Job 3
1 Derefter oplod Job sin Mund og forbandede sin Dag,
Then, opening his mouth, and cursing the day of his birth,
2 og Job tog til Orde og sagde:
Job made answer and said,
3 Bort med den Dag, jeg fødtes, den Nat, der sagde: »Se, en Dreng!«
Let destruction take the day of my birth, and the night on which it was said, A man child has come into the world.
4 Denne Dag vorde Mørke, Gud deroppe spørge ej om den, over den straale ej Lyset frem!
That day — let it be dark; let not God take note of it from on high, and let not the light be shining on it;
5 Mulm og Mørke løse den ind, Taage lægge sig over den, Formørkelser skræmme den!
Let the dark and the black night take it for themselves; let it be covered with a cloud; let the dark shades of day send fear on it.
6 Mørket tage den Nat, den høre ej hjemme blandt Aarets Dage, den komme ikke i Maaneders Tal!
That night — let the thick dark take it; let it not have joy among the days of the year; let it not come into the number of the months.
7 Ja, denne Nat vorde gold, der lyde ej Jubel i den!
As for that night, let it have no fruit; let no voice of joy be sounded in it;
8 De, der besværger Dage, forbande den, de, der har lært at hidse Livjatan;
Let it be cursed by those who put a curse on the day; who are ready to make Leviathan awake.
9 dens Morgenstjerner formørkes, den bie forgæves paa Lys, den skue ej Morgenrødens Øjenlaag,
Let its morning stars be dark; let it be looking for light, but may it not have any; let it not see the eyes of the dawn.
10 fordi den ej lukked mig Moderlivets Døre og skjulte Kvide for mit Blik!
Because it did not keep the doors of my mother's body shut, so that trouble might be veiled from my eyes.
11 Hvi døde jeg ikke i Moders Liv eller udaanded straks fra Moders Skød?
Why did death not take me when I came out of my mother's body, why did I not, when I came out, give up my last breath?
12 Hvorfor var der Knæ til at tage imod mig, hvorfor var der Bryster at die?
Why did the knees take me, or why the breasts that they might give me milk?
13 Saa havde jeg nu ligget og hvilet, saa havde jeg slumret i Fred
For then I might have gone to my rest in quiet, and in sleep have been in peace,
14 blandt Konger og Jordens Styrere, der bygged sig Gravpaladser,
With kings and the wise ones of the earth, who put up great houses for themselves;
15 blandt Fyrster, rige paa Guld, som fyldte deres Huse med Sølv.
Or with rulers who had gold, and whose houses were full of silver;
16 Eller var jeg dog som et nedgravet Foster, som Børn, der ikke fik Lyset at se!
Or as a child dead at birth I might never have come into existence; like young children who have not seen the light.
17 Der larmer de gudløse ikke mer, der hviler de trætte ud,
There the passions of the evil are over, and those whose strength has come to an end have rest.
18 alle de fangne har Ro, de hører ej Fogedens Røst;
There the prisoners are at peace together; the voice of the overseer comes not again to their ears.
19 smaa og store er lige der og Trællen fri for sin Herre.
The small and the great are there, and the servant is free from his master.
20 Hvi giver Gud de lidende Lys, de bittert sørgende Liv,
Why does he give light to him who is in trouble, and life to the bitter in soul;
21 dem, som bier forgæves paa Døden, graver derefter som efter Skatte,
To those whose desire is for death, but it comes not; who are searching for it more than for secret wealth;
22 som glæder sig til en Stenhøj, jubler, naar de finder deres Grav —
Who are glad with great joy, and full of delight when they come to their last resting-place;
23 en Mand, hvis Vej er skjult, hvem Gud har stænget inde?
To a man whose way is veiled, and who is shut in by God?
24 Thi Suk er blevet mit daglige Brød, mine Ve raab strømmer som Vand.
In place of my food I have grief, and cries of sorrow come from me like water.
25 Thi hvad jeg gruer for, rammer mig, hvad jeg bæver for, kommer over mig.
For I have a fear and it comes on me, and my heart is greatly troubled.
26 Knap har jeg Fred, og knap har jeg Ro, knap har jeg Hvile, saa kommer Uro!
I have no peace, no quiet, and no rest; nothing but pain comes on me.
