1 A fter this Job opened his mouth, and cursed the day of his birth.

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

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

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

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

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 did not shut the opening of my mother’s womb, Or hide 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 did I not die at birth, Come forth from the womb and expire?

12 W hy did the knees receive me? Or why the breast, that I should nurse?

“Why did the knees receive me, And 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 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 counselors of the earth, who built up waste places for themselves;

With kings and with counselors of the earth, Who rebuilt ruins for themselves;

15 o r 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 o r as a hidden untimely birth I had not been, as infants who never saw light.

“Or like a miscarriage which is discarded, I would not be, As infants that never saw light.

17 T here the wicked cease from troubling. There the weary are at rest.

“There the wicked cease from raging, 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.

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

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 slave 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 suffers, And life to the bitter of soul,

21 W ho long for death, but it doesn’t come; and dig for it more than for hidden treasures,

Who long for death, but there is none, 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 greatly, And exult when they find the grave?

23 W hy is light given to a man whose way is hidden, whom God has hedged in?

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

25 F or the thing which I fear comes on me, That which I am afraid of comes to me.

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

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

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