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

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

2 H e said,

And Job said,

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

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 care for it. May light not shine on it.

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

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 take hold of it. Let it not have joy among the days of the year. Let it not come into the number of 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 Y es, let that night be alone and empty. Let no sound of joy come into it.

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

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

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

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 keep my mother from giving birth to me, or hide trouble 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 come from my mother and die?

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 have milk?

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

13 F or now I would have lain down and been quiet. I would 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 kings and wise men of the earth who built cities for themselves that are now destroyed.

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

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

Or 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?

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

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

There the wicked cease from troubling, and there the weary 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

22 T hey are filled with much joy and are glad, when they 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 around whom God has built a wall?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.