Job speaks
1After this, Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth. 2He said:
3‘May the day of my birth perish,
and the night that said, “A boy is conceived!”
4That day – may it turn to darkness;
may God above not care about it;
may no light shine on it.
5May gloom and utter darkness claim it once more;
may a cloud settle over it;
may blackness overwhelm it.
6That night – may thick darkness seize it;
may it not be included among the days of the year
nor be entered in any of the months.
7May that night be barren;
may no shout of joy be heard in it.
8May those who curse days3:8 Or curse the sea curse that day,
those who are ready to rouse Leviathan.
9May its morning stars become dark;
may it wait for daylight in vain
and not see the first rays of dawn,
10for it did not shut the doors of the womb on me
to hide trouble from my eyes.
11‘Why did I not perish at birth,
and die as I came from the womb?
12Why were there knees to receive me
and breasts that I might be nursed?
13For now I would be lying down in peace;
I would be asleep and at rest
14with kings and rulers of the earth,
who built for themselves places now lying in ruins,
15with princes who had gold,
who filled their houses with silver.
16Or why was I not hidden away in the ground like a stillborn child,
like an infant who never saw the light of day?
17There the wicked cease from turmoil,
and there the weary are at rest.
18Captives also enjoy their ease;
they no longer hear the slave driver’s shout.
19The small and the great are there,
and the slaves are freed from their owners.
20‘Why is light given to those in misery,
and life to the bitter of soul,
21to those who long for death that does not come,
who search for it more than for hidden treasure,
22who are filled with gladness
and rejoice when they reach the grave?
23Why is life given to a man
whose way is hidden,
whom God has hedged in?
24For sighing has become my daily food;
my groans pour out like water.
25What I feared has come upon me;
what I dreaded has happened to me.
26I have no peace, no quietness;
I have no rest, but only turmoil.’
1After this opened Job his mouth, and cursed his day. 2And Job spake, and said,3.2 spake: Heb. answered 3Let the day perish wherein I was born, and the night in which it was said, There is a man child conceived. 4Let that day be darkness; let not God regard it from above, neither let the light shine upon it. 5Let darkness and the shadow of death stain it; let a cloud dwell upon it; let the blackness of the day terrify it.3.5 stain: or, challenge3.5 let the…: or, let them terrify it, as those who have a bitter day 6As for that night, let darkness seize upon it; let it not be joined unto the days of the year, let it not come into the number of the months.3.6 let it not be…: or, let it not rejoice among the days 7Lo, let that night be solitary, let no joyful voice come therein. 8Let them curse it that curse the day, who are ready to raise up their mourning.3.8 their…: or, leviathan 9Let the stars of the twilight thereof be dark; let it look for light, but have none; neither let it see the dawning of the day:3.9 the dawning…: Heb. the eyelids of the morning 10Because it shut not up the doors of my mother’s womb, nor hid sorrow from mine eyes.
11Why died I not from the womb? why did I not give up the ghost when I came out of the belly? 12Why did the knees prevent me? or why the breasts that I should suck? 13For now should I have lain still and been quiet, I should have slept: then had I been at rest, 14With kings and counsellors of the earth, which built desolate places for themselves; 15Or with princes that had gold, who filled their houses with silver: 16Or as an hidden untimely birth I had not been; as infants which never saw light. 17There the wicked cease from troubling; and there the weary be at rest.3.17 weary: Heb. wearied in strength 18There the prisoners rest together; they hear not the voice of the oppressor. 19The small and great are there; and the servant is free from his master.
20Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery, and life unto the bitter in soul; 21Which long for death, but it cometh not; and dig for it more than for hid treasures;3.21 long: Heb. wait 22Which rejoice exceedingly, and are glad, when they can find the grave? 23Why is light given to a man whose way is hid, and whom God hath hedged in? 24For my sighing cometh before I eat, and my roarings are poured out like the waters.3.24 I eat: Heb. my meat 25For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me.3.25 the thing…: Heb. I feared a fear, and it came upon me 26I was not in safety, neither had I rest, neither was I quiet; yet trouble came.
