair.

33 N othing on earth is like him, one made without fear.

34 H e looks on everything that is high. He is king over all that are proud.”