Job 3
1 After this Job opened his mouth, and cursed his day,
After this Job has opened his mouth, and reviles his day.
2 And he said:
And Job answers and says:
3 Let the day perish wherein I was born, and the night in which it was said: A man child is conceived.
“Let the day perish in which I am born, And the night that has said: A man-child has been conceived.
4 Let that day be turned into darkness, let not God regard it from above, and let not the light shine upon it.
That day—let it be darkness, Do not let God require it from above, Nor let light shine on it.
5 Let darkness, and the shadow of death cover it, let a mist overspread it, and let it be wrapped up in bitterness.
Let darkness and death-shade redeem it, Let a cloud dwell on it, Let them terrify it as the most bitter of days.
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.
That night—let thick darkness take it, Let it not be united to days of the year, Let it not come into the number of months.
7 Let that night be solitary, and not worthy of praise.
Behold! That night—let it be barren, Let no singing come into it.
8 Let them curse it who curse the day. who are ready to raise up a leviathan:
Let the cursers of day mark it, Who are ready to wake up 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:
Let the stars of its twilight be dark, Let it wait for light, and there is none, And let it not look on the eyelids of the dawn.
10 Because it shut not up the doors of the womb that bore me, nor took away evils from my eyes.
Because it has not shut the doors Of the womb that was mine! And hide misery 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 do I not die from the womb? I have come forth from the belly and gasp!
12 Why received upon the knees? why suckled at the breasts?
Why have knees been before me? And what [are] breasts, that I suck?
13 For now I should have been asleep and still, and should have rest in my sleep.
For now, I have lain down, and am quiet, I have slept—then there is rest to me,
14 With kings and consuls of the earth, who build themselves solitudes:
With kings and counselors of earth, These building ruins for themselves.
15 Or with princes, that possess gold, and All their houses with silver:
Or with princes—they have gold, They are filling 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 I am not as a hidden abortion, As infants—they have not seen light.)
17 There the wicked cease from tumult, and there the wearied in strength are at rest.
There the wicked have ceased troubling, And there the wearied rest in power.
18 And they sometime bound together without disquiet, have not heard the voice of the oppressor.
Together prisoners have been at ease, They have not heard the voice of an exactor,
19 The small and great are there, and the servant is free from his master.
Small and great [are] the same there. And a servant [is] free from his lord.
20 Why is light given to him that is in misery, and life to them that are in bitterness of soul?
Why does He give light to the miserable, and life to the bitter soul?
21 That look for death, and it cometh not, as they that dig for a treasure:
Who are waiting for death, and it is not, And they seek it above hid treasures.
22 And they rejoice exceedingly when they have found the grave.
Who are glad—to joy, They rejoice when they find a grave.
23 To a man whose way is hidden, and God hath surrounded him with darkness?
To a man whose way has been hidden, And whom God shuts up?
24 Before I eat I sigh: and as overflowing waters, so is my roaring:
For before my food, my sighing comes, And my roarings [are] poured out as waters.
25 For the fear which I feared hath come upon me: and that which I was afraid of, hath befallen me.
For I feared a fear and it meets me, And what I was afraid of comes to me.
26 Have I not dissembled? have I not kept silence? have I not been quiet? and indignation is come upon me.
I was not safe—nor was I quiet—Nor was I at rest—and trouble comes!”
