Job 10:18–22

“Why did you bring me out from the womb?

Would that I had died before any eye had seen me

and were as though I had not been,

carried from the womb to the grave.

Are not my days few?

Then cease, and leave me alone, that I may find a little cheer

before I go—and I shall not return—

to the land of darkness and deep shadow,

the land of gloom like thick darkness,

like deep shadow without any order,

where light is as thick darkness.”

“Why then did you bring me out of the womb?

I wish I had died before any eye saw me.

If only I had never come into being,

or had been carried straight from the womb to the grave!

Are not my few days almost over?

Turn away from me so I can have a moment’s joy

before I go to the place of no return,

to the land of gloom and utter darkness,

to the land of deepest night,

of utter darkness and disorder,

where even the light is like darkness.”

“Why did you bring me out of the womb?

I should have died and never been seen.

I wish I had never existed

but had been carried from the womb to the grave.

Are my days not few? Stop it!

Leave me alone, so that I can smile a little

before I go to a land of darkness and gloom,

never to return.

It is a land of blackness like the deepest darkness,

gloomy and chaotic,

where even the light is like the darkness.”

“ ‘Why, then, did you deliver me from my mother’s womb?

Why didn’t you let me die at birth?

It would be as though I had never existed,

going directly from the womb to the grave.

I have only a few days left, so leave me alone,

that I may have a moment of comfort

before I leave—never to return—

for the land of darkness and utter gloom.

It is a land as dark as midnight,

a land of gloom and confusion,

where even the light is dark as midnight.’ ”

So why did you bring me forth from the womb?

I should have passed away, and no eye should have seen me.

I should have been as though I had not been;

I should have been brought from the womb to the grave.

Are not my days few? Let him leave me alone;

let him turn from me, and let me rejoice a little.

Before I go—and I will not return—

to the land of darkness and deep shadow,

to the land of darkness,

like the darkness of a deep shadow and chaos,

so that it shines forth like darkness.’ ”

Wherefore then hast thou brought me forth out of the womb?

Oh that I had given up the ghost, and no eye had seen me!

I should have been as though I had not been;

I should have been carried from the womb to the grave.

Are not my days few? cease then,

And let me alone, that I may take comfort a little,

Before I go whence I shall not return,

Even to the land of darkness and the shadow of death;

A land of darkness, as darkness itself;

And of the shadow of death, without any order,

And where the light is as darkness.