Job

¹ After this, Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth.

² He said:

³ and the night it was said, ‘A boy is born!’

⁴ may God above not care about it; may no light shine upon it.

⁵ may a cloud settle over it; may blackness overwhelm its light.

⁶ may it not be included among the days of the year nor be entered in any of the months.

⁷ may no shout of joy be heard in it.

⁸ those who are ready to rouse Leviathan.

⁹ may it wait for daylight in vain and not see the first rays of dawn,

¹⁰ to hide trouble from my eyes.

¹¹ and die as I came from the womb?

¹² and breasts that I might be nursed?

¹³ I would be asleep and at rest

¹⁴ who built for themselves places now lying in ruins,

¹⁵ who filled their houses with silver.

¹⁶ like an infant who never saw the light of day?

¹⁷ and there the weary are at rest.

¹⁸ they no longer hear the slave driver’s shout.

¹⁹ and the slave is freed from his master.

²⁰ and life to the bitter of soul,

²¹ who search for it more than for hidden treasure,

²² and rejoice when they reach the grave?

²³ whose way is hidden, whom God has hedged in?

²⁴ my groans pour out like water.

²⁵ what I dreaded has happened to me.

²⁶ I have no rest, but only turmoil.”