< Job 3 >

1 Afterward Iob opened his mouth, and cursed his day.
After this, Job opened his mouth and cursed the day he was born.
2 And Iob cryed out, and sayd,
He said,
3 Let the day perish, wherein I was borne, and the night when it was sayde, There is a man childe conceiued.
“May the day on which I was born perish, the night that said, 'A boy has been conceived.'
4 Let that day bee darkenesse, let not God regarde it from aboue, neyther let the light shine vpon it,
May that day be dark; may not God from above call it to mind, neither may the sun shine on it.
5 But let darkenesse, and the shadowe of death staine it: let the cloude remayne vpon it, and let them make it fearefull as a bitter day.
May darkness and the shadow of death claim it for their own. May a cloud live over it; may everything that makes the day black truly terrify it.
6 Let darkenesse possesse that night, let it not be ioyned vnto the dayes of the yeere, nor let it come into the count of the moneths.
As for that night, may thick darkness seize it. May it not rejoice among the days of the year; may it not come into the number of the months.
7 Yea, desolate be that night, and let no ioy be in it.
See, may that night be barren; may no joyful voice come into it.
8 Let them that curse the day, (being readie to renue their mourning) curse it.
May they curse that day, those who know how to wake up Leviathan.
9 Let the starres of that twilight be dimme through darkenesse of it: let it looke for light, but haue none: neither let it see the dawning of the day,
May the stars of that day's dawn be dark. May that day look for light, but find none; neither may it see the eyelids of the dawn,
10 Because it shut not vp the dores of my mothers wombe: nor hid sorowe from mine eyes.
because it did not shut up the doors of my mother's womb, and because it did not hide trouble from my eyes.
11 Why died I not in the birth? or why dyed I not, when I came out of the wombe?
Why did I not die when I came out from the womb? Why did I not give up my spirit when my mother bore me?
12 Why did the knees preuent me? and why did I sucke the breasts?
Why did her knees welcome me? Why did her breasts receive me so that I should suck?
13 For so shoulde I now haue lyen and bene quiet, I should haue slept then, and bene at rest,
For now I would have been lying down quietly. I would have slept and been at rest
14 With the Kings and counselers of the earth, which haue buylded themselues desolate places:
with kings and counselors of the earth, who built up tombs for themselves that are now in ruins.
15 Or with the princes that had golde, and haue filled their houses with siluer.
Or I would have been lying with princes who once had gold, who had filled their houses with silver.
16 Or why was I not hid, as an vntimely birth, either as infants, which haue not seene the light?
Or perhaps I would have been stillborn, like infants that never see the light.
17 The wicked haue there ceased from their tyrannie, and there they that laboured valiantly, are at rest.
There the wicked cease from trouble; there the weary are at rest.
18 The prisoners rest together, and heare not the voyce of the oppressour.
There the prisoners are at ease together; they do not hear the voice of the slave driver.
19 There are small and great, and the seruant is free from his master.
Both small and great people are there; the servant is free from his master there.
20 Wherefore is the light giuen to him that is in miserie? and life vnto them that haue heauie hearts?
Why is light given to him who is in misery? Why is life given to the one who is bitter in soul,
21 Which long for death, and if it come not, they would euen search it more then treasures:
to one who longs for death without it coming; to one who digs for death more than for hidden treasure?
22 Which ioy for gladnes, and reioyce, when they can finde the graue.
Why is light given to one who rejoices very much and is glad when he finds the grave?
23 Why is the light giuen to the man whose way is hid, and whom God hath hedged in?
Why is light given to a man whose way is hidden, a man whom God has hedged in?
24 For my sighing commeth before I eate, and my roarings are powred out like the water.
For my sighing happens instead of eating; my groaning is poured out like water.
25 For the thing I feared, is come vpon me, and the thing that I was afraid of, is come vnto me.
For the thing that I feared has come on me; what I was afraid of has come to me.
26 I had no peace, neither had I quietnesse, neither had I rest, yet trouble is come.
I am not at ease, I am not quiet, and I have no rest; trouble comes instead.”

< Job 3 >