Job 3  Holman Christian Standard Bible

³ May the day I was born perish,
and the night when they said,
“A boy is conceived.”^(A)
4 If only that day had turned to darkness!
May God above not care about it,
or light shine on it.
⁵ May darkness and gloom^(B) reclaim it,
and a cloud settle over it.
May an eclipse of the sun^[a] terrify it.
⁶ If only darkness had taken that night away!
May it not appear^[b] among the days of the year
or be listed in the calendar.^[c]
7 Yes, may that night be barren;
may no joyful shout^(C) be heard in it.
⁸ Let those who curse certain days
cast a spell^(D) on it,
those who are skilled in rousing Leviathan.^(E)
9 May its morning stars grow dark.
May it wait for daylight but have none;
may it not see the breaking^[d] of dawn.
¹⁰ For that night did not shut
the doors of my mother’s womb,
and hide sorrow from my eyes.

¹¹ Why was I not stillborn;
why didn’t I die as I came from the womb?^(F)
12 Why did the knees receive me,
and why were there breasts for me to nurse?^(G)
13 Now I would certainly be lying down in peace;
I would be asleep.^(H)
Then I would be at rest^(I)
14 with the kings and counselors^(J) of the earth,
who rebuilt ruined cities for themselves,
¹⁵ or with princes who had gold,
who filled their houses^(K) with silver.
¹⁶ Or why was I not hidden like a miscarried child,^(L)
like infants who never see daylight?
¹⁷ There the wicked^(M) cease to make trouble,
and there the weary find rest.
¹⁸ The captives are completely at ease;^(N)
they do not hear the voice of their oppressor.^(O)
19 Both small and great are there,
and the slave is set free from his master.^(P)

²⁰ Why is light given to one burdened with grief,
and life to those whose existence is bitter,^(Q)
21 who wait for death,^(R) but it does not come,
and search for it more than for hidden treasure,
²² who are filled with much joy
and are glad when they reach the grave?^(S)
23 Why is life given to a man whose path is hidden,^(T)
whom God has hedged in?
²⁴ I sigh when food^(U) is put before me,^[e]
and my groans pour out like water.^(V)
25 For the thing I feared has overtaken me,
and what I dreaded has happened to me.^(W)
26 I cannot relax or be still;
I have no rest,^(X) for trouble comes.