1 After this, Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth. |
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3 "May the day of my birth perish,
and the night it was said, 'A boy is born!' |
4 That day-may it turn to darkness;
may God above not care about it;
may no light shine upon it. |
5 May darkness and deep shadow1 3:5 Or and the shadow of death claim it once more;
may a cloud settle over it;
may blackness overwhelm its light. |
6 That night-may thick darkness seize it;
may it not be included among the days of the year
nor be entered in any of the months. |
7 May that night be barren;
may no shout of joy be heard in it. |
8 May those who curse days2 3:8 Or the sea curse that day,
those who are ready to rouse Leviathan. |
9 May its morning stars become dark;
may it wait for daylight in vain
and not see the first rays of dawn, |
10 for it did not shut the doors of the womb on me
to hide trouble from my eyes. |
11 "Why did I not perish at birth,
and die as I came from the womb? |
12 Why were there knees to receive me
and breasts that I might be nursed? |
13 For now I would be lying down in peace;
I would be asleep and at rest |
14 with kings and counselors of the earth,
who built for themselves places now lying in ruins, |
15 with rulers who had gold,
who filled their houses with silver. |
16 Or why was I not hidden in the ground like a stillborn child,
like an infant who never saw the light of day? |
17 There the wicked cease from turmoil,
and there the weary are at rest. |
18 Captives also enjoy their ease;
they no longer hear the slave driver's shout. |
19 The small and the great are there,
and the slave is freed from his master. |
20 "Why is light given to those in misery,
and life to the bitter of soul, |
21 to those who long for death that does not come,
who search for it more than for hidden treasure, |
22 who are filled with gladness
and rejoice when they reach the grave? |
23 Why is life given to a man
whose way is hidden,
whom God has hedged in? |
24 For sighing comes to me instead of food;
my groans pour out like water. |
25 What I feared has come upon me;
what I dreaded has happened to me. |
26 I have no peace, no quietness;
I have no rest, but only turmoil." |
