3:1 After this Job opened his mouth1 and cursed2 the day he was born.3 3:2 Job spoke up4 and said:
3:3 “Let the day in which5 I was born6 perish,
and the night that said,7
3:4 That day10—let it be darkness;11
let not God on high regard12 it,
nor let light shine13 on it!
3:5 Let darkness and the shadow of death14 claim it;15
let a cloud settle on it;
let whatever blackens the day16 terrify it!
3:6 That night—let darkness seize17 it;
let it not be included18 among the days of the year;
let it not enter among the number of the months!19
3:7 Indeed,20 let that night be barren;21
let no shout of joy22 penetrate23 it!
3:8 Let those who curse the day24 curse it25—
those who are prepared to rouse26 Leviathan.27
3:9 Let its morning stars28 be darkened;
let it wait29 for daylight but find none,30
nor let it see the first rays31 of dawn,32
3:10 because it33 did not shut the doors34 of my mother’s womb on me,35
nor did it hide trouble36 from my eyes!
Job Wishes He Had Died at Birth37
3:11 “Why did I not38 die39 at birth,40
and why did I not expire
when41 I came out of the womb?
3:12 Why did the knees welcome me,42
and why were there43 two breasts44
that I might nurse at them?45
3:13 For now46 I would be lying down
I would be asleep and then at peace49
3:14 with kings and counselors of the earth
who built for themselves places now desolate,50
3:15 or with princes who had gold,51
who filled their houses52 with silver.
3:16 Or why53 was54 I not buried55
like a stillborn infant,56
like infants57 who have never seen the light?58
3:17 There59 the wicked60 cease61 from turmoil,62
and there the weary63 are at rest.
3:18 There64 the prisoners65 rest66 together;67
they do not hear the voice of the oppressor.68
3:19 Small and great are69 there,
and the slave is free70 from his master.71
Longing for Death72
3:20 “Why does God73 give74 light to one who is in misery,75
and life to those76 whose soul is bitter,
3:21 to77 those who wait78 for death that79 does not come,
and search for it80
more than for hidden treasures,
3:22 who rejoice81 even to jubilation,82
and are exultant83 when84 they find the grave?85
3:23 Why is light given86 to a man87
whose way is hidden,88
and whom God has hedged in?89
3:24 For my sighing comes in place of90 my food,91
and my groanings92 flow forth like water.93
3:25 For the thing that I dreaded94 has happened95 to me,
and what I feared has come upon me.96
3:26 I have no ease,97 I have no quietness;
I cannot rest;98 turmoil has come upon me.”99
Eliphaz Begins to Speak100