Job 3

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

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

2 And Job spake, and said,

And Job answered and said:

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 wherein I was born, And the night which said, There is a man-child conceived.

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

Let that day be darkness; Let not God from above seek for it, Neither let the light shine upon it.

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

6 As for that night, let darkness seize upon it; let it not be joined unto the days of the year, let it not come into the number of the months.

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.

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

Lo, 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 that 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 the twilight thereof be dark: Let it look for light, but have none; Neither let it behold the eyelids of the morning:

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

Because it shut not up the doors of my [mother’s] womb, Nor hid trouble from mine 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 died I not from the womb? Why did I not give up the ghost when my mother bare 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 breasts, that I should suck?

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 down and been quiet; I should have slept; then had I been at rest,

14 With kings and counsellors of the earth, which built 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 that 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 that never saw light.

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

There the wicked cease from troubling; And 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 hear not 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: And the servant is free from his master.

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

Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery, And life unto the bitter in soul;

21 Which 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 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 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 before I eat, and my roarings are poured out like the waters.

For my sighing cometh before I eat, And my groanings are poured out like water.

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

For the thing which I fear cometh upon me, And that which I am afraid of cometh unto 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 have I rest; But trouble cometh.