1 A fter this Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth.

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

2 A nd Job spoke, and said:

And Job said,

3 “ May the day perish on which I was born, And the night in which it was said, ‘A male child is conceived.’

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

4 M ay that day be darkness; May God above not seek it, Nor the light shine upon it.

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

5 M ay darkness and the shadow of death claim it; May a cloud settle on it; May 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, may darkness seize it; May it not rejoice among the days of the year, May 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 h, may that night be barren! May no joyful shout come into it!

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

8 M ay those curse it who curse the day, Those who are ready to arouse Leviathan.

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

9 M ay the stars of its morning be dark; May it look for light, but have none, And not 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 sorrow 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 at birth? Why did I not perish when I came from the womb?

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? Or why the breasts, that I should nurse?

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

13 F or now I would have lain still and been quiet, I would have been asleep; 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 kings and counselors of the earth, Who built ruins for themselves,

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

15 O r with princes who 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 like a stillborn child, Like 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 great are there, And the servant 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 who is in misery, And life to the bitter of 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 does not come, And search for it more than hidden 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 W hy is light given to a man whose way is hidden, 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 groanings pour out like water.

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

25 F or the thing I greatly feared has come upon me, And what I dreaded has happened to me.

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

26 I am not at ease, nor am I quiet; I have no rest, for trouble comes.”

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.