Job 3

1 After this opened Job his mouth, and cursed his day.

At length Job opened his mouth, and cursed the day of his birth.

2 And Job spoke, and said:

And Job spake and said:

3 Let the day perish wherein I was born, and the night wherein it was said: 'A man-child is brought forth.'

Perish the day in which I was born, and the night which said, “A man-child is conceived!”

4 Let that day be darkness; let not God inquire after it from above, neither let the light shine upon it.

Let that day be darkness; Let not God seek it from above; Yea, let not the light shine upon it!

5 Let darkness and the shadow of death claim it for their own; let a cloud dwell upon it; let all that maketh black the day terrify it.

Let darkness and the shadow of death redeem it; Let a cloud dwell upon it; Let whatever darkeneth the day terrify it!

6 As for that night, let thick darkness seize upon 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 upon it; Let it not rejoice among the days of the year; Let it not come into the number of the months!

7 Lo, let that night be desolate; let no joyful voice come therein.

O let that night be unfruitful! Let there be in it no voice of joy;

8 Let them curse it that curse the day, who are ready to rouse up leviathan.

Let them that curse the day curse it, Who are skilful to stir up the leviathan!

9 Let the stars of the twilight thereof be dark; let it look for light, but have none; neither let it behold the eyelids of the morning;

Let the stars of its twilight be darkened; Let it long for light, and have none; Neither let it see the eyelashes of the morning!

10 Because it shut not up the doors of my mother's womb, nor hid trouble from mine eyes.

Because it shut not up the doors of my mother's womb, And hid not trouble from mine eyes.

11 Why died I not from the womb? Why did I not perish at birth?

Why died I not at my birth? Why did I not expire when I came forth from the womb?

12 Why did the knees receive me? And wherefore the breasts, that I should suck?

Why did the knees receive me, And why the breasts, that I might suck?

13 For now should I have lain still and been quiet; I should have slept; then had I been at rest —

For now should I lie down and be quiet; I should sleep; then should I be at rest,

14 With kings and counsellors of the earth, who built up waste places for themselves;

With kings and counsellors of the earth, Who built up for themselves—ruins!

15 Or with princes that had gold, who filled their houses with silver;

Or with princes that had gold, And filled their houses with silver;

16 Or as a hidden untimely birth I had not been; as infants that never saw light.

Or, as a hidden untimely birth, I had perished; As infants which never saw the light.

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

There the wicked cease from troubling; There the weary are at rest.

18 There the prisoners are at ease together; they hear not the voice of the taskmaster.

There the prisoners rest together; They hear not the voice of the oppressor.

19 The small and great are there alike; and the servant is free from his master.

The small and the great are there, And the servant is free from his master.

20 Wherewith is light given to him that is in misery, and life unto the bitter in soul —

Why giveth He light to him that is in misery, And life to the bitter in soul,

21 Who long for death, but it cometh not; and dig for it more than for hid treasures;

Who long for death, and it cometh not, And dig for it more than for hid treasures;

22 Who rejoice unto exultation, and are glad, when they can find the grave? —

Who rejoice exceedingly, Yea, exult, when they can find a grave?

23 To a man whose way is hid, and whom God hath hedged in?

Why is light given to a man from whom the way is hid, And whom God hath hedged in?

24 For my sighing cometh instead of my food, and my roarings are poured out like water.

For my sighing cometh before I eat, And my groans are poured out like water.

25 For the thing which I did fear is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of hath overtaken me.

For that which I dread overtaketh me; That at which I shudder cometh upon me.

26 I was not at ease, neither was I quiet, neither had I rest; but trouble came.

I have no peace, nor quiet, nor respite: Misery cometh upon me continually.