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Job 3
1599 Geneva Bible
Job 3
1599 Geneva Bible
3 1 Job complaineth, and curseth the day of his birth. 11 He desireth to die, as though death were the end of all man’s misery.
1 Afterward [a]Job opened his mouth, and [b]cursed his day.
2 And Job cried out, and said,
3 Let the day [c]perish wherein I was born, and the night when it was said, There is a man child conceived.
4 Let that day be darkness, let not God [d]regard it from above, neither let the light shine upon it,
5 But let darkness and the [e]shadow of death stain it: let the cloud remain upon it, and let them make it fearful as a bitter day.
6 Let darkness possess that night, let it not be joined unto the days of the year, nor let it come into the count of the months.
7 Yea, desolate be that night, and let no joy be in it.
8 Let them that curse the day, (being [f]ready to renew their mourning) curse it.
9 Let the stars of that twilight be dim through darkness of it: let it look for light, but have none: neither let it [g]see [h]the dawning of the day,
10 Because it shut not up the doors of my mother’s womb, nor hid sorrow from mine eyes.
11 [i]Why died I not in the birth? or why died I not, when I came out of the womb?
12 Why did the knees prevent me? and why did I suck the breasts?
13 For so should I now have [j]lain and been quiet, I should have slept then, and been at rest,
14 With the kings and counselors of the earth, which have built themselves [k]desolate places:
15 Or with the princes that had gold, and have filled their houses with silver.
16 Or why was I not hid, as an untimely birth, either as infants, which have not seen the light?
17 The wicked [l]have there ceased from their tyranny, and there they that labored valiantly, are at rest.
18 The [m]prisoners rest together, and hear not the voice of the oppressor.
19 There are small and great, and the servant is free from his master.
20 Wherefore is the light given to him that is in misery? and [n]life unto them that have heavy hearts?
21 Which long for death, and if it come not, they would even search it more than treasures:
22 Which joy for gladness, and rejoice, when they can find the grave.
23 Why is the light given to the man whose way is [o]hid, and whom God hath hedged in?
24 For my sighing cometh before I eat, and my roarings are poured out like the water.
25 For the thing I [p]feared, is come upon me, and the thing that I was afraid of, is come unto me.
26 I had no peace, neither had I quietness, neither had I rest, [q]yet trouble is come.
Footnotes
- Job 3:1 The seven days ended, Job 2:13.
- Job 3:1 Here Job beginneth to feel his great imperfection in this battle between the spirit and the flesh, Rom. 7:18, and after a manner yieldeth, yet in the end he getteth victory, though he was in the mean time greatly wounded.
- Job 3:3 Men ought not to be weary of their life, and curse it, because of the infirmities that it is subject unto, but because they are given to sin and rebellion against God.
- Job 3:4 Let it be put out of the number of days, and let it not have the light of the Sun to separate it from the night.
- Job 3:5 That is, most obscure darkness, which maketh them afraid of death that are in it.
- Job 3:8 Which curse the day of their birth, let them lay that curse upon this night.
- Job 3:9 Let it be always night, and never see day.
- Job 3:9 Hebrew, The eyelids of the morning.
- Job 3:11 This, and that which followeth, declareth, that when man giveth place to his passions, he is not able to stay nor keep measure, but runneth headlong into all evil, except God call him back.
- Job 3:13 The vehemency of his afflictions made him to utter these words, as though death were the end of all miseries, and as if there were no life after this, which he speaketh not as though it were so, but the infirmities of his flesh caused him to burst out in this error of the wicked.
- Job 3:14 He noteth the ambition of them, which for their pleasure as it were change the order of nature, and build in most barren places, because they would hereby make their names immortal.
- Job 3:17 That is, by death the cruelty of the tyrants hath ceased.
- Job 3:18 All they that sustain any kind of calamity and misery in this world: which he speaketh after the judgment of the flesh.
- Job 3:20 He showeth that the benefits of God are not comfortable, expect the heart be joyful, and the conscience quieted.
- Job 3:23 That seeth not how to come out of his miseries, because he dependeth not on God’s providence.
- Job 3:25 In my prosperity I looked ever for a fall, as is come now to pass.
- Job 3:26 The fear of troubles that should ensue, caused my prosperity to seem to me as nothing, and yet I am not exempted from trouble.
Job 3
New International Version
Job 3
New International Version
Job Speaks
3 After this, Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth.(A) 2 He said:
3 “May the day of my birth perish,
and the night that said, ‘A boy is conceived!’(B)
4 That day—may it turn to darkness;
may God above not care about it;
may no light shine on it.
