Job 3
1 At length Job opened his mouth, and cursed the day of his birth.
After this opened Job his mouth, and cursed his day.
2 And Job spake and said:
And Job spoke, and said,
3 Perish the day in which I was born, and the night which said, “A man-child is conceived!”
Let the day perish wherein 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 seek it from above; Yea, let not the light shine upon it!
Let that day be darkness; let not God regard it from above, neither let the light shine on it.
5 Let darkness and the shadow of death redeem it; Let a cloud dwell upon it; Let whatever darkeneth 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 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!
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 O let that night be unfruitful! Let there be in it no voice of joy;
See, let that night be solitary, let no joyful voice come therein.
8 Let them that curse the day curse it, Who are skilful to stir up the leviathan!
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 long for light, and have none; Neither let it see the eyelashes of the morning!
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 it shut not up the doors of my mother's womb, And hid not trouble from mine eyes.
Because it shut not up the doors of my mother’s womb, nor hid sorrow from my eyes.
11 Why died I not at my birth? Why did I not expire when I came forth from the womb?
Why died I not from the womb? why did I not give up the ghost when I came out of the belly?
12 Why did the knees receive me, And why the breasts, that I might suck?
Why did the knees prevent me? or why the breasts that I should suck?
13 For now should I lie down and be quiet; I should sleep; then should 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 built up for themselves—ruins!
With kings and counsellors of the earth, which build desolate places for themselves;
15 Or with princes that had gold, And 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 perished; As infants which never saw the light.
Or as an hidden untimely birth I had not been; as infants which never saw light.
17 There the wicked cease from troubling; There the weary are at rest.
There the wicked cease from troubling; and there the weary be at rest.
18 There the prisoners rest together; They hear not the voice of the oppressor.
There the prisoners rest together; they hear not the voice of the oppressor.
19 The small and the great are there, And the servant is free from his master.
The small and great are there; and the servant is free from his master.
20 Why giveth He light to him that is in misery, And life to 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, and it cometh not, And dig for it more than for hid treasures;
Which long for death, but it comes not; and dig for it more than for hid treasures;
22 Who rejoice exceedingly, Yea, exult, when they can find a grave?
Which rejoice exceedingly, and are glad, when they can find the grave?
23 Why is light given to a man from whom the way is hid, And whom God hath hedged in?
Why is light given to a man whose way is hid, and whom God has hedged in?
24 For my sighing cometh before I eat, And my groans are poured out like water.
For my sighing comes before I eat, and my roarings are poured out like the waters.
25 For that which I dread overtaketh me; That at which I shudder cometh upon 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 no peace, nor quiet, nor respite: Misery cometh upon me continually.
I was not in safety, neither had I rest, neither was I quiet; yet trouble came.
