Job 3
1 After this hath Job opened his mouth, and revileth his day.
After this, Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth.
2 And Job answereth and saith: —
And this is what he said:
3 Let the day perish in which I am born, And the night that hath said: 'A man-child hath been conceived.'
“May the day of my birth perish, and the night it was said, ‘A boy is conceived.’
4 That day — let it be darkness, Let not God require it from above, Nor let light shine upon it.
If only that day had turned to darkness! May God above disregard it; may no light shine upon it.
5 Let darkness and death-shade redeem it, Let a cloud tabernacle upon it, Let them terrify it as the most bitter of days.
May darkness and gloom reclaim it, and a cloud settle over it; may the blackness of the day overwhelm it.
6 That night — let thick darkness take it, Let it not be united to days of the year, Into the number of months let it not come.
If only darkness had taken that night away! May it not appear among the days of the year; may it never be entered in any of the months.
7 Lo! that night — let it be gloomy, Let no singing come into it.
Behold, may that night be barren; may no joyful voice come into it.
8 Let the cursers of day mark it, Who are ready to wake up Leviathan.
May it be cursed by those who curse the day — those prepared to rouse Leviathan.
9 Let the stars of its twilight be dark, Let it wait for light, and there is none, And let it not look on the eyelids of the dawn.
May its morning stars grow dark; may it wait in vain for daylight; may it not see the breaking of dawn.
10 Because it hath not shut the doors Of the womb that was mine! And hide misery from mine eyes.
For that night did not shut the doors of the womb to hide the sorrow from my eyes.
11 Why from the womb do I not die? From the belly I have come forth and gasp!
Why did I not perish at birth; why did I not die as I came from the womb?
12 Wherefore have knees been before me? And what [are] breasts, that I suck?
Why were there knees to receive me, and breasts that I should be nursed?
13 For now, I have lain down, and am quiet, I have slept — then there is rest to me,
For now I would be lying down in peace; I would be asleep and at rest
14 With kings and counsellors of earth, These building wastes for themselves.
with kings and counselors of the earth, who built for themselves cities now in ruins,
15 Or with princes — they have gold, They are filling their houses [with] silver.
or with princes who had gold, who filled their houses with silver.
16 (Or as a hidden abortion I am not, As infants — they have not seen light.)
Or why was I not hidden like a stillborn child, like an infant who never sees daylight?
17 There the wicked have ceased troubling, And there rest do the wearied in power.
There the wicked cease from raging, and there the weary find rest.
18 Together prisoners have been at ease, They have not heard the voice of an exactor,
The captives enjoy their ease; they do not hear the voice of the oppressor.
19 Small and great [are] there the same. And a servant [is] free from his lord.
Both small and great are there, and the slave is freed from his master.
20 Why giveth He to the miserable light, and life to the bitter soul?
Why is light given to the miserable, and life to the bitter of soul,
21 Who are waiting for death, and it is not, And they seek it above hid treasures.
who long for death that does not come, and search for it like hidden treasure,
22 Who are glad — unto joy, They rejoice when they find a grave.
who rejoice and greatly exult when they can find the grave?
23 To a man whose way hath been hidden, And whom God doth shut up?
Why is life given to a man whose way is hidden, whom God has hedged in?
24 For before my food, my sighing cometh, And poured out as waters [are] my roarings.
I sigh when food is put before me, and my groans pour out like water.
25 For a fear I feared and it meeteth me, And what I was afraid of doth come to me.
For the thing I feared has overtaken me, and what I dreaded has befallen me.
26 I was not safe — nor was I quiet — Nor was I at rest — and trouble cometh!
I am not at ease or quiet; I have no rest, for trouble has come.”
