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 in which it was said, There is a man child conceived.

“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 regard it from above, neither let the light shine on it.

Let that day be darkness. Don’t let God from above seek for it, neither let the light shine on it.

5 Let darkness and the shadow of death stain it; let a cloud dwell on it; let the blackness of 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 darkness seize on it; let it not be joined to 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 amongst the days of the year. Let it not come into the number of the months.

7 See, let that night be solitary, 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 raise up their mourning.

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 see the dawning of the day:

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 sorrow from my eyes.

because it didn’t 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 give up the ghost when I came out of the belly?

“Why didn’t I die from the womb? Why didn’t I give up the spirit when my mother bore me?

12 Why did the knees prevent me? or why 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, which build desolate places for themselves;

with kings and counsellors 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 an hidden untimely birth I had not been; as infants which 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 be at rest.

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

18 There the prisoners rest together; they hear not the voice of the oppressor.

There the prisoners are at ease together. They don’t hear the voice of the taskmaster.

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

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

20 Why is light given to him that is in misery, and life to the bitter in soul;

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

21 Which long for death, but it comes not; and dig for it more than for hid treasures;

who long for death, but it doesn’t come; and dig for it more than for hidden treasures,

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

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

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

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

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

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

25 For the thing which I greatly feared is come on me, and that which I was afraid of is come to me.

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

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

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