1  After this opened Job his mouth, and cursed his day. 2  And Job spake, and said,* spake: Heb. answered 3  Let the day perish wherein I was born, and the night in which it was said, There is a man child conceived. 4  Let that day be darkness; let not God regard it from above, neither let the light shine upon it. 5  Let darkness and the shadow of death stain it; let a cloud dwell upon it; let the blackness of the day terrify it.† stain: or, challenge‡ let the…: or, let them terrify it, as those who have a bitter day 6 As for that night, let darkness seize upon it; let it not be joined unto the days of the year, let it not come into the number of the months.§ let it not be…: or, let it not rejoice among the days 7  Lo, let that night be solitary, let no joyful voice come therein. 8  Let them curse it that curse the day, who are ready to raise up their mourning.** their…: or, leviathan 9  Let the stars of the twilight thereof be dark; let it look for light, but have none; neither let it see the dawning of the day:†† the dawning…: Heb. the eyelids of the morning 10  Because it shut not up the doors of my mother’s womb, nor hid sorrow from mine eyes.

11  Why died I not from the womb? why did I not give up the ghost when I came out of the belly? 12  Why did the knees prevent me? or why the breasts that I should suck? 13  For now should I have lain still and been quiet, I should have slept: then had I been at rest, 14  With kings and counsellors of the earth, which built desolate places for themselves; 15  Or with princes that had gold, who filled their houses with silver: 16  Or as an hidden untimely birth I had not been; as infants which never saw light. 17  There the wicked cease from troubling; and there the weary be at rest.‡‡ weary: Heb. wearied in strength 18  There the prisoners rest together; they hear not the voice of the oppressor. 19  The small and great are there; and the servant is free from his master.

20  Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery, and life unto the bitter in soul; 21  Which long for death, but it cometh not; and dig for it more than for hid treasures;§§ long: Heb. wait 22  Which rejoice exceedingly, and are glad, when they can find the grave? 23  Why is light given to a man whose way is hid, and whom God hath hedged in? 24  For my sighing cometh before I eat, and my roarings are poured out like the waters.*** I eat: Heb. my meat 25  For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me.††† the thing…: Heb. I feared a fear, and it came upon me 26  I was not in safety, neither had I rest, neither was I quiet; yet trouble came.