Job 3

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

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

2 And Job spoke, and said:

And Job spoke, and said,

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, and the night [in which] it was said, There is a man child 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; let not God regard it from above, neither let the light shine upon 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 shades of death stain it; let a cloud dwell upon it; let the blackness of the day 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 darkness seize upon it; let it not be joined to 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.

Lo, let that night be solitary, 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 that curse the day, who are ready to raise up their mourning.

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 dawning of the day:

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

Because it prevented not my birth, nor hid sorrow from my eyes.

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

Why died I not from the womb? [why] did I [not] expire at the time of my birth?

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

Why did the knees receive me? or why the breasts that I should be nursed?

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

For now should I have lain still and been quiet, I should have slept: then had I 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 desolate places for themselves;

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

Or with princes that 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 [which] never saw light.

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

There the wicked cease [from] troubling; and 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 rest together; they hear not the voice of the oppressor.

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

The small and great are there; and 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 that is in misery, and 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 [cometh] not; and dig for it more than for hid 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 hid, and whom God hath hedged in?

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

For my sighing cometh before I eat, and my roarings are poured out like the waters.

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 greatly feared hath come upon me, and that which I dreaded hath come to me.

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

I was not in safety, neither had I rest, neither was I quiet; yet trouble came.