1 ¶ After this Job opened his mouth and cursed his day.

After this, Job opened his mouth and cursed his day (birthday).

2 A nd Job spoke and said,

And Job said,

3 L et the day perish in which I was born and the night in which it was said, There is a man child conceived.

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

4 L et that day be darkness; let not God regard it from above; neither let the light shine upon it.

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

5 L et darkness and the shadow of death redeem it; let a cloud dwell upon it; let the blackness of the day terrify it.

Let 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).

6 A s 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.

As 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.

7 O , let that night be solitary; let no song come therein!

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

8 L et them curse it that curse the day, who are ready to raise up their mourning.

Let those curse it who curse the day, who are skilled in rousing up Leviathan.

9 L et the stars of its dawn be darkened; they waited for light, but have none; neither let them see the dawning of the day;

Let 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,

10 b ecause it did not shut up the doors of my mother’s womb nor hide the misery from my eyes.

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

11 ¶ Why did I not die from the womb? Why did I not give up the spirit when I came out of the belly?

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

12 W hy did the knees receive me? Of what use the breasts that I should suck?

Why did the knees receive me? Or why the breasts, that I should suck?

13 F or now I should have lain still and been quiet; I should have slept; then I would have been at rest,

For then would I have lain down and been quiet; I would have slept; then would I have been at rest

14 w ith the kings and the counsellors of the earth, who built desolate places for themselves;

With kings and counselors of the earth, who built up desolate ruins for themselves,

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

Or with princes who had gold, who filled their houses with silver.

16 O r, why was I not hidden as an untimely birth, as infants who never saw light?

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

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

There the wicked cease from troubling, and there the weary are at rest.

18 T here the prisoners rest together, they do not hear the voice of the oppressor.

There the prisoners rest together; they hear not the taskmaster’s voice.

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

The small and the great are there, and the servant is free from his master.

20 ¶ Why is light given to him that is in misery, and life unto the bitter in soul;

Why is light given to him who is in misery, and life to the bitter in soul,

21 w ho long for death, but it comes not; and search for it more than for hid treasures;

Who long and wait for death, but it comes not, and dig for it more than for hidden treasures,

22 w ho rejoice exceedingly and are glad when they can find the grave;

Who rejoice exceedingly and are elated when they find the grave?

23 t o the man who does not know which way he goes and whom God has hedged in?

to a man whose way is hidden, and whom God has hedged in?

24 F or my sighing comes before I eat, and my roarings are poured out like the waters.

For my sighing comes before my food, and my groanings are poured out like water.

25 F or the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me and that which I was afraid of is come unto me.

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

26 I never had prosperity, nor did I secure myself, neither was I at rest; yet trouble came.

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.