Job 3

1  AFTER THIS, Job opened his mouth and cursed his day (birthday).2  And Job said,3  Let the day perish wherein I was born, and the night which announced, There is a man-child conceived.4  Let that day be darkness! May not God above regard it, nor light shine upon it.5  Let gloom and deep darkness claim it for their own; let a cloud dwell upon it; let all that blackens the day terrify it (the day that I was born).6  As for that night, let thick darkness seize it; let it not rejoice among the days of the year; let it not come into the number of the months.7  Yes, let that night be solitary and barren; let no joyful voice come into it.8  Let those curse it who curse the day, who are skilled in rousing up Leviathan.9  Let the stars of the early dawn of that day be dark; let [the morning] look in vain for the light, nor let it behold the day’s dawning,10  Because it shut not the doors of my mother’s womb nor hid sorrow and trouble from my eyes.11  Why was I not stillborn? Why did I not give up the ghost when my mother bore me?12  Why did the knees receive me? Or why the breasts, that I should suck?13  For then would I have lain down and been quiet; I would have slept; then would I have been at rest [in death]14  With kings and counselors of the earth, who built up [now] desolate ruins for themselves,15  Or with princes who had gold, who filled their houses with silver.16  Or [why] was I not a miscarriage, hidden and put away, as infants who never saw light?17  There [in death] the wicked cease from troubling, and there the weary are at rest.18  There the [captive] prisoners rest together; they hear not the taskmaster’s voice.19  The small and the great are there, and the servant is free from his master. 20  Why is light [of life] given to him who is in misery, and life to the bitter in soul,21  Who long and wait for death, but it comes not, and dig for it more than for hidden treasures,22  Who rejoice exceedingly and are elated when they find the grave?23  [Why is the light of day given] to a man whose way is hidden, and whom God has hedged in?24  For my sighing comes before my food, and my groanings are poured out like water.25  For the thing which I greatly fear comes upon me, and that of which I am afraid befalls me.26  I was not or am not at ease, nor had I or have I rest, nor was I or am I quiet, yet trouble came and still comes [upon me].

Job 3

II. Job’s Dialogue With His Friends(3:1-27:33)

Job Regrets His Birth

1 After this Job opened his mouths and cursedt the day he was born.t

2 Job spoke upt and said:

3 “Let the day on whicht I was bornt perish,
and the night that said,t
‘A mant has been conceived!’s

4 That dayt – let it be darkness;s
let not God on high regardt it,
nor let light shinet on it!

5 Let darkness and the deepest
shadows claim it;t
let a cloud settle on it;
let whatever blackens the dayt terrify it!

6 That night – let darkness seizet it;
let it not be includedt among the days of the year;
let it not enter among the number of the months!s

7 Indeed,t let that night be barren;t
let no shout of joyt penetratet it!

8 Let those who curse the dayts curse itt –
those who are prepared to rouset Leviathan.s

9 Let its morning starst be darkened;
let it waitt for daylight but find none,t
nor let it see the first rayss of dawn,

10 because itt did not shut the doorss of my mother’s womb on me,t
nor did it hide troublet from my eyes!

Job Wishes He Had Died at Birth

11 “Why did I nott diet at birth,t
and why did I not expire
ast I came out of the womb?

12 Why did the knees welcome me,ts
and why were theret two breastss
that I might nurse at them?t

13 For nowt I would be lying down
andt would be quiet,t
I would be asleep and then at peacet

14 with kings and counselors of the earth
who built for themselves places now desolate,t

15 or with princes who possessed gold,t
who filled their palacest with silver.

16 Or whyt wast I not buriedt
like a stillborn infant,t
like infantst who have never seen the light?t

17 Theres the wickeds ceaset from turmoil,t
and there the wearyt are at rest.

18 Theret the prisonerst relaxt together;s
they do not hear the voice of the oppressor.t

19 Small and great aret there,
and the slave is freet from his master.t

Longing for Death

20 “Why does Godt givets light to one who is in misery,s
and life to thoset whose soul is bitter,

21 tot those who waitt for death thatt does not come,
and search for itts
more than for hidden treasures,

22 who rejoicet even to jubilation,t
and are exultantt whent they find the grave?s

23 Why is light givent to a mans
whose way is hidden,t
and whom God has hedged in?t

24 For my sighing comes in place oft my food,s
and my groaningst flow forth like water.t

25 For the very thing I dreadedt has happenedt to me,
and what I feared has come upon me.t

26 I have no ease,t I have no quietness;
I cannot rest;t turmoil has come upon me.”t