Job 3:3–12

“Let the day perish on which I was born,

and the night that said,

‘A man is conceived.’

Let that day be darkness!

May God above not seek it,

nor light shine upon it.

Let gloom and deep darkness claim it.

Let clouds dwell upon it;

let the blackness of the day terrify it.

That night—let thick darkness seize it!

Let it not rejoice among the days of the year;

let it not come into the number of the months.

Behold, let that night be barren;

let no joyful cry enter it.

Let those curse it who curse the day,

who are ready to rouse up Leviathan.

Let the stars of its dawn be dark;

let it hope for light, but have none,

nor see the eyelids of the morning,

because it did not shut the doors of my mother’s womb,

nor hide trouble from my eyes.

“Why did I not die at birth,

come out from the womb and expire?

Why did the knees receive me?

Or why the breasts, that I should nurse?

“May the day of my birth perish,

and the night that said, ‘A boy is conceived!’

That day—may it turn to darkness;

may God above not care about it;

may no light shine on it.

May gloom and utter darkness claim it once more;

may a cloud settle over it;

may blackness overwhelm it.

That night—may thick darkness seize it;

may it not be included among the days of the year

nor be entered in any of the months.

May that night be barren;

may no shout of joy be heard in it.

May those who curse days curse that day,

those who are ready to rouse Leviathan.

May its morning stars become dark;

may it wait for daylight in vain

and not see the first rays of dawn,

for it did not shut the doors of the womb on me

to hide trouble from my eyes.

“Why did I not perish at birth,

and die as I came from the womb?

Why were there knees to receive me

and breasts that I might be nursed?

May the day I was born perish,

and the night that said,

“A boy is conceived.”

If only that day had turned to darkness!

May God above not care about it,

or light shine on it.

May darkness and gloom reclaim it,

and a cloud settle over it.

May what darkens the day terrify it.

If only darkness had taken that night away!

May it not appear among the days of the year

or be listed in the calendar.

Yes, may that night be barren;

may no joyful shout be heard in it.

Let those who curse days

condemn it,

those who are ready to rouse Leviathan.

May its morning stars grow dark.

May it wait for daylight but have none;

may it not see the breaking of dawn.

For that night did not shut

the doors of my mother’s womb,

and hide sorrow from my eyes.

Why was I not stillborn;

why didn’t I die as I came from the womb?

Why did the knees receive me,

and why were there breasts for me to nurse?

“Let the day of my birth be erased,

and the night I was conceived.

Let that day be turned to darkness.

Let it be lost even to God on high,

and let no light shine on it.

Let the darkness and utter gloom claim that day for its own.

Let a black cloud overshadow it,

and let the darkness terrify it.

Let that night be blotted off the calendar,

never again to be counted among the days of the year,

never again to appear among the months.

Let that night be childless.

Let it have no joy.

Let those who are experts at cursing—

whose cursing could rouse Leviathan—

curse that day.

Let its morning stars remain dark.

Let it hope for light, but in vain;

may it never see the morning light.

Curse that day for failing to shut my mother’s womb,

for letting me be born to see all this trouble.

“Why wasn’t I born dead?

Why didn’t I die as I came from the womb?

Why was I laid on my mother’s lap?

Why did she nurse me at her breasts?

“Let the day perish on which I was born,

and the night that said, ‘A man-child is conceived.’

Let that day become darkness;

may God not seek it from above,

nor may daylight shine on it.

Let darkness and deep shadow claim it;

let clouds settle on it;

let them terrify it with the blackness of day.

Let darkness seize that night;

let it not rejoice among the days of the year;

let it not enter among the number of the months.

Look, let that night become barren;

let a joyful song not enter it.

Let those who curse the day curse it,

those who are skilled at rousing Leviathan.

Let the stars of its dawn be dark;

let it hope for light but there be none,

and let it not see the eyelids of dawn

because it did not shut the doors of my mother’s womb,

nor did it hide trouble from my eyes.

“Why did I not die at birth?

Why did I not come forth from the womb and expire?

Why did the knees receive me

and the breasts, that I could suck?

Let the day perish wherein I was born,

And the night in which it was said, There is a man child conceived.

Let that day be darkness;

Let not God regard it from above,

Neither let the light shine upon it.

Let darkness and the shadow of death stain it;

Let a cloud dwell upon it;

Let the blackness of the day terrify it.

As for that night, let darkness seize upon it;

Let it not be joined unto the days of the year,

Let it not come into the number of the months.

Lo, let that night be solitary,

Let no joyful voice come therein.

Let them curse it that curse the day,

Who are ready to raise up their mourning.

Let the stars of the twilight thereof be dark;

Let it look for light, but have none;

Neither let it see the dawning of the day:

Because it shut not up the doors of my mother’s womb,

Nor hid sorrow from mine eyes.

Why died I not from the womb?

Why did I not give up the ghost when I came out of the belly?

Why did the knees prevent me?

Or why the breasts that I should suck?