Job 3:12–18
12 “Why did the knees receive me,
And why the breasts, that I should suck?
13 “For now I awould have lain down and been quiet;
I would have slept then, I would have been at rest,
14 With akings and with bcounselors of the earth,
Who rebuilt cruins for themselves;
15 Or with aprinces bwho had gold,
Who were filling their houses with silver.
16 “Or like a miscarriage which is 1discarded, I would not be,
As infants that never saw light.
17 “There the wicked cease from raging,
And there the 1weary are at arest.
18 “The prisoners are at ease together;
They do not hear the voice of the taskmaster.
Job 3:12–18 — The New International Version (NIV)
12 Why were there knees to receive me
and breasts that I might be nursed?
13 For now I would be lying down in peace;
I would be asleep and at rest
14 with kings and rulers of the earth,
who built for themselves places now lying in ruins,
15 with princes who had gold,
who filled their houses with silver.
16 Or why was I not hidden away in the ground like a stillborn child,
like an infant who never saw the light of day?
17 There the wicked cease from turmoil,
and there the weary are at rest.
18 Captives also enjoy their ease;
they no longer hear the slave driver’s shout.
Job 3:12–18 — English Standard Version (ESV)
12 Why did the knees receive me?
Or why the breasts, that I should nurse?
13 For then I would have lain down and been quiet;
I would have slept; then I would have been at rest,
14 with kings and counselors of the earth
who rebuilt ruins for themselves,
15 or with princes who had gold,
who filled their houses with silver.
16 Or why was I not as a hidden stillborn child,
as infants who never see the light?
17 There the wicked cease from troubling,
and there the weary are at rest.
18 There the prisoners are at ease together;
they hear not the voice of the taskmaster.
Job 3:12–18 — King James Version (KJV 1900)
12 Why did the knees prevent me?
Or why the breasts that I should suck?
13 For now should I have lain still and been quiet,
I should have slept: then had I been at rest,
14 With kings and counsellers of the earth,
Which built desolate places for themselves;
15 Or with princes that had gold,
Who filled their houses with silver:
16 Or as an hidden untimely birth I had not been;
As infants which never saw light.
17 There the wicked cease from troubling;
And there the weary be at rest.
18 There the prisoners rest together;
They hear not the voice of the oppressor.
Job 3:12–18 — New Living Translation (NLT)
12 Why was I laid on my mother’s lap?
Why did she nurse me at her breasts?
13 Had I died at birth, I would now be at peace.
I would be asleep and at rest.
14 I would rest with the world’s kings and prime ministers,
whose great buildings now lie in ruins.
15 I would rest with princes, rich in gold,
whose palaces were filled with silver.
16 Why wasn’t I buried like a stillborn child,
like a baby who never lives to see the light?
17 For in death the wicked cause no trouble,
and the weary are at rest.
18 Even captives are at ease in death,
with no guards to curse them.
Job 3:12–18 — The New King James Version (NKJV)
12 Why did the knees receive me?
Or why the breasts, that I should nurse?
13 For now I would have lain still and been quiet,
I would have been asleep;
Then I would have been at rest
14 With kings and counselors of the earth,
Who built ruins for themselves,
15 Or with princes who had gold,
Who filled their houses with silver;
16 Or why was I not hidden like a stillborn child,
Like infants who never saw light?
17 There the wicked cease from troubling,
And there the weary are at rest.
18 There the prisoners rest together;
They do not hear the voice of the oppressor.
Job 3:12–18 — New Century Version (NCV)
12 Why did my mother’s knees receive me,
and my mother’s breasts feed me?
13 If they had not been there,
I would be lying dead in peace;
I would be asleep and at rest
14 with kings and wise men of the earth
who built places for themselves that are now ruined.
15 I would be asleep with rulers
who filled their houses with gold and silver.
16 Why was I not buried like a child born dead,
like a baby who never saw the light of day?
17 In the grave the wicked stop making trouble,
and the weary workers are at rest.
18 In the grave there is rest for the captives
who no longer hear the shout of the slave driver.
