Job 41

This completes Job. But it doesn't mean I am finished with it. Any completed chapter or book is subject to change when new information comes to light. Sometimes I might use a synonym once, and then require it elsewhere. Sometimes I have allowed a breaking of my concordance rules with what seems later to have been a moment of weakness. Every little change seems to make some inarticulate thing seem just a modicum clearer. But even my assumptions may be questioned. Does language really work the way I seem to think it does? Sometimes, but sometimes its creativity bursts my bounds.

Eliot says he has great difficulty with words. He writes of the difficulty in East Coker, the second quartet:

So here I am ...
Trying to learn to use words, and every attempt
Is a wholly new start, and a different kind of failure
Because one has only learnt to get the better of words
For the thing one no longer has to say, or the way in which
One is no longer disposed to say it. And so each venture
Is a new beginning, a raid on the inarticulate
...
Undisciplined squads of emotion

Oh well, back to Job and the grand metaphor of Leviathan, surely the most famous of God's play-fellows. What do you think? Who is Yahweh's speech writer?

Job 41		Fn		Min	Max	Syll
תִּמְשֹׁ֣ךְ לִוְיָתָ֣ן בְּחַכָּ֑ה וּ֝בְחֶ֗בֶל תַּשְׁקִ֥יעַ לְשֹׁנֽוֹ	1		Will you draw out Leviathan with a fishhook, or with a rope throw a line for his tongue?	3e	4B	8 9
הֲתָשִׂ֣ים אַגְמ֣וֹן בְּאַפּ֑וֹ וּ֝בְח֗וֹחַ תִּקּ֥וֹב לֶֽחֱיוֹ	2		Can you set a bulrush in his nose, or with a thorn pierce his cheek?	3e	4B	8 8
הֲיַרְבֶּ֣ה אֵ֭לֶיךָ תַּחֲנוּנִ֑ים אִם־יְדַבֵּ֖ר אֵלֶ֣יךָ רַכּֽוֹת	3		Will he make many supplications to you, or will he speak to you tenderly?	3e	4B	10 9
הֲיִכְרֹ֣ת בְּרִ֣ית עִמָּ֑ךְ תִּ֝קָּחֶ֗נּוּ לְעֶ֣בֶד עוֹלָֽם	4		Will he cut a covenant with you? Will you take him as a servant evermore?	3e	4B	7 9
הַֽתְשַׂחֶק־בּ֭וֹ‬ כַּצִּפּ֑וֹר וְ֝תִקְשְׁרֶ֗נּוּ לְנַעֲרוֹתֶֽיךָ	5		Will you laugh with him as a bird? Will you fasten him for your lasses?	3e	4A	7 11
יִכְר֣וּ עָ֭לָיו חַבָּרִ֑ים יֶ֝חֱצ֗וּהוּ בֵּ֣ין כְּֽנַעֲנִֽים	6		Will companions bargain over him? Will they halve him between shopkeepers?	3e	4B	7 9
הַֽתְמַלֵּ֣א בְשֻׂכּ֣וֹת עוֹר֑וֹ וּבְצִלְצַ֖ל דָּגִ֣ים רֹאשֽׁוֹ	7		Will you fill with harpoons his skin, or with tingling fishes his head?	3e	4B	8 7
שִׂים־עָלָ֥יו כַּפֶּ֑ךָ זְכֹ֥ר מִ֝לְחָמָ֗ה אַל־תּוֹסַֽף	8		Set upon him your palm. Remember battle not again.	3e	4A	6 8
הֵן־תֹּחַלְתּ֥וֹ נִכְזָ֑בָה הֲגַ֖ם אֶל־מַרְאָ֣יו יֻטָֽל	9		Lo hope makes a liar. Even to see him is to be hurled down.	3e	4B	7 7
לֹֽא־אַ֭כְזָר כִּ֣י יְעוּרֶ֑נּוּ וּמִ֥י ה֝֗וּא לְפָנַ֥י יִתְיַצָּֽב	10		Not vicious is one that will rouse him, so who is he in my face, that presents himself?	3e	4B	8 9
מִ֣י הִ֭קְדִּימַנִי וַאֲשַׁלֵּ֑ם תַּ֖חַת כָּל־הַשָּׁמַ֣יִם לִי־הֽוּא	11	B	Who precedes me that I should repay? Under all the heavens, mine it is.	3e	4B	9 7
לֽוֹ־אַחֲרִ֥ישׁ בַּדָּ֑יו וּדְבַר־גְּ֝בוּר֗וֹת וְחִ֣ין עֶרְכּֽוֹ	12		I will not be silent of his ample supply, or the matter of valour, or the beauty of his ranks.	3e	4B	5 9
מִֽי־גִ֭לָּה פְּנֵ֣י לְבוּשׁ֑וֹ בְּכֶ֥פֶל רִ֝סְנ֗וֹ מִ֣י יָבֽוֹא	13		Who uncovers the face of his clothing? In the double bridle who comes?	3e	4B	7 8
