Job 3 – NIV & NIRV

New International Version

Job 3:1-26

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.”

New International Reader’s Version

Job 3:1-26

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.”