Job 3:12–18 — American Standard Version (ASV)
12 Why did the knees receive me?
Or why the breasts, that I should suck?
13 For now should I have lain down and been quiet;
I should have slept; then had I been at rest,
14 With kings and counsellors of the earth,
Who built up waste places for themselves;
15 Or with princes that had gold,
Who filled their houses with silver
16 Or as a hidden untimely birth I had not been,
As infants that never saw light.
17 There the wicked cease from troubling;
And there the weary are at rest.
18 There the prisoners are at ease together;
They hear not the voice of the taskmaster.
Job 3:12–18 — 1890 Darby Bible (DARBY)
12 Why did the knees meet me? and wherefore the breasts, that I should suck? 13 For now should I have lain down and been quiet; I should have slept: then had I been at rest, 14 With kings and counsellors of the earth, who build desolate places for themselves, 15 Or with princes who had gold, who filled their houses with silver; 16 Or as a hidden untimely birth I had not been; as infants that have not seen the light. 17 There the wicked cease from troubling; and there the wearied are at rest. 18 The prisoners together are at ease; they hear not the voice of the taskmaster.
Job 3:12–18 — GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)
12 Why did knees welcome me?
Why did breasts let me nurse?
13 Instead of being alive,
I would now be quietly lying down.
I would now be sleeping peacefully.
14 I would be with the kings and the counselors of the world
who built for themselves ⸤what are now⸥ ruins.
15 I would be with princes
who had gold,
who filled their homes with silver.
16 I would be buried like a stillborn baby.
I would not exist.
I would be like infants who never saw the light.
17 There the wicked stop their raging.
There the weary are able to rest.
18 There the captives have no troubles at all.
There they do not hear the shouting of the slave driver.
Job 3:12–18 — The Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
12 Why did the knees receive me,
and why were there breasts for me to nurse?
13 Now I would certainly be lying down in peace;
I would be asleep.
Then I would be at rest
14 with the kings and counselors of the earth,
who rebuilt ruined cities for themselves,
15 or with princes who had gold,
who filled their houses with silver.
16 Or why was I not hidden like a miscarried child,
like infants who never see daylight?
17 There the wicked cease to make trouble,
and there the weary find rest.
18 The captives are completely at ease;
they do not hear the voice of their oppressor.
Job 3:12–18 — The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
12 Why were there knees to receive me,
or breasts for me to suck?
13 Now I would be lying down and quiet;
I would be asleep; then I would be at rest
14 with kings and counselors of the earth
who rebuild ruins for themselves,
15 or with princes who have gold,
who fill their houses with silver.
16 Or why was I not buried like a stillborn child,
like an infant that never sees the light?
17 There the wicked cease from troubling,
and there the weary are at rest.
18 There the prisoners are at ease together;
they do not hear the voice of the taskmaster.
Job 3:12–18 — The Lexham English Bible (LEB)
12 Why did the knees receive me
and the breasts, that I could suck?
13 For now I would lie down, and I would be at peace;
I would be asleep; then I would be at rest
14 with kings and counselors of the earth,
who rebuild ruins for themselves,
15 or with high officials who have gold,
who fill up their houses with silver.
16 Or why was I not hidden like a miscarriage,
like infants who did not see the light?
17 There the wicked cease from troubling,
and there the weary are at rest;
18 the prisoners are at ease together;
they do not hear the oppressor’s voice.
Job 3:12–18 — New International Reader’s Version (1998) (NIrV)
12 Why was I placed on her knees?
Why did her breasts give me milk?
13 If all of that hadn’t happened,
I would be lying down in peace.
I’d be asleep and at rest in the grave.
14 I’d be with the earth’s kings and advisers.
They had built for themselves places that are now destroyed.
15 I’d be with rulers who used to have gold.
They had filled their houses with silver.
16 Why wasn’t I buried like a baby who was born dead?
Why wasn’t I buried like a child who never saw the light of day?
17 In the grave, sinful people don’t cause trouble anymore.
And there those who are tired find rest.
18 Prisoners also enjoy peace there.
They don’t hear a slave driver shouting at them anymore.