Job Wishes He Had Never Been Born
1After a while, Job opened his mouth to speak. He cursed the day he had been born. 2He said,
3“May the day I was born be wiped out.
May the night be wiped away when people said, ‘A boy is born!’
4May that day turn into darkness.
May God in heaven not care about it.
May no light shine on it.
5May gloom and total darkness take it back.
May a cloud settle over it.
May blackness cover it up.
6May deep darkness take over the night I was born.
May it not be included among the days of the year.
May it never appear in any of the months.
7May no children ever have been born on that night.
May no shout of joy be heard in it.
8May people say evil things about that day.
May people ready to wake the sea monster Leviathan say evil things about that day.
9May its morning stars become dark.
May it lose all hope of ever seeing daylight.
May it not see the first light of the morning sun.
10It didn’t keep my mother from letting me be born.
It didn’t keep my eyes from seeing trouble.
11“Why didn’t I die when I was born?
Why didn’t I die as I came out of my mother’s body?
12Why was I placed on her knees?
Why did her breasts give me milk?
13If all of that hadn’t happened,
I would be lying down in peace.
I’d be asleep and at rest in the grave.
14I’d be with the earth’s kings and rulers.
They had built for themselves places that are now destroyed.
15I’d be with princes who used to have gold.
They had filled their houses with silver.
16Why wasn’t I buried like a baby who was born dead?
Why wasn’t I buried like a child who never saw the light of day?
17In the grave, sinful people don’t cause trouble anymore.
And there tired people find rest.
18Prisoners also enjoy peace there.
They don’t hear a slave driver shouting at them anymore.
19The least important and most important people are there.
And there the slaves are set free from their owners.
20“Why should those who suffer ever be born?
Why should life be given to those whose spirits are bitter?
21Why is life given to those who long for death that doesn’t come?
Why is it given to those who would rather search for death
than for hidden treasure?
22Why is life given to those who are actually happy and glad
when they reach the grave?
23Why is life given to a man like me?
God hasn’t told me what will happen to me.
He has surrounded me with nothing but trouble.
24Sighs have become my food every day.
Groans pour out of me like water.
25What I was afraid of has come on me.
What I worried about has happened to me.
26I don’t have any peace and quiet.
I can’t find any rest. All I have is trouble.”
Hiob Kasa
1Akyire no, Hiob kasaeɛ, na ɔdomee ɛda a wɔwoo no. 2Ɔkaa sɛ,
3“Ma ɛda a wɔwoo me no nyera,
ne anadwo a wɔkaa sɛ, ‘Wɔawo ɔbabarima no!’
4Saa ɛda no nnuru sum;
mma Ɔsoro Onyankopɔn nhwehwɛ akyire kwan;
mma hann biara ntɔ ngu so.
5Ma esum ne owusum nnye no mfa;
ma omununkum nkata so;
na esum mmunkam ne hann so.
6Ma esum kabii nnye saa anadwo no mfa;
ma wɔnyi saa anadwo no mfiri asranna so
na wɔmmfa nhyɛ ɔbosome biara mu.
7Saa anadwo no nyɛ obonini;
mma wɔnnte anigyeɛ nteam wɔ mu.
8Ma wɔn a wɔdome nna no nnome saa ɛda no;
wɔn a wɔayɛ krado sɛ wɔbɛkanyane dɛnkyɛmmirampɔn no.
9Ma nʼanɔpa nsoromma nnuru sum;
na ɔntwɛne adekyeeɛ kwa
a ɔnhunu anɔpa owia nsensaneɛ a ɛdi ɛkan,
10ɛfiri sɛ anto deɛ ɔwoo me awotwaa mu ama wawo me,
anka mʼani nhunu saa abɛbrɛsɛ yi.
11“Adɛn enti na manwu awoeɛ hɔ,
ɛberɛ a mefiri me maame awotwaa mu no?
12Adɛn enti na nkotodwe gyee me
ne nufoɔ sɛ mennum?
13Anka sɛsɛɛ meda hɔ asomdwoeɛ mu;
anka mada regye mʼahome
14me ne ewiase ahemfo ne fotufoɔ,
wɔn a wɔsisii adan maa wɔn ho na ɛnnɛ yi abubuo no,
15me ne sodifoɔ a na wɔwɔ sika kɔkɔɔ,
wɔn a wɔde dwetɛ hyɛɛ wɔn afie mu ma.
16Anaasɛ adɛn enti na wɔansie me sɛ ɔpɔn ba,
te sɛ abadomaa a wanhunu adekyeeɛ hann da?
17Ɛhɔ na amumuyɛfoɔ gyae basabasayɛ,
na abrɛfoɔ nya ahomegyeɛ.
18Nneduafoɔ nso nya wɔn ahofadie;
na wɔnte nnommumfoɔ wuranom ateatea bio.
19Nketewa ne akɛseɛ wɔ hɔ,
na akoa de ne ho firi ne wura nsam.
20“Adɛn enti na wɔma mmɔborɔfoɔ hann,
na ɔkra mu ahohiahiafoɔ nya nkwa?
21Wɔn kɔn dɔ owuo, nanso ɛmma.
Wɔbrɛ hwehwɛ owuo sene sɛdeɛ wɔhwehwɛ akoradeɛ.
22Sɛ wɔwu a, wɔn ani gye
na wɔduru damena mu a, wɔdi ahurisie.
23Adɛn enti na wɔde nkwa ma onipa a
ɔnni daakye,
deɛ Onyankopɔn aka no ahyɛ mu?
24Ahomekokoguo adane mʼaduane;
na mʼapinisie gu te sɛ nsuo.
25Deɛ na mesuro no aba me so;
deɛ na ɛbɔ me hu no ato me.
26Menni ahotɔ, menni asomdwoeɛ;
menni ahomegyeɛ na mmom, ɔhaw nko ara.”
