New Living Translation | Berean Study Bible |
1At last Job spoke, and he cursed the day of his birth. | 1After this, Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth. |
2He said: | 2And this is what he said: |
3“Let the day of my birth be erased, and the night I was conceived. | 3“May the day of my birth perish, and the night it was said, ‘A boy is conceived.’ |
4Let that day be turned to darkness. Let it be lost even to God on high, and let no light shine on it. | 4If only that day had turned to darkness! May God above disregard it; may no light shine upon it. |
5Let the darkness and utter gloom claim that day for its own. Let a black cloud overshadow it, and let the darkness terrify it. | 5May darkness and gloom reclaim it, and a cloud settle over it; may the blackness of the day overwhelm it. |
6Let that night be blotted off the calendar, never again to be counted among the days of the year, never again to appear among the months. | 6If only darkness had taken that night away! May it not appear among the days of the year; may it never be entered in any of the months. |
7Let that night be childless. Let it have no joy. | 7Behold, may that night be barren; may no joyful voice come into it. |
8Let those who are experts at cursing— whose cursing could rouse Leviathan — curse that day. | 8May it be cursed by those who curse the day—those prepared to rouse Leviathan. |
9Let its morning stars remain dark. Let it hope for light, but in vain; may it never see the morning light. | 9May its morning stars grow dark; may it wait in vain for daylight; may it not see the breaking of dawn. |
10Curse that day for failing to shut my mother’s womb, for letting me be born to see all this trouble. | 10For that night did not shut the doors of the womb to hide the sorrow from my eyes. |
11“Why wasn’t I born dead? Why didn’t I die as I came from the womb? | 11Why did I not perish at birth; why did I not die as I came from the womb? |
12Why was I laid on my mother’s lap? Why did she nurse me at her breasts? | 12Why were there knees to receive me, and breasts that I should be nursed? |
13Had I died at birth, I would now be at peace. I would be asleep and at rest. | 13For now I would be lying down in peace; I would be asleep and at rest |
14I would rest with the world’s kings and prime ministers, whose great buildings now lie in ruins. | 14with kings and counselors of the earth, who built for themselves cities now in ruins, |
15I would rest with princes, rich in gold, whose palaces were filled with silver. | 15or with princes who had gold, who filled their houses with silver. |
16Why wasn’t I buried like a stillborn child, like a baby who never lives to see the light? | 16Or why was I not hidden like a stillborn child, like an infant who never sees daylight? |
17For in death the wicked cause no trouble, and the weary are at rest. | 17There the wicked cease from raging, and there the weary find rest. |
18Even captives are at ease in death, with no guards to curse them. | 18The captives enjoy their ease; they do not hear the voice of the oppressor. |
19Rich and poor are both there, and the slave is free from his master. | 19Both small and great are there, and the slave is freed from his master. |
20“Oh, why give light to those in misery, and life to those who are bitter? | 20Why is light given to the miserable, and life to the bitter of soul, |
21They long for death, and it won’t come. They search for death more eagerly than for hidden treasure. | 21who long for death that does not come, and search for it like hidden treasure, |
22They’re filled with joy when they finally die, and rejoice when they find the grave. | 22who rejoice and greatly exult when they can find the grave? |
23Why is life given to those with no future, those God has surrounded with difficulties? | 23Why is life given to a man whose way is hidden, whom God has hedged in? |
24I cannot eat for sighing; my groans pour out like water. | 24I sigh when food is put before me, and my groans pour out like water. |
25What I always feared has happened to me. What I dreaded has come true. | 25For the thing I feared has overtaken me, and what I dreaded has befallen me. |
26I have no peace, no quietness. I have no rest; only trouble comes.” | 26I am not at ease or quiet; I have no rest, for trouble has come.” |
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