Job 41
1 “[Think also about] (crocodiles/great sea dragons). Can you catch them with a fishhook or fasten their jaws with a rope?
Enlèveras-tu le Léviathan avec l'hameçon, et le tireras-tu par sa langue avec le cordeau [de l'hameçon] que tu auras jeté dans l'eau?
2 Can you put ropes through their noses [to control them] or thrust hooks through their jaws?
Mettras-tu un jonc dans son nez? ou perceras-tu ses mâchoires avec une épine?
3 Will they plead with you to act mercifully toward them or (use sweet talk/speak to you nicely) [in order that you will not harm them]?
Emploiera-t-il auprès de toi beaucoup de prières? ou te parlera-t-il doucement?
4 Will they make an agreement with you to work for you, to be your slaves as long as they live?
Fera-t-il un accord avec toi, et le prendras-tu pour esclave à toujours?
5 Can you cause them to become pets like you cause birds to become your pets? Can you put a leash/rope around their [necks] so that your servant girls [can play with them]?
T'en joueras-tu comme d'un petit oiseau? et l'attacheras-tu pour tes jeunes filles?
6 Will merchants try to buy them [in the market]? Will they cut them up into pieces and sell the meat?
Des amis se régaleront-ils de sa chair? sera-t-il partagé entre les marchands?
7 Can you pierce their skins by throwing fishing spears at them? Can you pierce their heads with a harpoon?
Rempliras-tu sa peau de pointes? et sa tête [entrerait-elle] dans une nasse de poissons?
8 If you grab one of them with your hands, it will fight you in a way that you will never forget, and you will never try to do it again!
Mets ta main sur lui; il ne te souviendra jamais de lui faire la guerre.
9 It is useless to try to subdue them. Anyone who tries to subdue one of them will lose his courage.
Voilà, l'espérance qu'on avait de le prendre est frustrée; [et] ne sera-t-on pas même atterré par son regard?
10 No one dares/tries to (arouse them/cause them to be angry). So, [since I am much more powerful than they are, ] (who would dare to cause me to be angry?/no one would dare to cause me to be angry!) [RHQ]
Il n'y a point d'homme assez courageux pour le réveiller; qui est-ce donc qui se présentera devant moi?
11 Also, everything on the earth is mine. Therefore, no one [RHQ] is able to give anything to me and require me to pay [money] for it!
Qui est-ce qui m'a prévenu, et je [le] lui rendrai? Ce qui est sous tous les cieux est à moi.
12 I will tell you about [how strong] crocodiles' legs [are] and how strong their well-formed bodies are.
Je ne me tairai point de ses membres, ni de ce qui concerne ses forces, ni de la grâce de l'arrangement [des parties de son corps].
13 (Can anyone strip off their hides?/No one is able to strip off their hides.) [RHQ] (Can anyone try to put bridles on them?/No one can try to put bridles on them.) [RHQ] (OR, Can anyone pierce their very thick hides?)
Qui est-ce qui découvrira le dessus de sa couverture, et se jettera entre les deux branches de son mors?
14 (Can anyone pry open their jaws, which have terrible teeth in them?/No one can pry open their jaws, which have terrible teeth in them!) [RHQ]
Qui est-ce qui ouvrira les portes de sa gueule? La terreur se tient autour de ses dents.
15 They have rows of scales on their back which are as hard as a rock (OR, tightly fastened together).
Les lames de ses boucliers ne sont que magnificence; elles sont étroitement serrées [comme] avec un cachet.
16 The scales are very close together, with the result that not even air can get between them.
L'une approche de l'autre, et le vent n'entre point entre-deux.
17 The scales are joined very closely to each other, and they cannot be separated.
Elles sont jointes l'une à l'autre, elles s'entretiennent, et ne se séparent point.
18 When crocodiles sneeze, [the tiny drops of water that come out of their noses] sparkle in the sunlight. Their eyes are red like the rising sun.
Ses éternuements éclaireraient la lumière, et ses yeux sont [comme] les paupières de l'aube du jour.
19 [It is as though] sparks of fire pour out of their mouths [DOU].
Des flambeaux sortent de sa bouche, et il en rejaillit des étincelles de feu.
20 Smoke pours out of their nostrils/noses like steam comes out of a pot that is put over a fire made from dry reeds.
Une fumée sort de ses narines comme d'un pot bouillant, ou d'une chaudière.
21 Their breath can cause coals to blaze, and flames shoot out from their mouths.
Son souffle enflammerait des charbons, et une flamme sort de sa gueule.
22 Their necks are very strong; wherever they go, they cause people to be very afraid.
La force est dans son cou, et la terreur marche devant lui.
23 The folds in their flesh are very close together and are very hard/firm.
Sa chair est ferme, tout est massif en lui, rien n'y branle.
24 [They are fearless, because] the inner parts of their bodies are as hard as a rock, as hard as the lower millstone [on which grain is ground].
Son cœur est dur comme une pierre, même comme une pièce de la meule de dessous.
25 When they rise up, they cause [even] very strong people to be terrified. As a result, people (fall back/run away) when crocodiles thrash around.
Les plus forts tremblent quand il s'élève, et ils ne savent où ils en sont, voyant comme il rompt tout.
26 [People] [PRS] cannot injure them with swords, and spears or darts or javelins cannot injure them, either.
Qui s'en approchera avec l'épée? ni elle, ni la lance, ni le dard, ni la cuirasse, ne pourront point subsister [devant lui].
27 They [certainly are not afraid of weapons made of] straw or rotten wood, but [they are not even afraid of weapons made of] iron or bronze!
Il ne tient pas plus de compte du fer que de la paille; et de l'airain, que du bois pourri.
28 [Shooting] arrows [at them] does not cause them to run away. [Hurling] stones at them from a sling is like [hurling] bits of chaff at them.
La flèche ne le fera point fuir, les pierres d'une fronde lui sont comme du chaume.
29 They are not afraid of clubs [any more than they would be afraid of men throwing] bits of straw [at them], and they laugh when they hear the whirl/sound of javelins [being thrown at them].
Il tient les machines de guerre comme des brins de chaume; et il se moque du javelot qu'on lance sur lui.
30 Their bellies are covered with scales that are as sharp as broken pieces of pottery. When they drag themselves through the mud, their bellies tear up the ground like a plow.
Il a sous soi des tests aigus, et il abat [sous soi] des roseaux pointus [en se couchant] sur la boue.
31 They stir up the water and cause it to foam [as they churn/swim through it].
Il fait bouillonner le gouffre comme une chaudière, et rend semblable la mer à un chaudron de parfumeur.
32 As they go through the water, the (wakes/trails in the water behind them) glisten. People [who see it] would think that the foam in those wakes had become white hair.
Il fait reluire après soi son sentier, et on prendrait l'abîme pour une tête blanchie de vieillesse.
33 There are no creatures on earth that are as fearless as crocodiles.
Il n'y a rien sur la terre qui lui puisse être comparé, ayant été fait pour ne rien craindre.
34 They are the proudest of all the creatures; [it is as though] they [rule like] kings over all the other wild animals.”
Il voit [au-dessous de lui] tout ce qu'il y a de plus élevé; il est Roi sur tous les plus fiers animaux.
