Add parallel Print Page Options

18 “‘Why, then, have you brought me out of the womb?
    I wish I had given up the spirit, and no eye had seen me.
19 I should have been as though I had not been.
    I should have been carried from the womb to the grave.
20 Aren’t my days few?
    Stop!
Leave me alone, that I may find a little comfort,
21     before I go where I will not return from,
    to the land of darkness and of the shadow of death;
22 the land dark as midnight,
    of the shadow of death,
    without any order,
    where the light is as midnight.’”

Read full chapter

18 “ ‘Why did you bring me forth from the womb?
    Would that I had died before any eye had seen me(A)
19 and were as though I had not been,
    carried from the womb to the grave.
20 Are not the days of my life few?[a]
    Let me alone, that I may find a little comfort[b](B)
21 before I go, never to return,
    to the land of gloom and deep darkness,
22 the land of gloom[c] and chaos,
    where light is like darkness.’ ”

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 10.20 Cn Compare Gk Syr: Heb Are not my days few? Let him cease!
  2. 10.20 Heb that I may brighten up a little
  3. 10.22 Heb gloom as darkness, deep darkness

18 “Why then did you bring me out of the womb?(A)
    I wish I had died before any eye saw me.(B)
19 If only I had never come into being,
    or had been carried straight from the womb to the grave!(C)
20 Are not my few days(D) almost over?(E)
    Turn away from me(F) so I can have a moment’s joy(G)
21 before I go to the place of no return,(H)
    to the land of gloom and utter darkness,(I)
22 to the land of deepest night,
    of utter darkness(J) and disorder,
    where even the light is like darkness.”(K)

Read full chapter