Job 3
1 After this time Job opened his mouth, and cursed his day.
At length Job opened his mouth, and cursed the day of his birth.
2 And Job commenced, and said,
And Job spake 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.
Perish the day in which I was born, and the night which said, “A man-child is 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 seek it from above; Yea, let not the light shine upon 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 redeem it; Let a cloud dwell upon it; Let whatever darkeneth 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 upon it; Let it not rejoice among 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.
O let that night be unfruitful! Let there be in it no voice of joy;
8 Let those denounce it that curse the day, who are ready to raise up their mourning cry.
Let them that curse the day curse it, Who are skilful to stir up the leviathan!
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 its twilight be darkened; Let it long for light, and have none; Neither let it see the eyelashes of the morning!
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, And hid not trouble from mine 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 at my birth? Why did I not expire when I came forth from the womb?
12 Wherefore were knees ready to receive me? and for what purpose were breasts there that I might suck?
Why did the knees receive me, And why the breasts, that I might 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 lie down and be quiet; I should sleep; then should I be at rest,
14 With kings and counsellors of the earth, who build up ruined places for themselves;
With kings and counsellors of the earth, Who built up for themselves—ruins!
15 Or with princes possessing gold, who fill their houses with silver;
Or with princes that had gold, And 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 a hidden untimely birth, I had perished; As infants which never saw the light.
17 There [where] the wicked cease from troubling; and where the exhausted weary are at rest;
There the wicked cease from troubling; There the weary are 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 the 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 giveth He light 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;
Who long for death, and it cometh 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?
Who rejoice exceedingly, Yea, exult, when they can find a 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 from whom the way is hid, And whom God hath hedged in?
24 For before my food cometh my groaning, and like the water are poured forth my loud complaints.
For my sighing cometh before I eat, And my groans are poured out like water.
25 Because what I greatly dreaded is come upon me, and what I apprehended is come unto me.
For that which I dread overtaketh me; That at which I shudder cometh upon me.
26 I have had no safety, and no quiet, and no rest; and [now] harrowing trouble is come.
I have no peace, nor quiet, nor respite: Misery cometh upon me continually.
