Job 3
1 Post hæc aperuit Job os suum, et maledixit diei suo,
After this, Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth.
2 et locutus est:
And this is what he said:
3 [Pereat dies in qua natus sum, et nox in qua dictum est: Conceptus est homo.
“May the day of my birth perish, and the night it was said, ‘A boy is conceived.’
4 Dies ille vertatur in tenebras: non requirat eum Deus desuper, et non illustretur lumine.
If only that day had turned to darkness! May God above disregard it; may no light shine upon it.
5 Obscurent eum tenebræ et umbra mortis; occupet eum caligo, et involvatur amaritudine.
May darkness and gloom reclaim it, and a cloud settle over it; may the blackness of the day overwhelm it.
6 Noctem illam tenebrosus turbo possideat; non computetur in diebus anni, nec numeretur in mensibus.
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 Sit nox illa solitaria, nec laude digna.
Behold, may that night be barren; may no joyful voice come into it.
8 Maledicant ei qui maledicunt diei, qui parati sunt suscitare Leviathan.
May it be cursed by those who curse the day — those prepared to rouse Leviathan.
9 Obtenebrentur stellæ caligine ejus; expectet lucem, et non videat, nec ortum surgentis auroræ.
May its morning stars grow dark; may it wait in vain for daylight; may it not see the breaking of dawn.
10 Quia non conclusit ostia ventris qui portavit me, nec abstulit mala ab oculis meis.
For that night did not shut the doors of the womb to hide the sorrow from my eyes.
11 Quare non in vulva mortuus sum? egressus ex utero non statim perii?
Why did I not perish at birth; why did I not die as I came from the womb?
12 Quare exceptus genibus? cur lactatus uberibus?
Why were there knees to receive me, and breasts that I should be nursed?
13 Nunc enim dormiens silerem, et somno meo requiescerem
For now I would be lying down in peace; I would be asleep and at rest
14 cum regibus et consulibus terræ, qui ædificant sibi solitudines;
with kings and counselors of the earth, who built for themselves cities now in ruins,
15 aut cum principibus qui possident aurum, et replent domos suas argento;
or with princes who had gold, who filled their houses with silver.
16 aut sicut abortivum absconditum non subsisterem, vel qui concepti non viderunt lucem.
Or why was I not hidden like a stillborn child, like an infant who never sees daylight?
17 Ibi impii cessaverunt a tumultu, et ibi requieverunt fessi robore.
There the wicked cease from raging, and there the weary find rest.
18 Et quondam vincti pariter sine molestia, non audierunt vocem exactoris.
The captives enjoy their ease; they do not hear the voice of the oppressor.
19 Parvus et magnus ibi sunt, et servus liber a domino suo.
Both small and great are there, and the slave is freed from his master.
20 Quare misero data est lux, et vita his qui in amaritudine animæ sunt:
Why is light given to the miserable, and life to the bitter of soul,
21 qui expectant mortem, et non venit, quasi effodientes thesaurum;
who long for death that does not come, and search for it like hidden treasure,
22 gaudentque vehementer cum invenerint sepulchrum?
who rejoice and greatly exult when they can find the grave?
23 viro cujus abscondita est via et circumdedit eum Deus tenebris?
Why is life given to a man whose way is hidden, whom God has hedged in?
24 Antequam comedam, suspiro; et tamquam inundantes aquæ, sic rugitus meus:
I sigh when food is put before me, and my groans pour out like water.
25 quia timor quem timebam evenit mihi, et quod verebar accidit.
For the thing I feared has overtaken me, and what I dreaded has befallen me.
26 Nonne dissimulavi? nonne silui? nonne quievi? et venit super me indignatio.]
I am not at ease or quiet; I have no rest, for trouble has come.”
