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

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

2 J ob answered:

And Job spoke, and said:

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

“May the day perish on which I was born, And the night in which it was said, ‘A male child 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; May God above not seek it, Nor the 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.

May darkness and the shadow of death claim it; May a cloud settle on it; May 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, may darkness seize it; May it not rejoice among the days of the year, May it not come into the number of the months.

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

Oh, may that night be barren! May no joyful shout come into it!

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

May those curse it who curse the day, Those who are ready to arouse 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,

May the stars of its morning be dark; May it look for light, but have none, And not see the dawning of the day;

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 up the doors of my mother’s womb, Nor hide sorrow 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? Why did I not perish when I came from the womb?

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 nurse?

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 still and been quiet, I would have been asleep; 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 counselors of the earth, Who built 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 why was I not hidden like a stillborn child, Like 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 do not hear the voice of the oppressor.

19 T he small and the great are there. The servant is free from his master.

The small and 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 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 it does not come, And search for it more than hidden treasures;

22 w ho rejoice exceedingly, and are glad, when they can 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, 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 sighing comes before I eat, And my groanings 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 the thing I greatly feared has come upon me, And what I dreaded has happened to 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; I have no rest, for trouble comes.”