< Job 3 >

1 Derefter oplod Job sin Mund og forbandede sin Dag,
After this, Job opened his mouth and cursed his day.
2 og Job tog til Orde og sagde:
And Job answered and said,
3 Bort med den Dag, jeg fødtes, den Nat, der sagde: "Se, en Dreng!"
Let the day perish in which I was born, and the night that said, There is a man child conceived.
4 Denne Dag vorde Mørke, Gud deroppe spørge ej om den, over den stråle ej Lyset frem!
That day — let it be darkness, let not God care for it from above, neither let light shine upon it:
5 Mulm og Mørke løse den ind, Tåge lægge sig over den, Formørkelser skræmme den!
Let darkness and the shadow of death claim it; let clouds dwell upon it; let darkeners of the day terrify it.
6 Mørket tage den Nat, den høre ej hjemme blandt Årets Dage, den komme ikke i Måneders Tal!
That night — let gloom seize upon it; let it not rejoice among the days of the year; let it not come into the number of the months.
7 Ja, denne Nat vorde gold, der lyde ej Jubel i den!
Behold, let that night be barren; let no joyful sound come therein;
8 De, der besværger Dage, forbande den, de, der har lært at hidse Livjatan";
Let them curse it that curse the day, who are ready to rouse Leviathan;
9 dens Morgenstjerner formørkes, den bie forgæves på Lys, den skue ej Morgenrødens Øjenlåg,
Let the stars of its twilight be dark; let it wait for light, and have none, neither let it see the eyelids of the dawn:
10 fordi den ej lukked mig Moderlivets Døre og skjulte Kvide for mit Blik!
Because it shut not up the doors of the womb that bore me, and hid not trouble from mine eyes.
11 Hvi døde jeg ikke i Moders Liv eller udånded straks fra Moders Skød?
Wherefore did I not die from the womb, — come forth from the belly and expire?
12 Hvorfor var der Knæ til at tage imod mig, hvorfor var der Bryster at die?
Why did the knees meet me? and wherefore the breasts, that I should suck?
13 Så havde jeg nu ligget og hvilet, så havde jeg slumret i Fred
For now should I have lain down and been quiet; I should have slept: then had I been at rest,
14 blandt Konger og Jordens Styrere, der bygged sig Gravpaladser,
With kings and counsellors of the earth, who build desolate places for themselves,
15 blandt Fyrster, rige på Guld, som fyldte deres Huse med Sølv.
Or with princes who had gold, who filled their houses with silver;
16 Eller var jeg dog som et nedgravet Foster. som Børn, der ikke fik Lyset at se!
Or as a hidden untimely birth I had not been; as infants that have not seen the light.
17 Der larmer de gudløse ikke mer, der hviler de trætte ud,
There the wicked cease from troubling; and there the wearied are at rest.
18 alle de fangne har Ro, de hører ej Fogedens Røst;
The prisoners together are at ease; they hear not the voice of the taskmaster.
19 små og store er lige der og Trællen fri for sin Herre.
The small and great are there, and the bondman freed from his master.
20 Hvi giver Gud de lidende Lys, de bittert sørgende Liv,
Wherefore is light given to him that is in trouble, and life to those bitter of soul,
21 dem, som bier forgæves på Døden, graver derefter som efter Skatte,
Who long for death, and it [cometh] not, and dig for it more than for hidden treasures;
22 som glæder sig til en Stenhøj, jubler, når de finder deres Grav
Who rejoice even exultingly and are glad when they find the grave? —
23 en Mand, hvis Vej er skjult, hvem Gud har stænget inde?
To the man whose way is hidden, and whom God hath hedged in?
24 Thi Suk er blevet mit daglige Brød, mine Ve råb strømmer som Vand.
For my sighing cometh before my bread, and my groanings are poured out like the waters.
25 Thi hvad jeg gruer for, rammer mig, hvad jeg bæver for, kommer over mig.
For I feared a fear, and it hath come upon me, and that which I dreaded hath come to me.
26 Knap har jeg Fred, og knap har jeg Ro, knap har jeg Hvile, så kommer Uro!
I was not in safety, neither had I quietness, neither was I at rest, and trouble came.

< Job 3 >