Berean Study Bible | NET Bible |
1After this, Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth. | 1After this Job opened his mouth and cursed the day he was born. |
2And this is what he said: | 2Job spoke up and said: |
3“May the day of my birth perish, and the night it was said, ‘A boy is conceived.’ | 3"Let the day on which I was born perish, and the night that said, 'A man has been conceived!' |
4If only that day had turned to darkness! May God above disregard it; may no light shine upon it. | 4That day--let it be darkness; let not God on high regard it, nor let light shine on it! |
5May darkness and gloom reclaim it, and a cloud settle over it; may the blackness of the day overwhelm it. | 5Let darkness and the deepest shadow claim it; let a cloud settle on it; let whatever blackens the day terrify it! |
6If only darkness had taken that night away! May it not appear among the days of the year; may it never be entered in any of the months. | 6That night--let darkness seize it; let it not be included among the days of the year; let it not enter among the number of the months! |
7Behold, may that night be barren; may no joyful voice come into it. | 7Indeed, let that night be barren; let no shout of joy penetrate it! |
8May it be cursed by those who curse the day—those prepared to rouse Leviathan. | 8Let those who curse the day curse it--those who are prepared to rouse Leviathan. |
9May its morning stars grow dark; may it wait in vain for daylight; may it not see the breaking of dawn. | 9Let its morning stars be darkened; let it wait for daylight but find none, nor let it see the first rays of dawn, |
10For that night did not shut the doors of the womb to hide the sorrow from my eyes. | 10because it did not shut the doors of my mother's womb on me, nor did it hide trouble from my eyes! |
11Why did I not perish at birth; why did I not die as I came from the womb? | 11"Why did I not die at birth, and why did I not expire as I came out of the womb? |
12Why were there knees to receive me, and breasts that I should be nursed? | 12Why did the knees welcome me, and why were there two breasts that I might nurse at them? |
13For now I would be lying down in peace; I would be asleep and at rest | 13For now I would be lying down and would be quiet, I would be asleep and then at peace |
14with kings and counselors of the earth, who built for themselves cities now in ruins, | 14with kings and counselors of the earth who built for themselves places now desolate, |
15or with princes who had gold, who filled their houses with silver. | 15or with princes who possessed gold, who filled their palaces with silver. |
16Or why was I not hidden like a stillborn child, like an infant who never sees daylight? | 16Or why was I not buried like a stillborn infant, like infants who have never seen the light? |
17There the wicked cease from raging, and there the weary find rest. | 17There the wicked cease from turmoil, and there the weary are at rest. |
18The captives enjoy their ease; they do not hear the voice of the oppressor. | 18There the prisoners relax together; they do not hear the voice of the oppressor. |
19Both small and great are there, and the slave is freed from his master. | 19Small and great are there, and the slave is free from his master. |
20Why is light given to the miserable, and life to the bitter of soul, | 20"Why does God give light to one who is in misery, and life to those whose soul is bitter, |
21who long for death that does not come, and search for it like hidden treasure, | 21to those who wait for death that does not come, and search for it more than for hidden treasures, |
22who rejoice and greatly exult when they can find the grave? | 22who rejoice even to jubilation, and are exultant when they find the grave? |
23Why is life given to a man whose way is hidden, whom God has hedged in? | 23Why is light given to a man whose way is hidden, and whom God has hedged in? |
24I sigh when food is put before me, and my groans pour out like water. | 24For my sighing comes in place of my food, and my groanings flow forth like water. |
25For the thing I feared has overtaken me, and what I dreaded has befallen me. | 25For the very thing I dreaded has happened to me, and what I feared has come upon me. |
26I am not at ease or quiet; I have no rest, for trouble has come.” | 26I have no ease, I have no quietness; I cannot rest; turmoil has come upon me." |
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