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

After this Job opened his mouth, and cursed the day of his birth.

2 H e said,

Job answered:

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

“Let the day perish in which I was born, the night which said, ‘There is a boy 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. Don’t let God from above seek for it, neither let the 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 the shadow of death claim it for their own. Let a cloud dwell on it. Let all that makes black 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 thick darkness seize on 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 voice come therein.

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

Let them curse it who curse the day, who are ready to rouse 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 its twilight be dark. Let it look for light, but have none, neither let it see the eyelids of the morning,

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

because it didn’t shut up the doors of my mother’s womb, nor did it hide trouble from my eyes.

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

“Why didn’t I die from the womb? Why didn’t I give up the spirit 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 breast, that I should nurse?

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 should I have lain down and been quiet. I should 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 counselors of the earth, who built up waste places 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 as a hidden untimely birth I had not been, 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. 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 are at ease together. They don’t 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. 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, 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 for death, but it doesn’t come; 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 glad, when they can 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, 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 I eat. 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 fear comes on me, That which I am afraid of comes to me.

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

I am not at ease, neither am I quiet, neither have I rest; but trouble comes.”