| New King James Version | New International Version |
| 1After this Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth. | 1After this, Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth. |
| 2And Job spoke, and said: | 2He 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"May the day of my birth perish, and the night that said, 'A boy is conceived!' |
| 4May that day be darkness; May God above not seek it, Nor the light shine upon it. | 4That day--may it turn to darkness; may God above not care about it; may no 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. | 5May gloom and utter darkness claim it once more; may a cloud settle over it; may blackness overwhelm 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--may thick darkness seize it; may it not be included among the days of the year nor be entered in any of the months. |
| 7Oh, may that night be barren! May no joyful shout come into it! | 7May that night be barren; may no shout of joy be heard in it. |
| 8May those curse it who curse the day, Those who are ready to arouse Leviathan. | 8May those who curse days curse that day, those who are ready 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; | 9May its morning stars become dark; may it wait for daylight in vain and not 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. | 10for it did not shut the doors of the womb on me to 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 perish at birth, and die as I came from the womb? |
| 12Why did the knees receive me? Or why the breasts, that I should nurse? | 12Why were there knees to receive me and breasts that I might be nursed? |
| 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 in peace; I would be asleep and at rest |
| 14With kings and counselors of the earth, Who built ruins for themselves, | 14with kings and rulers of the earth, who built for themselves places now lying in ruins, |
| 15Or with princes who had gold, Who filled their houses with silver; | 15with princes who had gold, who filled their houses with silver. |
| 16Or why was I not hidden like a stillborn child, Like infants who never saw light? | 16Or why was I not hidden away in the ground like a stillborn child, like an infant who never saw the light of day? |
| 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. | 18Captives also enjoy their ease; they no longer hear the slave driver's shout. |
| 19The small and great are there, And the servant is free from his master. | 19The small and the great are there, and the slaves are freed from their owners. |
| 20“Why is light given to him who is in misery, And life to the bitter of soul, | 20"Why is light given to those in misery, and life to the bitter of soul, |
| 21Who long for death, but it does not come, And search for it more than hidden treasures; | 21to those who long for death that does not come, who search for it more than for hidden treasure, |
| 22Who rejoice exceedingly, And are glad when they can find the grave? | 22who are filled with gladness and rejoice when they reach the grave? |
| 23Why is light given to a man whose way is hidden, And whom God has hedged in? | 23Why is life given to a man whose way is hidden, whom God has hedged in? |
| 24For my sighing comes before I eat, And my groanings pour out like water. | 24For sighing has become my daily food; my groans pour out like water. |
| 25For the thing I greatly feared has come upon me, And what I dreaded has happened to me. | 25What I feared has come upon me; what I dreaded has happened to me. |
| 26I am not at ease, nor am I quiet; I have no rest, for trouble comes.” | 26I have no peace, no quietness; I have no rest, but only turmoil." |
| The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. | 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. |
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