Verse 1
Han er så grusom at ingen våger å gå imot ham. Hvem kan da stå fast foran meg?
He is so cruel that no one is ready to go against him. Who then is able to keep his place before me?
Verse 2
Hvem har gått imot meg og vunnet? Det finnes ingen under himmelen!
Who ever went against me, and got the better of me? There is no one under heaven!
Verse 3
Jeg vil ikke tie om delene av hans kropp, om hans makt og styrken i hans kropp.
I will not keep quiet about the parts of his body, or about his power, and the strength of his frame.
Verse 4
Hvem har noensinne tatt av hans ytre hud? Hvem kan trenge innenfor hans indre jernrustning?
Who has ever taken off his outer skin? who may come inside his inner coat of iron?
Verse 5
Hvem har åpnet dørene til hans ansikt? Frykt omgir hans tenner.
Who has made open the doors of his face? Fear is round about his teeth.
Verse 6
Hans rygg består av plater, tett sammenføyd, som et stempel.
His back is made of lines of plates, joined tight together, one against the other, like a stamp.
Verse 7
De er så nært hverandre at ingen luft kan trenge inn mellom dem.
One is so near to the other that no air may come between them.
Verse 8
De holder fast i hverandre; de er sammenføyd, så de ikke kan skilles.
They take a grip of one another; they are joined together, so that they may not be parted.
Verse 9
Hans nys sender ut flammer, og hans øyne er som morgenrødens øyne.
His sneezings give out flames, and his eyes are like the eyes of the dawn.
Verse 10
Fra hans munn kommer brennende lys, og ildsluer springer opp.
Out of his mouth go burning lights, and flames of fire are jumping up.
Verse 11
Røyk stiger fra hans nese, som en gryte kokende over ilden.
Smoke comes out of his nose, like a pot boiling on the fire.
Verse 12
Hans ånde setter fyr på kull, og en flamme går ut av hans munn.
His breath puts fire to coals, and a flame goes out of his mouth.
Verse 13
Styrke finnes i hans nakke, og frykt danser foran ham.
Strength is in his neck, and fear goes dancing before him.
Verse 14
Plater i hans kjøtt er sammenføyd, fast og urørlig.
The plates of his flesh are joined together, fixed, and not to be moved.
Verse 15
Hans hjerte er sterkt som stein, hardt som den nederste kvernsteinen.
His heart is as strong as a stone, hard as the lower crushing-stone.
Verse 16
Når han gjør seg klar til kamp, blir de sterke overveldet av frykt.
When he gets ready for the fight, the strong are overcome with fear.
Verse 17
Sverdet kan komme nær ham, men trenger ikke gjennom ham; verken spyd, armbrøst eller spiss jern.
The sword may come near him but is not able to go through him; the spear, or the arrow, or the sharp-pointed iron.
Verse 18
Jern er for ham som tørt gress, og kobber som mykt tre.
Iron is to him as dry grass, and brass as soft wood.
Verse 19
Pilen kan ikke få ham på rømmen: steiner er for ham som tørre strå.
The arrow is not able to put him to flight: stones are no more to him than dry stems.
Verse 20
En kraftig stokk er som et gresstrå, og han gjør narr av styrten av spydet.
A thick stick is no better than a leaf of grass, and he makes sport of the onrush of the spear.
Verse 21
Under ham er skarpe kanter av knuste potter: som om han trakk et kornknusende redskap over den våte jorden.
Under him are sharp edges of broken pots: as if he was pulling a grain-crushing instrument over the wet earth.
Verse 22
Dypet koker som et krydderkar, og havet som en parfymekrukke.
The deep is boiling like a pot of spices, and the sea like a perfume-vessel.
Verse 23
Etter ham skinner hans vei, så dypet virker hvitt.
After him his way is shining, so that the deep seems white.
Verse 24
På jorden finnes ingen annen som ham, som er skapt uten frykt.
On earth there is not another like him, who is made without fear.
Verse 25
Alt som er høyt frykter ham; han er konge over alle stolte sønner.
Everything which is high goes in fear of him; he is king over all the sons of pride.