5 May gloom and utter darkness(C) claim it once more;
may a cloud settle over it;
may blackness overwhelm it.
6 That night—may thick darkness(D) seize it;
may it not be included among the days of the year
nor be entered in any of the months.
7 May that night be barren;
may no shout of joy(E) be heard in it.
8 May those who curse days[a] curse that day,(F)
those who are ready to rouse Leviathan.(G)
9 May its morning stars become dark;
may it wait for daylight in vain
and not see the first rays of dawn,(H)
10 for it did not shut the doors of the womb on me
to hide trouble from my eyes.
11 “Why did I not perish at birth,
and die as I came from the womb?(I)
12 Why were there knees to receive me(J)
and breasts that I might be nursed?
13 For now I would be lying down(K) in peace;
I would be asleep and at rest(L)
14 with kings and rulers of the earth,(M)
who built for themselves places now lying in ruins,(N)
15 with princes(O) who had gold,
who filled their houses with silver.(P)
16 Or why was I not hidden away in the ground like a stillborn child,(Q)
like an infant who never saw the light of day?(R)
17 There the wicked cease from turmoil,(S)
and there the weary are at rest.(T)
18 Captives(U) also enjoy their ease;
they no longer hear the slave driver’s(V) shout.(W)
19 The small and the great are there,(X)
and the slaves are freed from their owners.
20 “Why is light given to those in misery,
and life to the bitter of soul,(Y)
21 to those who long for death that does not come,(Z)
who search for it more than for hidden treasure,(AA)
22 who are filled with gladness
and rejoice when they reach the grave?(AB)
23 Why is life given to a man
whose way is hidden,(AC)
whom God has hedged in?(AD)
24 For sighing(AE) has become my daily food;(AF)
my groans(AG) pour out like water.(AH)
25 What I feared has come upon me;
what I dreaded(AI) has happened to me.(AJ)
26 I have no peace,(AK) no quietness;
I have no rest,(AL) but only turmoil.”(AM)
Footnotes
- Job 3:8 Or curse the sea
Job 3
English Standard Version
Job 3
English Standard Version
Job Laments His Birth
3 After this Job (A)opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth. 2 And Job said:
3 (B)“Let the day perish on which I was born,
and the night that said,
‘A man is conceived.’
4 Let that day be darkness!
May God above not seek it,
nor light shine upon it.
5 Let gloom and (C)deep darkness claim it.
Let clouds dwell upon it;
let the blackness of the day terrify it.
6 That night—let thick 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 cry enter it.
8 Let those curse it who curse the day,
who are ready to rouse up (D)Leviathan.
9 Let the stars of its dawn be dark;
let it hope for light, but have none,
nor see (E)the eyelids of the morning,
10 because it did not shut the doors of my mother's womb,
nor hide trouble from my eyes.
11 “Why (F)did I not die at birth,
come out from the womb and expire?
12 Why did (G)the knees receive me?
Or why the breasts, that I should nurse?
13 For then I would have lain down and been quiet;
I would have slept; then I would have been at rest,
14 with kings and counselors of the earth
who (H)rebuilt ruins for themselves,
15 or with princes who had gold,
who filled their houses with silver.
16 Or why was I not as a hidden (I)stillborn child,
as infants who never see the light?
17 There the wicked cease from troubling,
and there the weary are at (J)rest.
18 There the prisoners are at ease together;
they hear not the voice of (K)the taskmaster.
19 The small and the great are there,
and the slave is free from his master.
20 “Why is light given to him who is in misery,
and life to (L)the bitter in soul,
21 who (M)long for death, but it comes not,
and dig for it more than for (N)hidden treasures,
22 who rejoice exceedingly
and are glad when they find the grave?
23 Why is light given to a man whose (O)way is hidden,
whom God has (P)hedged in?
24 For my sighing comes (Q)instead of[a] my bread,
and my (R)groanings are poured out like water.
25 (S)For the thing that I fear comes upon me,
and what I dread befalls me.
26 I am not at ease, nor am I quiet;
I have no rest, but trouble comes.”
Footnotes
- Job 3:24 Or like; Hebrew before
Job 3
Christian Standard Bible Anglicised
Job 3
Christian Standard Bible Anglicised
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 at?(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 counsellors(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.
1599 Geneva Bible (GNV) 
Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
Christian Standard Bible Anglicised (CSBA)
Copyright © 2024 by Holman Bible Publishers.