Online Bible

Job Curses the Day of His Birth

Afterward Job opened his mouth and cursed ¹the day of his birth. 2 And Job answered and said,

3 “^aLet the day perish on which I was to be born,And the night which said, ‘A man is conceived.’4 “May that day be darkness;Let not God seek it from above,Nor light shine on it.5 “Let ^adarkness and shadow of death redeem it;Let a cloud dwell upon it;Let the blackness of the day terrify it.6 “As for that night, let thick darkness take it;Let it not rejoice among the days of the year;Let it not come into the number of the months.7 “Behold, let that night be barren;Let no joyful shout enter it.8 “Let those curse it who curse the day,Who are ¹ready to ^arouse Leviathan.9 “Let the stars of its twilight be darkened;Let it hope for light but have none,And let it not see the ¹breaking dawn,10 Because it did not shut the opening of my mother’s ¹body,Or hide trouble from my eyes.

11 “^aWhy did I not die from the womb,Come forth from the womb and breathe my last?12 “Why did the knees receive me,And why the breasts, that I should suck?13 “For now I ^awould have lain down and been quiet;I would have slept then; it would have been rest to me,14 With ^akings and with ^bcounselors of the earth,Who rebuilt ^cwaste places for themselves,15 Or with ^aprinces ^bwho had gold,Who were filling their houses with silver.16 “Or why was I not like a miscarriage hidden away,As infants that never saw light?17 “There the wicked cease from raging,And there the weary of strength are at ^arest.18 “The prisoners are at ease together;They do not hear the voice of the taskmaster.19 “The small and the great are there,And the slave is free from his master.

20 “Why is ^alight given to him who is troubled,And life to the bitter of soul,21 Who ¹^along for death, but there is none,And dig for it more than for ^bhidden treasures,22 Who are glad with joy,And rejoice when they find the grave?23 “Why is light given to a man ^awhose way is hidden,And whom ^bGod has hedged in?24 “For ^amy groaning comes at the sight of my food,And ^bmy roaring pours out like water.25 “For ^athe dread that I dread comes upon me,And what I am afraid of befalls me.26 “I ^aam not complacent, nor am I quiet,And I am not at rest, and raging comes.”

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Job’s Lament

Afterward Job opened his mouth and cursed ¹the day of his birth. 2 And Job ¹said,

3 “^aLet the day perish on which I was to be born,And the night which said, ‘A ¹boy is conceived.’4 “May that day be darkness;Let not God above care for it,Nor light shine on it.5 “Let ^adarkness and black gloom claim it;Let a cloud settle on it;Let the blackness of the day terrify it.6 “As for that night, let darkness seize it;Let it not rejoice among the days of the year;Let it not come into the number of the months.7 “Behold, let that night be barren;Let no joyful shout enter it.8 “Let those curse it who curse the day,Who are ¹prepared to ^arouse Leviathan.9 “Let the stars of its twilight be darkened;Let it wait for light but have none,And let it not see the ¹breaking dawn;10 Because it did not shut the opening of my mother’s womb,Or hide trouble from my eyes.

11 “^aWhy did I not die ¹at birth,Come forth from the womb and expire?12 “Why did the knees receive me,And why the breasts, that I should suck?13 “For now I ^awould have lain down and been quiet;I would have slept then, I would have been at rest,14 With ^akings and with ^bcounselors of the earth,Who rebuilt ^cruins for themselves;15 Or with ^aprinces ^bwho had gold,Who were filling their houses with silver.16 “Or like a miscarriage which is ¹discarded, I would not be,As infants that never saw light.17 “There the wicked cease from raging,And there the ¹weary are at ^arest.18 “The prisoners are at ease together;They do not hear the voice of the taskmaster.19 “The small and the great are there,And the slave is free from his master.

20 “Why is ^alight given to him who suffers,And life to the bitter of soul,21 Who ¹^along for death, but there is none,And dig for it more than for ^bhidden treasures,22 Who rejoice greatly,And exult when they find the grave?23 “Why is light given to a man ^awhose way is hidden,And whom ^bGod has hedged in?24 “For ^amy groaning comes at the sight of my food,And ^bmy cries pour out like water.25 “For ¹^awhat I fear comes upon me,And what I dread befalls me.26 “I ^aam not at ease, nor am I quiet,And I am not at rest, but turmoil comes.”

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Job’s Lament

Afterward Job opened his mouth and cursed ¹the day of his birth. 2 And Job ¹said,

3 “^aMay the day on which I was to be born perish,As well as the night which said, ‘A ¹boy is conceived.’4 “May that day be darkness;May God above not care for it,Nor light shine on it.5 “May ^adarkness and black gloom claim it;May a cloud settle on it;May the blackness of the day terrify it.6 “As for that night, may darkness seize it;May it not rejoice among the days of the year;May it not come into the number of the months.7 “Behold, may that night be barren;May no joyful shout enter it.8 “May those curse it who curse the day,Who are ¹prepared to ^adisturb Leviathan.9 “May the stars of its twilight be darkened;May it wait for light but have none,And may it not see the ¹breaking dawn;10 Because it did not shut the opening of my mother’s womb,Or hide trouble from my eyes.

11 “^aWhy did I not die ¹at birth,Come out of the womb and pass away?12 “Why were the knees there in front of me,And why the breasts, that I would nurse?13 “For now I ^awould have lain down and been quiet;I would have slept then, I would have been at rest,14 With ^akings and ^bcounselors of the earth,Who rebuilt ^cruins for themselves;15 Or with ^arulers ^bwho had gold,Who were filling their houses with silver.16 “Or like a miscarriage which is ¹hidden, I would not exist,As infants that never saw light.17 “There the wicked cease from raging,And there the ¹weary are at ^arest.18 “The prisoners are at ease together;They do not hear the voice of the taskmaster.19 “The small and the great are there,And the slave is free from his master.

20 “Why is ^alight given to one burdened with grief,And life to the bitter of soul,21 Who ¹^along for death, but there is none,And dig for it more than for ^bhidden treasures;22 Who are filled with jubilation,And rejoice when they find the grave?23 “Why is light given to a man ^awhose way is hidden,And whom ^bGod has shut off?24 “For ^amy groaning comes at the sight of my food,And ^bmy cries pour out like water.25 “For ¹^awhat I fear comes upon me,And what I dread ²encounters me.26 “I ^aam not at ease, nor am I quiet,And I am not at rest, but turmoil comes.”