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 J ob answered:

And Job said,

3 “ Let the day perish in which I was born, the night which said, ‘There is a boy conceived.’

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

4 L et that day be darkness. Don’t let God from above seek for it, neither let the light shine on it.

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

5 L et 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.

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 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.

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 B ehold, let that night be barren. Let no joyful voice come therein.

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

8 L et them curse it who curse the day, who are ready to rouse up leviathan.

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

9 L et the stars of its twilight be dark. Let it look for light, but have none, neither let it see the eyelids of the morning,

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 didn’t shut up the doors of my mother’s womb, nor did it 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 didn’t I die from the womb? Why didn’t I give up the spirit when my mother bore me?

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 breast, that I should nurse?

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

13 F or now should I have lain down and been quiet. I should 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 counselors of the earth, who built up waste places 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 as a hidden untimely birth I had not been, as 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. There the weary are at rest.

There the wicked cease from troubling, and there the weary are at rest.

18 T here the prisoners are at ease together. They don’t hear the voice of the taskmaster.

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

19 T he small and the great are there. 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, life to the bitter in 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 doesn’t come; and dig for it more than for 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, 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. My groanings are poured out like water.

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

25 F or the thing which I fear comes on me, That which I am afraid of comes 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, neither am I quiet, neither have I rest; but 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.