Job Laments His Birth 1 CPDV After this, Job opened his mouth and cursed his day, BSB BSB: After this, Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth.
2 CPDV and this is what he said: BSB BSB: And this is what he said:
3 CPDV May the day perish on which I was born, and the night, in which it was said, “A man has been conceived.” BSB BSB: “May the day of my birth perish, and the night it was said, ‘A boy is conceived.’
4 CPDV May that day be turned into darkness, may God not seek it from above, and may light not illuminate it. BSB BSB: If only that day had turned to darkness! May God above disregard it; may no light shine upon it.
5 CPDV Let darkness and the shadow of death obscure it, let a fog overtake it, and let it be enveloped in bitterness. BSB BSB: May darkness and gloom reclaim it, and a cloud settle over it; may the blackness of the day overwhelm it.
6 CPDV Let a whirlwind of darkness take hold of that night, let it not be counted in the days of the year, nor numbered in the months. BSB BSB: If 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.
7 CPDV May that night be alone and unworthy of praise. BSB BSB: Behold, may that night be barren; may no joyful voice come into it.
8 CPDV May they curse it, who curse the day, who are prepared to awaken a leviathan. BSB BSB: May it be cursed by those who curse the day—those prepared to rouse Leviathan.
9 CPDV Let the stars be concealed with its darkness. Let it expect light, and not see it, nor the rising of the dawn in the East. BSB BSB: May its morning stars grow dark; may it wait in vain for daylight; may it not see the breaking of dawn.
10 CPDV For it did not close the doors of the womb that bore me, nor take away evils from my eyes. BSB BSB: For that night did not shut the doors of the womb to hide the sorrow from my eyes.
11 CPDV Why did I not die in the womb? Having left the womb, why did I not immediately perish? BSB BSB: Why did I not perish at birth; why did I not die as I came from the womb?
12 CPDV Why was I received upon the knees? Why was I suckled at the breasts? BSB BSB: Why were there knees to receive me, and breasts that I should be nursed?
13 CPDV For by now, I should have been sleeping silently, and taking rest in my sleep BSB BSB: For now I would be lying down in peace; I would be asleep and at rest
14 CPDV with the kings and consuls of the earth, who build themselves solitudes, BSB BSB: with kings and counselors of the earth, who built for themselves cities now in ruins,
15 CPDV either with princes, who possess gold and fill their houses with silver, BSB BSB: or with princes who had gold, who filled their houses with silver.
16 CPDV or, like a hidden miscarriage, I should not have continued, just like those who, being conceived, have not seen the light. BSB BSB: Or why was I not hidden like a stillborn child, like an infant who never sees daylight?
17 CPDV There the impious cease from rebellion, and there the wearied in strength take rest. BSB BSB: There the wicked cease from raging, and there the weary find rest.
18 CPDV And at such times, having been bound together without difficulty, they have not heard the voice of the bailiff. BSB BSB: The captives enjoy their ease; they do not hear the voice of the oppressor.
19 CPDV The small and great are there, and the servant is free from his master. BSB BSB: Both small and great are there, and the slave is freed from his master.
20 CPDV Why is light given to the miserable, and life to those who are in bitterness of soul, BSB BSB: Why is light given to the miserable, and life to the bitter of soul,
21 CPDV who expect death, and it does not arrive, like those who dig for treasure BSB BSB: who long for death that does not come, and search for it like hidden treasure,
22 CPDV and who rejoice greatly when they have found the grave, BSB BSB: who rejoice and greatly exult when they reach the grave?
23 CPDV to a man whose way is hidden and whom God has surrounded with darkness? BSB BSB: Why is life given to a man whose way is hidden, whom God has hedged in?
24 CPDV Before I eat, I sigh; and like overflowing waters, so is my howl, BSB BSB: I sigh when food is put before me, and my groans pour out like water.
25 CPDV for the terror that I feared has happened to me, and so has the dread befallen me. BSB BSB: For the thing I feared has overtaken me, and what I dreaded has befallen me.
26 CPDV Have I not remained hidden? Have I not kept silence? Have I not remained calm? Yet indignation has overcome me. BSB BSB: I am not at ease or quiet; I have no rest, for trouble has come.”
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.