| Vers | Afrikaans 1953 † | English: King James Version |
| 1 | Niemand is so vermetel, dat hy hom durf terg nie; wie is hy dan wat voor My sou standhou? | Canst thou draw out leviathan with an hook? or his tongue with a cord which thou lettest down? |
| 2 | Wie het eerste aan My gegee, dat Ek hom moet vergelde? Wat onder die ganse hemel is, is myne. | Canst thou put an hook into his nose? or bore his jaw through with a thorn? |
| 3 | Ek wil nie swyg oor sy lede en hoe dit staan met sy kragsvolheid en die skoonheid van sy uitrusting nie. | Will he make many supplications unto thee? will he speak soft words unto thee? |
| 4 | Wie het die boonste van sy pantser opgelig? In sy dubbele gebit--wie kan daarin deurdring? | Will he make a covenant with thee? wilt thou take him for a servant for ever? |
| 5 | Die deure van sy gesig--wie het dit geopen? Rondom sy tande is verskrikking. | Wilt thou play with him as with a bird? or wilt thou bind him for thy maidens? |
| 6 | 'n Voorwerp van trots is die groewe van die skilde, verseël met 'n vaste seël. | Shall the companions make a banquet of him? shall they part him among the merchants? |
| 7 | Die een is so naby die ander, dat die wind daar nie tussenin kan kom nie. | Canst thou fill his skin with barbed iron? or his head with fish spears? |
| 8 | Hulle kleef aanmekaar, hou aanmekaar vas, onafskeibaar. | Lay thine hand upon him, remember the battle, do no more. |
| 9 | Sy genies laat lig skitter, en sy oë is soos die ooglede van die dageraad. | Behold, the hope of him is in vain: shall not one be cast down even at the sight of him? |
| 10 | Uit sy mond kom fakkels, spat vuurvonke uit. | None is so fierce that dare stir him up: who then is able to stand before me? |
| 11 | Uit sy neusgate kom rook, soos uit 'n kokende pot met biesiesvuur daarby. | Who hath prevented me, that I should repay him? whatsoever is under the whole heaven is mine. |
| 12 | Sy asem laat kole ontvlam, en 'n vlam gaan uit sy mond. | I will not conceal his parts, nor his power, nor his comely proportion. |
| 13 | In sy nek woon sterkte, en voor hom uit spring ontsteltenis. | Who can discover the face of his garment? or who can come to him with his double bridle? |
| 14 | Die klompe van sy vleis is vas aanmekaar, aan hom vasgegiet, onbeweeglik. | Who can open the doors of his face? his teeth are terrible round about. |
| 15 | Sy hart is hard soos 'n klip, ja, hard soos die onderste meulsteen. | His scales are his pride, shut up together as with a close seal. |
| 16 | As hy hom oplig, word die magtiges bang; van verbystering raak hulle buite hulself. | One is so near to another, that no air can come between them. |
| 17 | Raak iemand hom met die swaard--dit hou nie stand nie; geen spies, lans of assegaai nie. | They are joined one to another, they stick together, that they cannot be sundered. |
| 18 | Yster is vir hom soos strooi; koper soos hout wat vergaan het. | By his neesings a light doth shine, and his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning. |
| 19 | Die pyl laat hom nie vlug nie; slingerstene word vir hom soos stoppels. | Out of his mouth go burning lamps, and sparks of fire leap out. |
| 20 | Knopkieries is vir hom soos stoppels, en hy lag oor die gesuis van die lans. | Out of his nostrils goeth smoke, as out of a seething pot or caldron. |
| 21 | Onderaan hom is spits skerwe: hy sprei 'n ware dorsslee uit op die modder. | His breath kindleth coals, and a flame goeth out of his mouth. |
| 22 | Hy laat die diepte kook soos 'n pot; die waterplas maak by soos 'n kokende salfpot. | In his neck remaineth strength, and sorrow is turned into joy before him. |
| 23 | Agter hom verlig hy die pad: 'n mens sou die watervloed aansien vir grys hare. | The flakes of his flesh are joined together: they are firm in themselves; they cannot be moved. |
| 24 | Sy gelyke is daar op die aarde nie, die skepsel sonder vrees. | His heart is as firm as a stone; yea, as hard as a piece of the nether millstone. |
| 25 | Hy kyk alles aan wat hoog is; hy is koning oor al die trotse roofdiere. | When he raiseth up himself, the mighty are afraid: by reason of breakings they purify themselves. |
| 26 | The sword of him that layeth at him cannot hold: the spear, the dart, nor the habergeon. | |
| 27 | He esteemeth iron as straw, and brass as rotten wood. | |
| 28 | The arrow cannot make him flee: slingstones are turned with him into stubble. | |
| 29 | Darts are counted as stubble: he laugheth at the shaking of a spear. | |
| 30 | Sharp stones are under him: he spreadeth sharp pointed things upon the mire. | |
| 31 | He maketh the deep to boil like a pot: he maketh the sea like a pot of ointment. | |
| 32 | He maketh a path to shine after him; one would think the deep to be hoary. | |
| 33 | Upon earth there is not his like, who is made without fear. | |
| 34 | He beholdeth all high things: he is a king over all the children of pride. |