Job 3
Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition
3 After this Job opened his mouth, and cursed his day,
2 And he said:
3 Let the day perish wherein I was born, and the night in which it was said: A man child is conceived.
4 Let that day be turned into darkness, let not God regard it from above, and let not the light shine upon it.
5 Let darkness, and the shadow of death cover it, let a mist overspread it, and let it be wrapped up in bitterness.
6 Let a darksome whirlwind seize upon that night, let it not be counted in the days of the year, nor numbered in the months.
7 Let that night be solitary, and not worthy of praise.
8 Let them curse it who curse the day. who are ready to raise up a leviathan:
9 Let the stars be darkened with the mist thereof: let it expect light and not see it, nor the rising of the dawning of the day:
10 Because it shut not up the doors of the womb that bore me, nor took away evils from my eyes.
11 Why did I not die in the womb, why did I not perish when I came out of the belly?
12 Why received upon the knees? why suckled at the breasts?
13 For now I should have been asleep and still, and should have rest in my sleep.
14 With kings and consuls of the earth, who build themselves solitudes:
15 Or with princes, that possess gold, and All their houses with silver:
16 Or as a hidden untimely birth I should not be, or as they that being conceived have not seen the light.
17 There the wicked cease from tumult, and there the wearied in strength are at rest.
18 And they sometime bound together without disquiet, have not heard the voice of the oppressor.
19 The small and great are there, and the servant is free from his master.
20 Why is light given to him that is in misery, and life to them that are in bitterness of soul?
21 That look for death, and it cometh not, as they that dig for a treasure:
22 And they rejoice exceedingly when they have found the grave.
23 To a man whose way is hidden, and God hath surrounded him with darkness?
24 Before I eat I sigh: and as overflowing waters, so is my roaring:
25 For the fear which I feared hath come upon me: and that which I was afraid of, hath befallen me.
26 Have I not dissembled? have I not kept silence? have I not been quiet? and indignation is come upon me.
Job 3
Christian Standard Bible
Job’s Opening Speech
3 After this, Job began to speak and cursed the day he was born. 2 He said:
3 May the day I was born perish,
and the night that said,
“A boy is conceived.”(A)
4 If only that day had turned to darkness!
May God above not care about it,
or light shine on it.
5 May darkness and gloom(B) reclaim it,
and a cloud settle over it.
May what darkens the day terrify it.
6 If only darkness had taken that night away!
May it not appear[a] among the days of the year
or be listed in the calendar.[b]
7 Yes, may that night be barren;
may no joyful shout(C) be heard in it.
8 Let those who curse days
condemn(D) it,
those who are ready to rouse Leviathan.(E)
9 May its morning stars grow dark.
May it wait for daylight but have none;
may it not see the breaking[c] of dawn.
10 For that night did not shut
the doors of my mother’s womb,
and hide sorrow from my eyes.
11 Why was I not stillborn;
why didn’t I die as I came from the womb?(F)
12 Why did the knees receive me,
and why were there breasts for me to nurse?(G)
13 Now I would certainly be lying down in peace;
I would be asleep.(H)
Then I would be at rest(I)
14 with the kings and counselors(J) of the earth,
who rebuilt ruined cities for themselves,
15 or with princes who had gold,
who filled their houses(K) with silver.
16 Or why was I not hidden like a miscarried child,(L)
like infants who never see daylight?
17 There the wicked(M) cease to make trouble,
and there the weary find rest.
18 The captives are completely at rest;(N)
they do not hear a taskmaster’s voice.(O)
19 Both small and great are there,
and the slave is set free from his master.(P)
20 Why is light given to one burdened with grief,
and life to those whose existence is bitter,(Q)
21 who wait for death,(R) but it does not come,
and search for it more than for hidden treasure,
22 who are filled with much joy
and are glad when they reach the grave?(S)
23 Why is life given to a man whose path is hidden,(T)
whom God has hedged in?
24 I sigh when food(U) is put before me,[d]
and my groans pour out like water.(V)
25 For the thing I feared has overtaken me,
and what I dreaded has happened to me.(W)
26 I cannot relax or be calm;
I have no rest,(X) for turmoil has come.
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