Job 3
1 After this, Job opened his mouth and cursed the day he was born.
At length Job opened his mouth, and cursed the day of his birth.
2 He said,
And Job spake and said:
3 “May the day on which I was born perish, the night that said, 'A boy has been conceived.'
Perish the day in which I was born, and the night which 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 darkness; Let not God seek it from above; Yea, 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 redeem it; Let a cloud dwell upon it; Let whatever darkeneth the day terrify it!
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.
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 See, may that night be barren; may no joyful voice come into it.
O let that night be unfruitful! Let there be in it no voice of joy;
8 May they curse that day, those who know how to wake up Leviathan.
Let them that curse the day curse it, Who are skilful to stir up the 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 of its twilight be darkened; Let it long for light, and have none; Neither let it see the eyelashes of the morning!
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 my mother's womb, And hid not trouble from mine 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 died I not at my birth? Why did I not expire when I came forth from the womb?
12 Why did her knees welcome me? Why did her breasts receive me so that I should suck?
Why did the knees receive me, And why the breasts, that I might suck?
13 For now I would have been lying down quietly. I would have slept and been at rest
For now should I lie down and be quiet; I should sleep; then should I be at rest,
14 with kings and counselors of the earth, who built up tombs for themselves that are now in ruins.
With kings and counsellors of the earth, Who built up for themselves—ruins!
15 Or I would have been lying with princes who once had gold, who had filled their houses with silver.
Or with princes that had gold, And filled 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 had perished; As infants which never saw the light.
17 There the wicked cease from trouble; there the weary are at rest.
There the wicked cease from troubling; There the weary are at rest.
18 There the prisoners are at ease together; they do not hear the voice of the slave driver.
There the prisoners rest together; They hear not the voice of the oppressor.
19 Both small and great people are there; the servant is free from his master there.
The small and the 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 giveth He light to him that is in misery, And life to the bitter in soul,
21 to one who longs for death without it coming; to one who digs for death more than for hidden treasure?
Who long for death, and it cometh not, And dig for it more than for hid treasures;
22 Why is light given to one who rejoices very much and is glad when he finds the grave?
Who rejoice exceedingly, Yea, exult, when they can find a grave?
23 Why is light given to a man whose way is hidden, a man whom God has hedged in?
Why is light given to a man from whom the way is hid, And whom God hath hedged in?
24 For my sighing happens instead of eating; my groaning is poured out like water.
For my sighing cometh before I eat, And my groans are poured out like water.
25 For the thing that I feared has come on me; what I was afraid of has come to me.
For that which I dread overtaketh me; That at which I shudder cometh upon me.
26 I am not at ease, I am not quiet, and I have no rest; trouble comes instead.”
I have no peace, nor quiet, nor respite: Misery cometh upon me continually.
