< Job 3 >
1 After this, Job opened his mouth and cursed the day he was born.
After this Job opened his mouth, and cursed his day,
3 “May the day on which I was born perish, the night that said, 'A boy has been conceived.'
Let the day perish wherein I was born, and the night in which it was said: A man child is conceived.
4 May that day be dark; may not God from above call it to mind, neither may the sun shine on it.
Let that day be turned into darkness, let not God regard it from above, and let not the light shine upon it.
5 May darkness and the shadow of death claim it for their own. May a cloud live over it; may everything that makes the day black truly terrify it.
Let darkness, and the shadow of death cover it, let a mist overspread it, and let it be wrapped up in bitterness.
6 As for that night, may thick darkness seize it. May it not rejoice among the days of the year; may it not come into the number of the months.
Let a darksome whirlwind seize upon that night, let it not be counted in the days of the year, nor numbered in the months.
7 See, may that night be barren; may no joyful voice come into it.
Let that night be solitary, and not worthy of praise.
8 May they curse that day, those who know how to wake up Leviathan.
Let them curse it who curse the day. who are ready to raise up a leviathan:
9 May the stars of that day's dawn be dark. May that day look for light, but find none; neither may it see the eyelids of the dawn,
Let the stars be darkened with the mist thereof: let it expect light and not see it, nor the rising of the dawning of the day:
10 because it did not shut up the doors of my mother's womb, and because it did not hide trouble from my eyes.
Because it shut not up the doors of the womb that bore me, nor took away evils from my eyes.
11 Why did I not die when I came out from the womb? Why did I not give up my spirit when my mother bore me?
Why did I not die in the womb, why did I not perish when I came out of the belly?
12 Why did her knees welcome me? Why did her breasts receive me so that I should suck?
Why received upon the knees? why suckled at the breasts?
13 For now I would have been lying down quietly. I would have slept and been at rest
For now I should have been asleep and still, and should have rest in my sleep.
14 with kings and counselors of the earth, who built up tombs for themselves that are now in ruins.
With kings and consuls of the earth, who build themselves solitudes:
15 Or I would have been lying with princes who once had gold, who had filled their houses with silver.
Or with princes, that possess gold, and All their houses with silver:
16 Or perhaps I would have been stillborn, like infants that never see the light.
Or as a hidden untimely birth I should not be, or as they that being conceived have not seen the light.
17 There the wicked cease from trouble; there the weary are at rest.
There the wicked cease from tumult, and there the wearied in strength are at rest.
18 There the prisoners are at ease together; they do not hear the voice of the slave driver.
And they sometime bound together without disquiet, have not heard the voice of the oppressor.
19 Both small and great people are there; the servant is free from his master there.
The small and great are there, and the servant is free from his master.
20 Why is light given to him who is in misery? Why is life given to the one who is bitter in soul,
Why is light given to him that is in misery, and life to them that are in bitterness of soul?
21 to one who longs for death without it coming; to one who digs for death more than for hidden treasure?
That look for death, and it cometh not, as they that dig for a treasure:
22 Why is light given to one who rejoices very much and is glad when he finds the grave?
And they rejoice exceedingly when they have found the grave.
23 Why is light given to a man whose way is hidden, a man whom God has hedged in?
To a man whose way is hidden, and God hath surrounded him with darkness?
24 For my sighing happens instead of eating; my groaning is poured out like water.
Before I eat I sigh: and as overflowing waters, so is my roaring:
25 For the thing that I feared has come on me; what I was afraid of has come to me.
For the fear which I feared hath come upon me: and that which I was afraid of, hath befallen me.
26 I am not at ease, I am not quiet, and I have no rest; trouble comes instead.”
Have I not dissembled? have I not kept silence? have I not been quiet? and indignation is come upon me.