³ “Let the day perish in which I was born,
    and the night that said,
    ‘A male is conceived.’^(A)
4 Let that day be darkness!
    May God above not seek it
    or light shine on it.
⁵ Let gloom and deep darkness claim it.
    Let clouds settle upon it;
    let the blackness of the day terrify it.^(B)
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.^(C)
7 Yes, let that night be barren;
    let no joyful cry be heard^[a] in it.
⁸ Let those curse it who curse the Sea,^[b]
    those who are skilled to rouse up Leviathan.^(D)
9 Let the stars of its dawn be dark;
    let it hope for light but have none;
    may it not see the eyelids of the morning—^(E)
10 because it did not shut the doors of my mother’s womb
    and hide trouble from my eyes.

² “If one ventures a word with you, will you be offended?
    But who can keep from speaking?^(A)
3 See, you have instructed many;
    you have strengthened the weak hands.^(B)
4 Your words have supported those who were stumbling,
    and you have made firm the feeble knees.^(C)
5 But now it has come to you, and you are impatient;
    it touches you, and you are dismayed.^(D)
6 Is not your fear of God your confidence
    and the integrity of your ways your hope?^(E)

⁷ “Think now, who that was innocent ever perished?
    Or where were the upright cut off?^(F)
8 As I have seen, those who plow iniquity
    and sow trouble reap the same.^(G)
9 By the breath of God they perish,
    and by the blast of his anger they are consumed.^(H)

¹¹ “Therefore I will not restrain my mouth;
    I will speak in the anguish of my spirit;
    I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.^(A)
12 Am I the Sea or the Dragon
    that you set a guard over me?^(B)
13 When I say, ‘My bed will comfort me,
    my couch will ease my complaint,’
¹⁴ then you scare me with dreams
    and terrify me with visions,^(C)
15 so that I would choose strangling
    and death rather than this body.
¹⁶ I loathe my life; I would not live forever.
    Let me alone, for my days are a breath.^(D)
17 What are humans, that you make so much of them,
    that you set your mind on them,^(E)
18 visit them every morning,
    test them every moment?
¹⁹ Will you not look away from me for a while,
    let me alone until I swallow my spittle?
²⁰ If I sin, what do I do to you, you watcher of humanity?
    Why have you made me your target?
    Why have I become a burden to you?^(F)
21 Why do you not pardon my transgression
    and take away my iniquity?
For now I shall lie in the earth;
    you will seek me, but I shall not be.”^(G)