Job Laments His Birth 1 UDB Finally, Job spoke, and he cursed the day that he was born. BSB BSB: After this, Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth.
2 UDB He said, BSB BSB: And this is what he said:
3 UDB "I wish that the day when I was born could be eradicated, the night when I was born. BSB BSB: “May the day of my birth perish, and the night it was said, ‘A boy is conceived.’
4 UDB I wish that the day when I was born could have been dark. I wish that God who is in heaven would forget about that day, and that the sun would not have shone on it. BSB BSB: If only that day had turned to darkness! May God above disregard it; may no light shine upon it.
5 UDB I wish that thick darkness would have filled that day, and that death would have come over it like a shadow and blotted out all light, and caused the people then to be terrified. BSB BSB: May darkness and gloom reclaim it, and a cloud settle over it; may the blackness of the day overwhelm it.
6 UDB I wish that the night when I was born would be erased from the calendar, that it would never again appear as one night in any month, and that it would not be included in any calendar. 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 UDB I wish that no child would again be born on that date, and that no one would again be happy then. BSB BSB: Behold, may that night be barren; may no joyful voice come into it.
8 UDB The magicians who are able to awaken the great sea monster—I want them to curse the day I was born. BSB BSB: May it be cursed by those who curse the day—those prepared to rouse Leviathan.
9 UDB I wish that the stars that shone early in the morning on that day after I was born may not shine again. If only those stars had wished in vain for light to shine, and that they had not shone on that day. BSB BSB: May its morning stars grow dark; may it wait in vain for daylight; may it not see the breaking of dawn.
10 UDB That was an evil day because my mother's womb was not closed; instead, I was born, and I have now experienced all these terrible things. BSB BSB: For that night did not shut the doors of the womb to hide the sorrow from my eyes.
11 UDB I wish that I had died when I was born; I wish I had perished when I came out from my mother's womb. BSB BSB: Why did I not perish at birth; why did I not die as I came from the womb?
12 UDB I wish that my mother had never welcomed me. I wish that she had not nursed me at her breasts. BSB BSB: Why were there knees to receive me, and breasts that I should be nursed?
13 UDB If I had died at the time when I was born, I would now be asleep, resting peacefully. BSB BSB: For now I would be lying down in peace; I would be asleep and at rest
14 UDB I would be resting with kings who built beautiful tombs which are now in ruins, and I would be resting with their officials who have also died. BSB BSB: with kings and counselors of the earth, who built for themselves cities now in ruins,
15 UDB I would be resting with princes who were wealthy, whose palaces were filled with gold and silver. BSB BSB: or with princes who had gold, who filled their houses with silver.
16 UDB I wish that I had been buried like a child who had died in its mother's womb and never lived to see the light. BSB BSB: Or why was I not hidden like a stillborn child, like an infant who never sees daylight?
17 UDB After wicked people die, they do not cause any more troubles; those who are very tired now will rest. BSB BSB: There the wicked cease from raging, and there the weary find rest.
18 UDB Those who were in prison rest peacefully after they die; they no longer have slave drivers who curse them. BSB BSB: The captives enjoy their ease; they do not hear the voice of the oppressor.
19 UDB Rich people and poor people are alike after they die, and those who were slaves no longer have to obey their masters. BSB BSB: Both small and great are there, and the slave is freed from his master.
20 UDB Why does God allow those who are suffering greatly like me to continue to remain alive? Why does he allow them to live, those who are very miserable? BSB BSB: Why is light given to the miserable, and life to the bitter of soul,
21 UDB They long to die, but they do not die. They desire to die more than people desire to find hidden treasure. BSB BSB: who long for death that does not come, and search for it like hidden treasure,
22 UDB When they finally die and are buried, they are very happy. BSB BSB: who rejoice and greatly exult when they reach the grave?
23 UDB I do not understand why God keeps alive anyone whom he keeps from being happy, anyone whom he forces to live in misery. BSB BSB: Why is life given to a man whose way is hidden, whom God has hedged in?
24 UDB I cry very much; as a result, I cannot eat; I groan as easily as a river flows with water. BSB BSB: I sigh when food is put before me, and my groans pour out like water.
25 UDB Things that I always worried might happen to me—these things have happened to me; things that I always dreaded have come upon me. BSB BSB: For the thing I feared has overtaken me, and what I dreaded has befallen me.
26 UDB Now I have no peace in my heart; I have no quietness; I cannot rest; instead, I have only troubles." BSB BSB: I am not at ease or quiet; I have no rest, for trouble has come.”
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