דַּלְתֵ֣י פָ֭נָיו מִ֣י פִתֵּ֑חַ סְבִיב֖וֹת שִׁנָּ֣יו אֵימָֽה	14		The portals of his face who opens? His surrounding teeth are horrible.	3e	4B	8 7
גַּ֭אֲוָה אֲפִיקֵ֣י מָֽגִנִּ֑ים סָ֝ג֗וּר חוֹתָ֥ם צָֽר	15	g	Proud are the channels of shields, imprisoning the seal of trouble.	3e	4B	9 5
אֶחָ֣ד בְּאֶחָ֣ד יִגַּ֑שׁוּ וְ֝ר֗וּחַ לֹא־יָב֥וֹא בֵֽינֵיהֶֽם	16		One in the other, they are brought close, and wind not will come between them.	3e	4B	8 8
אִישׁ־בְּאָחִ֥יהוּ יְדֻבָּ֑קוּ יִ֝תְלַכְּד֗וּ וְלֹ֣א יִתְפָּרָֽדוּ	17		Each to its sibling clinging, they are caught and will not be separated.	3e	4B	9 9
עֲֽ֭טִישֹׁתָיו תָּ֣הֶל א֑וֹר וְ֝עֵינָ֗יו כְּעַפְעַפֵּי־שָֽׁחַר	18		His sneezing praises light, and his eyes are like the eyelids of dawn.	3e	4B	7 8
מִ֭פִּיו לַפִּידִ֣ים יַהֲלֹ֑כוּ כִּיד֥וֹדֵי אֵ֝֗שׁ יִתְמַלָּֽטוּ	19	g	From his mouth torches walk, and infatuations of fire escape.	3e	4B	9 8
מִ֭נְּחִירָיו יֵצֵ֣א עָשָׁ֑ן כְּד֖וּד נָפ֣וּחַ וְאַגְמֹֽן	20	g	From his sniffler he makes smoke emerge, as one who is infatuated stokes bulrushes.	3e	4B	7 8
נַ֭פְשׁוֹ גֶּחָלִ֣ים תְּלַהֵ֑ט וְ֝לַ֗הַב מִפִּ֥יו יֵצֵֽא	21	g	His very self blazes coals, and flame from his mouth emerges.	3e	4B	8 7
בְּֽ֭צַוָּארוֹ יָלִ֣ין עֹ֑ז וּ֝לְפָנָ֗יו תָּד֥וּץ דְּאָבָֽה	22		In his neck lodges strength, and in his face drooping is turned to joy.	3e	4B	7 8
מַפְּלֵ֣י בְשָׂר֣וֹ דָבֵ֑קוּ יָצ֥וּק עָ֝לָ֗יו בַּל־יִמּֽוֹט	23		The flaps of his flesh cling, infused upon him, so he will not be moved.	3e	4B	8 7
לִ֭בּוֹ יָצ֣וּק כְּמוֹ־אָ֑בֶן וְ֝יָצ֗וּק כְּפֶ֣לַח תַּחְתִּֽית	24	g	His heart is infused as stone, and is infused like a slice of the lower decks.	3e	4B	7 8
מִ֭שֵּׂתוֹ יָג֣וּרוּ אֵלִ֑ים מִ֝שְּׁבָרִ֗ים יִתְחַטָּֽאוּ	25	g	From his lifting up, gods are in awe. From shattering, they make a sin offering.	3e	4B	8 7
מַשִּׂיגֵ֣הוּ חֶ֭רֶב בְּלִ֣י תָק֑וּם חֲנִ֖ית מַסָּ֣ע וְשִׁרְיָֽה	26		Overtaking him, sword is without place, spear, missile, or arm-chains.	3e	4B	10 7
יַחְשֹׁ֣ב לְתֶ֣בֶן בַּרְזֶ֑ל לְעֵ֖ץ רִקָּב֣וֹן נְחוּשָֽׁה	27		He reckons iron as straw, as a rotten tree, brass.	3e	4B	7 8
לֹֽא־יַבְרִיחֶ֥נּוּ בֶן־קָ֑שֶׁת לְ֝קַ֗שׁ נֶהְפְּכוּ־ל֥וֹ אַבְנֵי־קָֽלַע	28		He does not run from the child of a bow. To stubble, wayward for him, are the stones of a sling.	3e	4A	8 8
כְּ֭קַשׁ נֶחְשְׁב֣וּ תוֹתָ֑ח וְ֝יִשְׂחַ֗ק לְרַ֣עַשׁ כִּידֽוֹן	29	g	As stubble they are reckoned, a bludgeon, and he laughs at the quake of scales.	3e	4B	7 8
תַּ֭חְתָּיו חַדּ֣וּדֵי חָ֑רֶשׂ יִרְפַּ֖ד חָר֣וּץ עֲלֵי־טִֽיט	30	g	His underparts are a keen potsherd. He outspreads sharp flails over mire.	3e	4B	7 7
יַרְתִּ֣יחַ כַּסִּ֣יר מְצוּלָ֑ה יָ֝֗ם יָשִׂ֥ים כַּמֶּרְקָחָֽה	31		He makes the depth churn like a pot. The sea he sets up as perfumes.	3e	4B	8 7
אַ֭חֲרָיו יָאִ֣יר נָתִ֑יב יַחְשֹׁ֖ב תְּה֣וֹם לְשֵׂיבָֽה	32	g	Following him is an enlightened pathway. (One might reckon abyss to be grey-haired.)	3e	4B	7 7
אֵֽין־עַל־עָפָ֥ר מָשְׁל֑וֹ הֶ֝עָשׂ֗וּ לִבְלִי־חָֽת	33		There is none over dust his governor. He who made him is without dismay.	3e	4A	6 6
אֵֽת־כָּל־גָּבֹ֥הַּ יִרְאֶ֑ה ה֝֗וּא מֶ֣לֶךְ עַל־כָּל־בְּנֵי־שָֽׁחַץ ס	34		All the lofty he sees. He is king over all the children of the pride.	3e	4B	7 9