Job 3

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

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

2 And Job commenced, and said,

And Job spoke, and said,

3 Oh that the day whereon I was born might perish, and the night when it was said, There hath been a male child conceived.

Let the day perish wherein I was born, and the night in which it was said, There is a man child conceived.

4 May that day be [covered with] darkness; may not God from above inquire for it, and may no light beam upon it.

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

5 Oh that darkness and the shadow of death might defile it; may a cloud rest upon it; may the blackness of the day terrify it.

Let darkness and the shadow of death stain it; let a cloud dwell on it; let the blackness of the day terrify it.

6 Yon night — let darkness seize upon it; let it not be united to the days of the year; let it not come into the number of the [periods lighted by the] moon.

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.

7 Lo, may that night be solitary, let no song of joy occur thereon.

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

8 Let those denounce it that curse the day, who are ready to raise up their mourning cry.

Let them curse it that curse the day, who are ready to raise up their mourning.

9 Let the stars of its twilight be darkened; let it hope for light, and there be none; and let it not behold the eyelids of the morning-dawn;

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:

10 Because God closed not against me the doors of the womb, and thus concealed trouble from my eyes.

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

11 Why did I not die [the moment I issued] from the womb, and [why] was I not born merely to perish at once?

Why died I not from the womb? why did I not give up the ghost when I came out of the belly?

12 Wherefore were knees ready to receive me? and for what purpose were breasts there that I might suck?

Why did the knees prevent me? or why the breasts that I should suck?

13 For now should I be lying still and be quiet; I should sleep: then would I be 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 build up ruined places for themselves;

With kings and counsellors of the earth, which build desolate places for themselves;

15 Or with princes possessing gold, who fill their houses with silver;

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

16 Or as an untimely birth, hidden [from view] I should not exist; as infants that never have seen the light;

Or as an hidden untimely birth I had not been; as infants which never saw light.

17 There [where] the wicked cease from troubling; and where the exhausted weary are at rest;

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

18 [Where] the prisoners repose together, [and] they hear no more the taskmaster's voice.

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

19 The small with the great is there, and the servant free from his master.

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

20 Wherefore giveth He now light to the labor-laden, 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 wait for death, which [cometh] not; and who dig for it sooner than for hidden treasures;

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

22 Who would rejoice even to exulting, who would be glad could they but find a grave?

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

23 [Why is light given] to a man whose way is hidden, and around whom God hath placed a fence?

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

24 For before my food cometh my groaning, and like the water are poured forth my loud complaints.

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

25 Because what I greatly dreaded is come upon me, and what I apprehended is come unto me.

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

26 I have had no safety, and no quiet, and no rest; and [now] harrowing trouble is come.

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