Study Desk

Job Speaks

After this, Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth.^(a)

He said:

"May the day of my birth perish, and the night that said, ‘A boy is conceived!'^(b)

That day—may it turn to darkness; may God above not care about it; may no light shine on it.

May gloom and utter darkness^(c) claim it once more; may a cloud settle over it; may blackness overwhelm it.

That night—may thick darkness^(d) seize it; may it not be included among the days of the year nor be entered in any of the months.

May that night be barren; may no shout of joy^(e) be heard in it.

May those who curse days^[a] curse that day,^(f) those who are ready to rouse Leviathan.^(g)

May its morning stars become dark; may it wait for daylight in vain and not see the first rays of dawn,^(h)

for it did not shut the doors of the womb on me to hide trouble from my eyes.

"Why did I not perish at birth, and die as I came from the womb?⁽ⁱ⁾

Why were there knees to receive me^(j) and breasts that I might be nursed?

For now I would be lying down^(k) in peace; I would be asleep and at rest^(l)

with kings and rulers of the earth,^(m) who built for themselves places now lying in ruins,⁽ⁿ⁾

with princes^(o) who had gold, who filled their houses with silver.^(p)

Or why was I not hidden away in the ground like a stillborn child,^(q) like an infant who never saw the light of day?^(r)

There the wicked cease from turmoil,^(s) and there the weary are at rest.^(t)

Captives^(u) also enjoy their ease; they no longer hear the slave driver's^(v) shout.^(w)

The small and the great are there,^(x) and the slaves are freed from their owners.

"Why is light given to those in misery, and life to the bitter of soul,^(y)

to those who long for death that does not come,^(z) who search for it more than for hidden treasure,^(aa)

who are filled with gladness and rejoice when they reach the grave?^(ab)

Why is life given to a man whose way is hidden,^(ac) whom God has hedged in?^(ad)

For sighing^(ae) has become my daily food;^(af) my groans^(ag) pour out like water.^(ah)

What I feared has come upon me; what I dreaded^(ai) has happened to me.^(aj)

I have no peace,^(ak) no quietness; I have no rest,^(al) but only turmoil."^(am)