Job 3
Chapter 3
Job’s First Speech
1 At last Job spoke, and he cursed the day of his birth.
2 He said:
3 “Let the day of my birth be erased,
and the night I was conceived.4 Let that day be turned to darkness.
Let it be lost even to God on high,
and let no light shine on it.5 Let the darkness and utter gloom claim that day for its own.
Let a black cloud overshadow it,
and let the darkness terrify it.6 Let that night be blotted off the calendar,
never again to be counted among the days of the year,
never again to appear among the months.7 Let that night be childless.
Let it have no joy.8 Let those who are experts at cursing—
whose cursing could rouse Leviathant—
curse that day.9 Let its morning stars remain dark.
Let it hope for light, but in vain;
may it never see the morning light.10 Curse that day for failing to shut my mother’s womb,
for letting me be born to see all this trouble.11 “Why wasn’t I born dead?
Why didn’t I die as I came from the womb?12 Why was I laid on my mother’s lap?
Why did she nurse me at her breasts?13 Had I died at birth, I would now be at peace.
I would be asleep and at rest.14 I would rest with the world’s kings and prime ministers,
whose great buildings now lie in ruins.15 I would rest with princes, rich in gold,
whose palaces were filled with silver.16 Why wasn’t I buried like a stillborn child,
like a baby who never lives to see the light?17 For in death the wicked cause no trouble,
and the weary are at rest.18 Even captives are at ease in death,
with no guards to curse them.19 Rich and poor are both there,
and the slave is free from his master.20 “Oh, why give light to those in misery,
and life to those who are bitter?21 They long for death, and it won’t come.
They search for death more eagerly than for hidden treasure.22 They’re filled with joy when they finally die,
and rejoice when they find the grave.23 Why is life given to those with no future,
those God has surrounded with difficulties?24 I cannot eat for sighing;
my groans pour out like water.25 What I always feared has happened to me.
What I dreaded has come true.26 I have no peace, no quietness.
I have no rest; only trouble comes.”
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
