New Living Translation

1 At last Job spoke, and he cursed the day of his birth. 2 He said: 3 “Let the day of my birth be erased,<br>and the night I was conceived.<br> 4 Let that day be turned to darkness.<br>Let it be lost even to God (Elohim) on high,<br>and let no light shine on it.<br> 5 Let the darkness and utter gloom claim that day for its own.<br>Let a black cloud overshadow it,<br>and let the darkness terrify it.<br> 6 Let that night be blotted off the calendar,<br>never again to be counted among the days of the year,<br>never again to appear among the months.<br> 7 Let that night be childless.<br>Let it have no joy.<br> 8 Let those who are experts at cursing —<br>whose cursing could rouse Leviathan —<br>curse that day.<br> 9 Let its morning stars remain dark.<br>Let it hope for light, but in vain;<br>may it never see the morning light.<br> 10 Curse that day for failing to shut my mother’s womb,<br>for letting me be born to see all this trouble.<br> 11 “Why wasn’t I born dead?<br>Why didn’t I die as I came from the womb?<br> 12 Why was I laid on my mother’s lap?<br>Why did she nurse me at her breasts?<br> 13 Had I died at birth, I would now be at peace.<br>I would be asleep and at rest.<br> 14 I would rest with the world’s kings and prime ministers,<br>whose great buildings now lie in ruins.<br> 15 I would rest with princes, rich in gold,<br>whose palaces were filled with silver.<br> 16 Why wasn’t I buried like a stillborn child,<br>like a baby who never lives to see the light?<br> 17 For in death the wicked cause no trouble,<br>and the weary are at rest.<br> 18 Even captives are at ease in death,<br>with no guards to curse them.<br> 19 Rich and poor are both there,<br>and the slave is free from his master.<br> 20 “Oh, why give light to those in misery,<br>and life to those who are bitter?<br> 21 They long for death, and it won’t come.<br>They search for death more eagerly than for hidden treasure.<br> 22 They’re filled with joy when they finally die,<br>and rejoice when they find the grave.<br> 23 Why is life given to those with no future,<br>those God (Elohim) has surrounded with difficulties?<br> 24 I cannot eat for sighing;<br>my groans pour out like water.<br> 25 What I always feared has happened to me.<br>What I dreaded has come true.<br> 26 I have no peace, no quietness.<br>I have no rest; only trouble comes.”<br>