
TORAH
NEVI'IM
KETUVIM
Chapter 41
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1See, any hope [of capturing] him must be disappointed; One is prostrated by the very sight of him.
אהֵן־תֹּחַלְתּוֹ נִכְזָבָה הֲגַם אֶל־מַרְאָיו יֻטָל׃
2There is no one so fierce as to rouse him; Who then can stand up to Me?
בלֹא־אַכְזָר כִּי יְעוּרֶנּוּ וּמִי הוּא לְפָנַי יִתְיַצָּב׃
3Whoever confronts Me I will requite, For everything under the heavens is Mine.
גמִי הִקְדִּימַנִי וַאֲשַׁלֵּם תַּחַת כָּל־הַשָּׁמַיִם לִי־הוּא׃
4I will not be silent concerning him Or the praise of his martial exploits.
דלא־[לוֹ־] אַחֲרִישׁ בַּדָּיו וּדְבַר־גְּבוּרוֹת וְחִין עֶרְכּוֹ׃
5Who can uncover his outer garment? Who can penetrate the folds of his jowls?
המִי־גִלָּה פְּנֵי לְבוּשׁוֹ בְּכֶפֶל רִסְנוֹ מִי יָבוֹא׃
6Who can pry open the doors of his face? His bared teeth strike terror.
ודַּלְתֵי פָנָיו מִי פִתֵּחַ סְבִיבוֹת שִׁנָּיו אֵימָה׃
7His protective scales are his pride, Locked with a binding seal.
זגַּאֲוָה אֲפִיקֵי מָגִנִּים סָגוּר חוֹתָם צָר׃
8One scale touches the other; Not even a breath can enter between them.
חאֶחָד בְּאֶחָד יִגַּשׁוּ וְרוּחַ לֹא־יָבוֹא בֵינֵיהֶם׃
9Each clings to each; They are interlocked so they cannot be parted.
טאִישׁ־בְּאָחִיהוּ יְדֻבָּקוּ יִתְלַכְּדוּ וְלֹא יִתְפָּרָדוּ׃
10His sneezings flash lightning, And his eyes are like the glimmerings of dawn.
יעֲטִישֹׁתָיו תָּהֶל אוֹר וְעֵינָיו כְּעַפְעַפֵּי־שָׁחַר׃
11Firebrands stream from his mouth; Fiery sparks escape.
mi-PEEV la-pee-DEEM ya-ha-LO-khu kee-DO-day AYSH yit-ma-LA-tu
יאמִפִּיו לַפִּידִים יַהֲלֹכוּ כִּידוֹדֵי אֵשׁ יִתְמַלָּטוּ׃
41:11 Firebrands stream from his mouth
This verse recalls the description of the revelation at Mount Sinai, in which Hashem revealed Himself with fire: “All the people witnessed the thunder and lightning” (Exodus 20:15). Iyov is echoing a theme repeated in this book, by indicating that God’s glory is defined not just by the fact that He created the world and continues to rule it absolutely, but also on account of the giving of the Torah. The Jewish people worship God not just because He created the world, but because He intervened directly on their behalf by giving them the Law and because He is constantly involved in the day-to-day wellbeing of His people.
12Out of his nostrils comes smoke As from a steaming, boiling cauldron.
יבמִנְּחִירָיו יֵצֵא עָשָׁן כְּדוּד נָפוּחַ וְאַגְמֹן׃
13His breath ignites coals; Flames blaze from his mouth.
יגנַפְשׁוֹ גֶּחָלִים תְּלַהֵט וְלַהַב מִפִּיו יֵצֵא׃
14Strength resides in his neck; Power leaps before him.
ידבְּצַוָּארוֹ יָלִין עֹז וּלְפָנָיו תָּדוּץ דְּאָבָה׃
15The layers of his flesh stick together; He is as though cast hard; he does not totter.
טומַפְּלֵי בְשָׂרוֹ דָבֵקוּ יָצוּק עָלָיו בַּל־יִמּוֹט׃
16His heart is cast hard as a stone, Hard as the nether millstone.
טזלִבּוֹ יָצוּק כְּמוֹ־אָבֶן וְיָצוּק כְּפֶלַח תַּחְתִּית׃
17Divine beings are in dread as he rears up; As he crashes down, they cringe.
יזמִשֵּׂתוֹ יָגוּרוּ אֵלִים מִשְּׁבָרִים יִתְחַטָּאוּ׃
18No sword that overtakes him can prevail, Nor spear, nor missile, nor lance.
יחמַשִּׂיגֵהוּ חֶרֶב בְּלִי תָקוּם חֲנִית מַסָּע וְשִׁרְיָה׃
19He regards iron as straw, Bronze, as rotted wood.
יטיַחְשֹׁב לְתֶבֶן בַּרְזֶל לְעֵץ רִקָּבוֹן נְחוּשָׁה׃
20No arrow can put him to flight; Slingstones turn into stubble for him.
כלֹא־יַבְרִיחֶנּוּ בֶן־קָשֶׁת לְקַשׁ נֶהְפְּכוּ־לוֹ אַבְנֵי־קָלַע׃
21Clubs are regarded as stubble; He scoffs at the quivering javelin.
כאכְּקַשׁ נֶחְשְׁבוּ תוֹתָח וְיִשְׂחַק לְרַעַשׁ כִּידוֹן׃
22His underpart is jagged shards; It spreads a threshing-sledge on the mud.
כבתַּחְתָּיו חַדּוּדֵי חָרֶשׂ יִרְפַּד חָרוּץ עֲלֵי־טִיט׃
23He makes the depths seethe like a cauldron; He makes the sea [boil] like an ointment-pot.
כגיַרְתִּיחַ כַּסִּיר מְצוּלָה יָם יָשִׂים כַּמֶּרְקָחָה׃
24His wake is a luminous path; He makes the deep seem white-haired.
כדאַחֲרָיו יָאִיר נָתִיב יַחְשֹׁב תְּהוֹם לְשֵׂיבָה׃
25There is no one on land who can dominate him, Made as he is without fear.
כהאֵין־עַל־עָפָר מָשְׁלוֹ הֶעָשׂוּ לִבְלִי־חָת׃
26He sees all that is haughty; He is king over all proud beasts.
כואֵת־כָּל־גָּבֹהַּ יִרְאֶה הוּא מֶלֶךְ עַל־כָּל־בְּנֵי־שָׁחַץ׃