1 A fter this, Job opened his mouth and cursed his day (birthday).

After this hath Job opened his mouth, and revileth his day.

2 A nd Job said,

And Job answereth and saith: --

3 L et the day perish wherein I was born, and the night which announced, There is a man-child conceived.

Let the day perish in which I am born, And the night that hath said: `A man-child hath been conceived.'

4 L et that day be darkness! May not God above regard it, nor light shine upon it.

That day -- let it be darkness, Let not God require it from above, Nor let light shine upon it.

5 L et gloom and deep darkness claim it for their own; let a cloud dwell upon it; let all that blackens the day terrify it (the day that I was born).

Let darkness and death-shade redeem it, Let a cloud tabernacle upon it, Let them terrify it as the most bitter of days.

6 A s for that night, let thick darkness seize it; let it not rejoice among the days of the year; let it not come into the number of the months.

That night -- let thick darkness take it, Let it not be united to days of the year, Into the number of months let it not come.

7 Y es, let that night be solitary and barren; let no joyful voice come into it.

Lo! that night -- let it be gloomy, Let no singing come into it.

8 L et those curse it who curse the day, who are skilled in rousing up Leviathan.

Let the cursers of day mark it, Who are ready to wake up Leviathan.

9 L et the stars of the early dawn of that day be dark; let look in vain for the light, nor let it behold the day’s dawning,

Let the stars of its twilight be dark, Let it wait for light, and there is none, And let it not look on the eyelids of the dawn.

10 B ecause it shut not the doors of my mother’s womb nor hid sorrow and trouble from my eyes.

Because it hath not shut the doors Of the womb that was mine! And hide misery from mine eyes.

11 W hy was I not stillborn? Why did I not give up the ghost when my mother bore me?

Why from the womb do I not die? From the belly I have come forth and gasp!

12 W hy did the knees receive me? Or why the breasts, that I should suck?

Wherefore have knees been before me? And what breasts, that I suck?

13 F or then would I have lain down and been quiet; I would have slept; then would I have been at rest

For now, I have lain down, and am quiet, I have slept -- then there is rest to me,

14 W ith kings and counselors of the earth, who built up desolate ruins for themselves,

With kings and counsellors of earth, These building wastes for themselves.

15 O r with princes who had gold, who filled their houses with silver.

Or with princes -- they have gold, They are filling their houses silver.

16 O r was I not a miscarriage, hidden and put away, as infants who never saw light?

(Or as a hidden abortion I am not, As infants -- they have not seen light.)

17 T here the wicked cease from troubling, and there the weary are at rest.

There the wicked have ceased troubling, And there rest do the wearied in power.

18 T here the prisoners rest together; they hear not the taskmaster’s voice.

Together prisoners have been at ease, They have not heard the voice of an exactor,

19 T he small and the great are there, and the servant is free from his master.

Small and great there the same. And a servant free from his lord.

20 W hy is light given to him who is in misery, and life to the bitter in soul,

Why giveth He to the miserable light, and life to the bitter soul?

21 W ho long and wait for death, but it comes not, and dig for it more than for hidden treasures,

Who are waiting for death, and it is not, And they seek it above hid treasures.

22 W ho rejoice exceedingly and are elated when they find the grave?

Who are glad -- unto joy, They rejoice when they find a grave.

23 t o a man whose way is hidden, and whom God has hedged in?

To a man whose way hath been hidden, And whom God doth shut up?

24 F or my sighing comes before my food, and my groanings are poured out like water.

For before my food, my sighing cometh, And poured out as waters my roarings.

25 F or the thing which I greatly fear comes upon me, and that of which I am afraid befalls me.

For a fear I feared and it meeteth me, And what I was afraid of doth come to me.

26 I was not or am not at ease, nor had I or have I rest, nor was I or am I quiet, yet trouble came and still comes.

I was not safe -- nor was I quiet -- Nor was I at rest -- and trouble cometh!