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

Afterward Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth.

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 on which I was to be born, And the night which said, ‘A boy is conceived.’

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

“May that day be darkness; Let not God above care for it, Nor light 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.

“Let darkness and black gloom claim it; Let a cloud settle on it; Let the blackness of the day terrify 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.

“ As for that night, let 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.

“Behold, let that night be barren; Let no joyful shout enter 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 prepared to rouse 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 its twilight be darkened; Let it wait for light but have none, And let it not see the breaking dawn;

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

Because it did not shut the opening of my mother’s womb, Or hide trouble from my eyes.

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

“ Why did I not die at birth, Come forth from the womb and expire?

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

“Why did the knees receive me, And 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 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.

With kings and with counselors of the earth, Who rebuilt 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 were filling 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 like a miscarriage which is discarded, I would not be, As infants that never saw light.

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

“There the wicked cease from raging, 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.

“The prisoners are at ease together; They do not hear the voice of the taskmaster.

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 slave 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 suffers, And life to the bitter of soul,

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

Who long for death, but there is none, 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 greatly, And exult 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?

“ Why is light given 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 groaning comes at the sight of my food, And my cries pour out like water.

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

“For what I fear comes upon me, And what I dread befalls me.

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

“I am not at ease, nor am I quiet, And I am not at rest, but turmoil comes.”