איוב 3

1 אַחֲרֵי־כֵן פָּתַח אִיּוֹב אֶת־פִּיהוּ וַיְקַלֵּל אֶת־יוֹמֽוֹ׃

After this time Job opened his mouth, and cursed his day.

2 וַיַּעַן אִיּוֹב וַיֹּאמַֽר׃

And Job commenced, and said,

3 יֹאבַד יוֹם אִוָּלֶד בּוֹ וְהַלַּיְלָה אָמַר הֹרָה גָֽבֶר׃

Oh that the day whereon I was born might perish, and the night when it was said, There hath been a male child conceived.

4 הַיּוֹם הַהוּא יְֽהִי חֹשֶׁךְ אַֽל־יִדְרְשֵׁהוּ אֱלוֹהַּ מִמָּעַל וְאַל־תּוֹפַע עָלָיו נְהָרָֽה׃

May that day be [covered with] darkness; may not God from above inquire for it, and may no light beam upon it.

5 יִגְאָלֻהוּ חֹשֶׁךְ וְצַלְמָוֶת תִּשְׁכָּן־עָלָיו עֲנָנָה יְבַעֲתֻהוּ כִּֽמְרִירֵי יֽוֹם׃

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.

6 הַלַּיְלָה הַהוּא יִקָּחֵהוּ אֹפֶל אַל־יִחַדְּ בִּימֵי שָׁנָה בְּמִסְפַּר יְרָחִים אַל־יָבֹֽא׃

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.

7 הִנֵּה הַלַּיְלָה הַהוּא יְהִי גַלְמוּד אַל־תָּבֹא רְנָנָה בֽוֹ׃

Lo, may that night be solitary, let no song of joy occur thereon.

8 יִקְּבֻהוּ אֹרְרֵי־יוֹם הָעֲתִידִים עֹרֵר לִוְיָתָֽן׃

Let those denounce it that curse the day, who are ready to raise up their mourning cry.

9 יֶחְשְׁכוּ כּוֹכְבֵי נִשְׁפּוֹ יְקַו־לְאוֹר וָאַיִן וְאַל־יִרְאֶה בְּעַפְעַפֵּי־שָֽׁחַר׃

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;

10 כִּי לֹא סָגַר דַּלְתֵי בִטְנִי וַיַּסְתֵּר עָמָל מֵעֵינָֽי׃

Because God closed not against me the doors of the womb, and thus concealed trouble from my eyes.

11 לָמָּה לֹּא מֵרֶחֶם אָמוּת מִבֶּטֶן יָצָאתִי וְאֶגְוָֽע׃

Why did I not die [the moment I issued] from the womb, and [why] was I not born merely to perish at once?

12 מַדּוּעַ קִדְּמוּנִי בִרְכָּיִם וּמַה־שָּׁדַיִם כִּי אִינָֽק׃

Wherefore were knees ready to receive me? and for what purpose were breasts there that I might suck?

13 כִּֽי־עַתָּה שָׁכַבְתִּי וְאֶשְׁקוֹט יָשַׁנְתִּי אָז ׀ יָנוּחַֽ לִֽי׃

For now should I be lying still and be quiet; I should sleep: then would I be at rest,

14 עִם־מְלָכִים וְיֹעֲצֵי אָרֶץ הַבֹּנִים חֳרָבוֹת לָֽמוֹ׃

With kings and counsellors of the earth, who build up ruined places for themselves;

15 אוֹ עִם־שָׂרִים זָהָב לָהֶם הַֽמְמַלְאִים בָּתֵּיהֶם כָּֽסֶף׃

Or with princes possessing gold, who fill their houses with silver;

16 אוֹ כְנֵפֶל טָמוּן לֹא אֶהְיֶה כְּעֹלְלִים לֹא־רָאוּ אֽוֹר׃

Or as an untimely birth, hidden [from view] I should not exist; as infants that never have seen the light;

17 שָׁם רְשָׁעִים חָדְלוּ רֹגֶז וְשָׁם יָנוּחוּ יְגִיעֵי כֹֽחַ׃

There [where] the wicked cease from troubling; and where the exhausted weary are at rest;

18 יַחַד אֲסִירִים שַׁאֲנָנוּ לֹא שָׁמְעוּ קוֹל נֹגֵֽשׂ׃

[Where] the prisoners repose together, [and] they hear no more the taskmaster's voice.

19 קָטֹן וְגָדוֹל שָׁם הוּא וְעֶבֶד חָפְשִׁי מֵאֲדֹנָֽיו׃

The small with the great is there, and the servant free from his master.

20 לָמָּה יִתֵּן לְעָמֵל אוֹר וְחַיִּים לְמָרֵי נָֽפֶשׁ׃

Wherefore giveth He now light to the labor-laden, and life unto the bitter in soul?

21 הַֽמְחַכִּים לַמָּוֶת וְאֵינֶנּוּ וַֽיַּחְפְּרֻהוּ מִמַּטְמוֹנִֽים׃

Who wait for death, which [cometh] not; and who dig for it sooner than for hidden treasures;

22 הַשְּׂמֵחִים אֱלֵי־גִיל יָשִׂישׂוּ כִּי יִמְצְאוּ־קָֽבֶר׃

Who would rejoice even to exulting, who would be glad could they but find a grave?

23 לְגֶבֶר אֲשֶׁר־דַּרְכּוֹ נִסְתָּרָה וַיָּסֶךְ אֱלוֹהַּ בַּעֲדֽוֹ׃

[Why is light given] to a man whose way is hidden, and around whom God hath placed a fence?

24 כִּֽי־לִפְנֵי לַחְמִי אַנְחָתִי תָבֹא וַֽיִּתְּכוּ כַמַּיִם שַׁאֲגֹתָֽי׃

For before my food cometh my groaning, and like the water are poured forth my loud complaints.

25 כִּי פַחַד פָּחַדְתִּי וַיֶּאֱתָיֵנִי וַאֲשֶׁר יָגֹרְתִּי יָבֹא לִֽי׃

Because what I greatly dreaded is come upon me, and what I apprehended is come unto me.

26 לֹא שָׁלַוְתִּי ׀ וְלֹא שָׁקַטְתִּי וְֽלֹא־נָחְתִּי וַיָּבֹא רֹֽגֶז׃

I have had no safety, and no quiet, and no rest; and [now] harrowing trouble is come.