| New King James Version | 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 Job spoke, and said: | 2Job spoke up and said: |
| 3“May the day perish on which I was born, And the night in which it was said, ‘A male child is conceived.’ | 3"Let the day on which I was born perish, and the night that said, 'A man has been conceived!' |
| 4May that day be darkness; May God above not seek it, Nor the 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 the shadow of death claim it; May a cloud settle on it; May the blackness of the day terrify it. | 5Let darkness and the deepest shadow claim it; let a cloud settle on it; let whatever blackens the day terrify it! |
| 6As for that night, may darkness seize it; May it not rejoice among the days of the year, May it not come into the number 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! |
| 7Oh, may that night be barren! May no joyful shout come into it! | 7Indeed, let that night be barren; let no shout of joy penetrate it! |
| 8May those curse it who curse the day, Those who are ready to arouse Leviathan. | 8Let those who curse the day curse it--those who are prepared to rouse Leviathan. |
| 9May the stars of its morning be dark; May it look for light, but have none, And not see the dawning of the day; | 9Let its morning stars be darkened; let it wait for daylight but find none, nor let it see the first rays of dawn, |
| 10Because it did not shut up the doors of my mother’s womb, Nor hide 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! |
| 11“Why did I not die at birth? Why did I not perish when 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 did the knees receive me? Or why the breasts, that I should nurse? | 12Why did the knees welcome me, and why were there two breasts that I might nurse at them? |
| 13For now I would have lain still and been quiet, I would have been asleep; Then I would have been 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 ruins for themselves, | 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 infants who never saw light? | 16Or why was I not buried like a stillborn infant, like infants who have never seen the light? |
| 17There the wicked cease from troubling, And there the weary are at rest. | 17There the wicked cease from turmoil, and there the weary are at rest. |
| 18There the prisoners rest together; They do not hear the voice of the oppressor. | 18There the prisoners relax together; they do not hear the voice of the oppressor. |
| 19The small and great are there, And the servant is free from his master. | 19Small and great are there, and the slave is free from his master. |
| 20“Why is light given to him who is in misery, 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, but it does not come, And search for it more than hidden treasures; | 21to those who wait for death that does not come, and search for it more than for hidden treasures, |
| 22Who rejoice exceedingly, And are glad when they can find the grave? | 22who rejoice even to jubilation, and are exultant when they find the grave? |
| 23Why is light given to a man whose way is hidden, And whom God has hedged in? | 23Why is light given to a man whose way is hidden, and whom God has hedged in? |
| 24For my sighing comes before I eat, And my groanings pour out like water. | 24For my sighing comes in place of my food, and my groanings flow forth like water. |
| 25For the thing I greatly feared has come upon me, And what I dreaded has happened to me. | 25For the very thing I dreaded has happened to me, and what I feared has come upon me. |
| 26I am not at ease, nor am I quiet; I have no rest, for trouble comes.” | 26I have no ease, I have no quietness; I cannot rest; turmoil has come upon me." |
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