Job 3
1 Endlich öffnete Hiob den Mund und verfluchte seinen Geburtstag.
Finally, Job spoke, and he cursed the day that he was born.
2 Und Hiob hob an und sprach:
He said,
3 Verflucht sei der Tag, an dem ich geboren, und die Nacht, die da sprach: es ward ein Knabe empfangen!
“I wish that the day when I was born could be eradicated, and also the night when I was conceived.
4 Dieser Tag müsse finster bleiben: nicht frage nach ihm Gott in der Höhe, noch erglänze über ihm Tageshelle!
I wish that the day when I was born would have been covered in darkness. I wish that God who is in heaven [MTY] would have forgotten about that day, and that the sun would not have shone on it.
5 Zurückfordern sollen ihn Finsternis und Tiefdunkel; Wolkendickicht lagere über ihm, und Tagverdüsterung möge ihn erschrecken.
I wish that thick/intense darkness would have filled that day, and that a black cloud would have come over it and blotted out all light and caused people to be terrified.
6 Jene Nacht - sie sei ein Raub der Finsternis: nicht soll sie sich freuen unter des Jahres Tagen und in die Zahl der Monde trete sie nicht ein.
I wish that the night when I was conceived would be erased from the calendar, with the result that it would never again appear as one night in any month, and that it would not be included in any calendar.
7 Ja, diese Nacht sei unfruchtbar: kein Jubelruf soll sie durchdringen.
I wish that no child would again be conceived on that night of the month [MET], and that no one would again be happy on that night.
8 Es sollen sie verwünschen, die den Tag verfluchen, die fähig sind, den Drachen anzuhetzen.
I want those people who (curse/put evil spells on) days—those who know how to arouse/awaken the great sea monster—to curse that day.
9 Es müssen sich verfinstern ihrer Dämmerung Sterne; sie harre auf Licht - umsonst! und niemals schaue sie der Morgenröte Wimpern,
I wish that the stars that shone early in the morning on that day [after I was conceived] will not shine again. I want those stars to have wished in vain for light to shine; and that they would not have shone on that day.
10 weil sie mir nicht verschloß des Mutterleibes Pforten, nicht barg das Elend vor meinen Augen!
[That was an evil day] because my mother was able to conceive; instead, I was born, and I have now experienced all these terrible things.
11 Warum starb ich nicht im Mutterleibe, verschied ich nicht, als ich herausgetreten aus dem Mutterschoß?
“I wish that I had died [RHQ] when I was born— at the time I emerged from my mother’s womb.
12 Warum empfingen mich Kniee, und wozu Brüste, daß ich sog?
I wish that my mother had not [RHQ] allowed me to live. I wish that she had not nursed me.
13 So läge ich nun und rastete, wäre entschlafen und hätte Ruhe
If I had died at the time when I was born, I would be asleep, resting peacefully [in the place where the dead people are].
14 bei Königen und Ratsherren der Länder, die Pyramiden für sich bauten,
I would be resting with kings whose [beautiful palaces] that they built are now in ruins (OR, who rebuilt [palaces] that had previously been destroyed), and I would be resting with their officials [who have also died].
15 oder mit Fürsten, reich an Gold, die ihre Häuser mit Silber füllten.
I would be resting with princes who were wealthy, whose palaces were filled with gold and silver.
16 Oder einer verscharrten Fehlgeburt gleich wäre ich nicht ins Dasein getreten, Kindern gleich, die nie das Licht geschaut.
I wish that I had been buried like a child who died in its mother’s womb and never lived to see the light.
17 Dort hören Frevler auf mit Toben, dort haben Ruhe, deren Kraft erschöpft.
After wicked people die, they do not cause any more troubles; those who are very tired now will rest.
18 Es rasten die Gefangenen allzumal, sie hören nicht des Fronvogts Ruf.
Those who were in prison rest peacefully [after they die]; they no longer have slave-drivers who curse them.
19 Klein und groß gilt dort gleich, und frei ist der Knecht von seinem Herrn!
Rich people and poor people are alike after they die, and those who were slaves are no longer controlled by their masters.
20 Warum schenkt er dem Elenden das Licht und Tiefbetrübten das Leben? -
(“Why does God allow those who are suffering greatly [like me] to continue to remain alive?/I do not understand why God allows those who are suffering greatly [like me] to continue to remain alive.) [RHQ] Why does he allow those who are very miserable/distressed to keep living [RHQ]?
21 die da harren auf den Tod, er aber kommt nicht, die nach ihm graben, eifriger als nach Schätzen;
They long/want to die, but they do not die. They desire to die more than people desire to find a hidden treasure.
22 die sich freuen würden bis zum Jubel, jauchzen würden, wenn sie das Grab fänden -
When they finally die and are buried, they are very happy.
23 dem Manne, dessen Pfad verborgen ist, den Gott ringsum abgesperrt hat?
Those who do not know where they are [eventually] going when they die [RHQ], people whom God has forced [MET] to continue to live in misery, (it is not right that they continue to live./why do they continue to live?) [RHQ]
24 Denn Seufzen ward mein täglich Brot, und gleich dem Wasser strömen meine Klagen.
I continually cry very much; as a result, I cannot eat; and I can never stop groaning.
25 Denn graute mir vor etwas, so traf es mich, und wovor ich schauderte, das ward mir zu Teil.
Things that I always worried might happen to me, have happened to me; things that I always dreaded have happened to me.
26 Noch fand ich nicht Ruhe, nicht Rast, nicht Frieden, da kam schon neues Toben!
Now I have no peace [in my inner being], I have no peace; I cannot rest; instead, I have only troubles.”
