| New International Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1After this, Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth. | 1After this, Job began to speak and cursed the day he was born. |
| 3"May the day of my birth perish, and the night that said, 'A boy is conceived!' | 3May the day I was born perish, and the night when they said, "A boy is conceived." |
| 4That day--may it turn to darkness; may God above not care about it; may no light shine on it. | 4If only that day had turned to darkness! May God above not care about it, or light shine on it. |
| 5May gloom and utter darkness claim it once more; may a cloud settle over it; may blackness overwhelm it. | 5May darkness and gloom reclaim it, and a cloud settle over it. May an eclipse of the sun terrify it. |
| 6That night--may thick darkness seize it; may it not be included among the days of the year nor be entered in any of the months. | 6If only darkness had taken that night away! May it not appear among the days of the year or be listed in the calendar. |
| 7May that night be barren; may no shout of joy be heard in it. | 7Yes, may that night be barren; may no joyful shout be heard in it. |
| 8May those who curse days curse that day, those who are ready to rouse Leviathan. | 8Let those who curse certain days cast a spell on it, those who are skilled in rousing Leviathan. |
| 9May its morning stars become dark; may it wait for daylight in vain and not see the first rays of dawn, | 9May its morning stars grow dark. May it wait for daylight but have none; may it not see the breaking of dawn. |
| 10for it did not shut the doors of the womb on me to hide trouble from my eyes. | 10For that night did not shut the doors of my mother's womb, and hide sorrow from my eyes. |
| 11"Why did I not perish at birth, and die as I came from the womb? | 11Why was I not stillborn; why didn't I die as I came from the womb? |
| 12Why were there knees to receive me and breasts that I might be nursed? | 12Why did the knees receive me, and why were there breasts for me to nurse? |
| 13For now I would be lying down in peace; I would be asleep and at rest | 13Now I would certainly be lying down in peace; I would be asleep. Then I would be at rest |
| 14with kings and rulers of the earth, who built for themselves places now lying in ruins, | 14with the kings and counselors of the earth, who rebuilt ruined cities for themselves, |
| 15with princes who had gold, who filled their houses with silver. | 15or with princes who had gold, who filled their houses with silver. |
| 16Or why was I not hidden away in the ground like a stillborn child, like an infant who never saw the light of day? | 16Or why was I not hidden like a miscarried child, like infants who never see daylight? |
| 17There the wicked cease from turmoil, and there the weary are at rest. | 17There the wicked cease to make trouble, and there the weary find rest. |
| 18Captives also enjoy their ease; they no longer hear the slave driver's shout. | 18The captives are completely at ease; they do not hear the voice of their oppressor. |
| 19The small and the great are there, and the slaves are freed from their owners. | 19Both small and great are there, and the slave is set free from his master. |
| 20"Why is light given to those in misery, and life to the bitter of soul, | 20Why is light given to one burdened with grief, and life to those whose existence is bitter, |
| 21to those who long for death that does not come, who search for it more than for hidden treasure, | 21who wait for death, but it does not come, and search for it more than for hidden treasure, |
| 22who are filled with gladness and rejoice when they reach the grave? | 22who are filled with much joy and are glad when they reach the grave? |
| 23Why is life given to a man whose way is hidden, whom God has hedged in? | 23Why is life given to a man whose path is hidden, whom God has hedged in? |
| 24For sighing has become my daily food; my groans pour out like water. | 24I sigh when food is put before me, and my groans pour out like water. |
| 25What I feared has come upon me; what I dreaded has happened to me. | 25For the thing I feared has overtaken me, and what I dreaded has happened to me. |
| 26I have no peace, no quietness; I have no rest, but only turmoil." | 26I cannot relax or be still; I have no rest, for trouble comes. |
| 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. | Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. |
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