11 “Why(A) did I not die at birth?
Why did I not [a]perish when I came from the womb?
12 (B)Why did the knees receive me?
Or why the breasts, that I should nurse?
13 For now I would have lain still and been quiet,
I would have been asleep;
Then I would have been at rest
14 With kings and counselors of the earth,
Who (C)built ruins for themselves,
15 Or with princes who had gold,
Who filled their houses with silver;
16 Or why was I not hidden (D)like a stillborn child,
Like infants who never saw light?
17 There the wicked cease from troubling,
And there the [b]weary are at (E)rest.
18 There the prisoners [c]rest together;
(F)They do not hear the voice of the oppressor.
19 The small and great are there,
And the servant is free from his master.

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Footnotes

  1. Job 3:11 expire
  2. Job 3:17 Lit. weary of strength
  3. Job 3:18 are at ease

11 “Why did I not perish at birth,
    and die as I came from the womb?(A)
12 Why were there knees to receive me(B)
    and breasts that I might be nursed?
13 For now I would be lying down(C) in peace;
    I would be asleep and at rest(D)
14 with kings and rulers of the earth,(E)
    who built for themselves places now lying in ruins,(F)
15 with princes(G) who had gold,
    who filled their houses with silver.(H)
16 Or why was I not hidden away in the ground like a stillborn child,(I)
    like an infant who never saw the light of day?(J)
17 There the wicked cease from turmoil,(K)
    and there the weary are at rest.(L)
18 Captives(M) also enjoy their ease;
    they no longer hear the slave driver’s(N) shout.(O)
19 The small and the great are there,(P)
    and the slaves are freed from their owners.

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