Job 3

1 After this opened Job his mouth, and cursed his day.

After this Job opened his mouth, and cursed the day of his birth.

2 And Job spoke, and said:

Job answered:

3 Let the day perish wherein I was born, and the night wherein it was said: 'A man-child is brought forth.'

“Let the day perish in which I was born, the night which said, ‘There is a boy conceived.’

4 Let that day be darkness; let not God inquire after it from above, neither let the light shine upon it.

Let that day be darkness. Do not let God from above seek for it, neither let the light shine on it.

5 Let darkness and the shadow of death claim it for their own; let a cloud dwell upon it; let all that maketh black the day terrify it.

Let darkness and the shadow of death claim it for their own. Let a cloud dwell on it. Let all that makes the day black terrify it.

6 As for that night, let thick darkness seize upon it; let it not rejoice among the days of the year; let it not come into the number of the months.

As for that night, let thick darkness seize on it. Let it not rejoice among the days of the year. Let it not come into the number of the months.

7 Lo, let that night be desolate; let no joyful voice come therein.

Behold, let that night be barren. Let no joyful voice come therein.

8 Let them curse it that curse the day, who are ready to rouse up leviathan.

Let them curse it who curse the day, who are ready to rouse up leviathan.

9 Let the stars of the twilight thereof be dark; let it look for light, but have none; neither let it behold the eyelids of the morning;

Let the stars of its twilight be dark. Let it look for light, but have none, neither let it see the eyelids of the morning,

10 Because it shut not up the doors of my mother's womb, nor hid trouble from mine eyes.

because it did not shut up the doors of my mother’s womb, nor did it hide trouble from my eyes.

11 Why died I not from the womb? Why did I not perish at birth?

“Why did not I die from the womb? Why did not I give up the spirit when my mother bore me?

12 Why did the knees receive me? And wherefore the breasts, that I should suck?

Why did the knees receive me? Or why the breast, that I should nurse?

13 For now should I have lain still and been quiet; I should have slept; then had I been at rest —

For now I should have lain down and been quiet. I should have slept, then I would have been at rest,

14 With kings and counsellors of the earth, who built up waste places for themselves;

with kings and counselors of the earth, who built up waste places for themselves;

15 Or with princes that had gold, who filled their houses with silver;

or with princes who had gold, who filled their houses with silver;

16 Or as a hidden untimely birth I had not been; as infants that never saw light.

or as a hidden untimely birth I had not been, as infants who never saw light.

17 There the wicked cease from troubling; and there the weary are at rest.

There the wicked cease from troubling. There the weary are at rest.

18 There the prisoners are at ease together; they hear not the voice of the taskmaster.

There the prisoners are at ease together. They do not hear the voice of the taskmaster.

19 The small and great are there alike; and the servant is free from his master.

The small and the great are there. The servant is free from his master.

20 Wherewith is light given to him that is in misery, and life unto the bitter in soul —

“Why is light given to him who is in misery, life to the bitter in soul,

21 Who long for death, but it cometh not; and dig for it more than for hid treasures;

who long for death, but it does not come; and dig for it more than for hidden treasures,

22 Who rejoice unto exultation, and are glad, when they can find the grave? —

who rejoice exceedingly, and are glad, when they can find the grave?

23 To a man whose way is hid, and whom God hath hedged in?

Why is light given to a man whose way is hidden, whom God has hedged in?

24 For my sighing cometh instead of my food, and my roarings are poured out like water.

For my sighing comes before I eat. My groanings are poured out like water.

25 For the thing which I did fear is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of hath overtaken me.

For the thing which I fear comes on me, that which I am afraid of comes to me.

26 I was not at ease, neither was I quiet, neither had I rest; but trouble came.

I am not at ease, neither am I quiet, neither do I have rest; but trouble comes.”