[1] Then, opening his mouth, and cursing the day of his birth, [2] Job made
answer and said, [3] Let destruction take the day of my birth, and the
night on which it was said, A man child has come into the world. [4] That
day--let it be dark; let not God take note of it from on high, and let not
the light be shining on it; [5] Let the dark and the black night take it
for themselves; let it be covered with a cloud; let the dark shades of day
send fear on it. [6] That night--let the thick dark take it; let it not
have joy among the days of the year; let it not come into the number of the
months. [7] As for that night, let it have no fruit; let no voice of joy be
sounded in it; [8] Let it be cursed by those who put a curse on the day;
who are ready to make Leviathan awake. [9] Let its morning stars be dark;
let it be looking for light, but may it not have any; let it not see the
eyes of the dawn. [10] Because it did not keep the doors of my mother's
body shut, so that trouble might be veiled from my eyes. [11] Why did death
not take me when I came out of my mother's body, why did I not, when I came
out, give up my last breath? [12] Why did the knees take me, or why the
breasts that they might give me milk? [13] For then I might have gone to my
rest in quiet, and in sleep have been in peace, [14] With kings and the
wise ones of the earth, who put up great houses for themselves; [15] Or
with rulers who had gold, and whose houses were full of silver; [16] Or as
a child dead at birth I might never have come into existence; like young
children who have not seen the light. [17] There the passions of the evil
are over, and those whose strength has come to an end have rest. [18] There
the prisoners are at peace together; the voice of the overseer comes not
again to their ears. [19] The small and the great are there, and the
servant is free from his master. [20] Why does he give light to him who is
in trouble, and life to the bitter in soul; [21] To those whose desire is
for death, but it comes not; who are searching for it more than for secret
wealth; [22] Who are glad with great joy, and full of delight when they
come to their last resting-place; [23] To a man whose way is veiled, and
who is shut in by God? [24] In place of my food I have grief, and cries of
sorrow come from me like water. [25] For I have a fear and it comes on me,
and my heart is greatly troubled. [26] I have no peace, no quiet, and no
rest; nothing but pain comes on me.
