1 A fter this Job opened his mouth and cursed the day he was born.

2 H e said,

3 “ Let the day be lost on which I was born, and the night which said, ‘A boy is born.’

4 M ay that day be darkness. May God above not care for it. May light not shine on it.

5 L et darkness and a heavy shadow take it for their own. Let a cloud come upon it. Let the darkness of the day bring fear upon it.

6 A s for that night, let darkness take hold of it. Let it not have joy among the days of the year. Let it not come into the number of months.

7 Y es, let that night be alone and empty. Let no sound of joy come into it.

8 L et those curse it who curse the day, who are able to wake up the Leviathan.

9 L et the early morning stars be made dark. Let it wait for light but have none. Do not let it see the light of day.

10 B ecause it did not keep my mother from giving birth to me, or hide trouble from my eyes.

11 “ Why did I not die at birth? Why did I not come from my mother and die?

12 W hy did the knees receive me, or why the breasts, that I should have milk?

13 F or now I would have lain down and been quiet. I would have slept then. I would have been at rest,

14 w ith kings and wise men of the earth who built cities for themselves that are now destroyed.

15 I would have been at rest with princes who had gold, who filled their houses with silver.

16 W hy did I not die before I was born, hidden and put away, as babies that never see the light?

17 T here the troubles of the sinful stop. There the tired are at rest.

18 T hose in prison are at rest together. They do not hear the voice of the one who rules over their work.

19 T he small and the great are there. And the servant is free from his owner.

20 “ Why is light given to him who suffers? Why is life given to those who feel sad in their soul?

21 T hey wait for death, but there is none. They dig for it more than for hidden riches.

22 T hey are filled with much joy and are glad, when they find the grave.

23 W hy is light given to a man whose way is hidden, and around whom God has built a wall?

24 F or I cry inside myself in front of my food. My cries pour out like water.

25 W hat I was afraid of has come upon me. What filled me with fear has happened.

26 I am not at rest, and I am not quiet. I have no rest, but only trouble.”