Job 3
1 After this Job opened his mouth, and cursed his day,
After this, Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth.
2 And he said:
And this is what he said:
3 Let the day perish wherein I was born, and the night in which it was said: A man child is conceived.
“May the day of my birth perish, and the night it was said, ‘A boy is conceived.’
4 Let that day be turned into darkness, let not God regard it from above, and let not the light shine upon it.
If only that day had turned to darkness! May God above disregard it; may no light shine upon it.
5 Let darkness, and the shadow of death cover it, let a mist overspread it, and let it be wrapped up in bitterness.
May darkness and gloom reclaim it, and a cloud settle over it; may the blackness of the day overwhelm it.
6 Let a darksome whirlwind seize upon that night, let it not be counted in the days of the year, nor numbered in the months.
If only darkness had taken that night away! May it not appear among the days of the year; may it never be entered in any of the months.
7 Let that night be solitary, and not worthy of praise.
Behold, may that night be barren; may no joyful voice come into it.
8 Let them curse it who curse the day. who are ready to raise up a leviathan:
May it be cursed by those who curse the day — those prepared to rouse Leviathan.
9 Let the stars be darkened with the mist thereof: let it expect light and not see it, nor the rising of the dawning of the day:
May its morning stars grow dark; may it wait in vain for daylight; may it not see the breaking of dawn.
10 Because it shut not up the doors of the womb that bore me, nor took away evils from my eyes.
For that night did not shut the doors of the womb to hide the sorrow from my eyes.
11 Why did I not die in the womb, why did I not perish when I came out of the belly?
Why did I not perish at birth; why did I not die as I came from the womb?
12 Why received upon the knees? why suckled at the breasts?
Why were there knees to receive me, and breasts that I should be nursed?
13 For now I should have been asleep and still, and should have rest in my sleep.
For now I would be lying down in peace; I would be asleep and at rest
14 With kings and consuls of the earth, who build themselves solitudes:
with kings and counselors of the earth, who built for themselves cities now in ruins,
15 Or with princes, that possess gold, and All their houses with silver:
or with princes who had gold, who filled their houses with silver.
16 Or as a hidden untimely birth I should not be, or as they that being conceived have not seen the light.
Or why was I not hidden like a stillborn child, like an infant who never sees daylight?
17 There the wicked cease from tumult, and there the wearied in strength are at rest.
There the wicked cease from raging, and there the weary find rest.
18 And they sometime bound together without disquiet, have not heard the voice of the oppressor.
The captives enjoy their ease; they do not hear the voice of the oppressor.
19 The small and great are there, and the servant is free from his master.
Both small and great are there, and the slave is freed from his master.
20 Why is light given to him that is in misery, and life to them that are in bitterness of soul?
Why is light given to the miserable, and life to the bitter of soul,
21 That look for death, and it cometh not, as they that dig for a treasure:
who long for death that does not come, and search for it like hidden treasure,
22 And they rejoice exceedingly when they have found the grave.
who rejoice and greatly exult when they can find the grave?
23 To a man whose way is hidden, and God hath surrounded him with darkness?
Why is life given to a man whose way is hidden, whom God has hedged in?
24 Before I eat I sigh: and as overflowing waters, so is my roaring:
I sigh when food is put before me, and my groans pour out like water.
25 For the fear which I feared hath come upon me: and that which I was afraid of, hath befallen me.
For the thing I feared has overtaken me, and what I dreaded has befallen me.
26 Have I not dissembled? have I not kept silence? have I not been quiet? and indignation is come upon me.
I am not at ease or quiet; I have no rest, for trouble has come.”
