Job 3:11–22

“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?

For then I would have lain down and been quiet;

I would have slept; then I would have been at rest,

with kings and counselors of the earth

who rebuilt ruins for themselves,

or with princes who had gold,

who filled their houses with silver.

Or why was I not as a hidden stillborn child,

as infants who never see the light?

There the wicked cease from troubling,

and there the weary are at rest.

There the prisoners are at ease together;

they hear not the voice of the taskmaster.

The small and the great are there,

and the slave is free from his master.

“Why is light given to him who is in misery,

and life to the bitter in soul,

who long for death, but it comes not,

and dig for it more than for hidden treasures,

who rejoice exceedingly

and are glad when they find the grave?

“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?

For now I would be lying down in peace;

I would be asleep and at rest

with kings and rulers of the earth,

who built for themselves places now lying in ruins,

with princes who had gold,

who filled their houses with silver.

Or why was I not hidden away in the ground like a stillborn child,

like an infant who never saw the light of day?

There the wicked cease from turmoil,

and there the weary are at rest.

Captives also enjoy their ease;

they no longer hear the slave driver’s shout.

The small and the great are there,

and the slaves are freed from their owners.

“Why is light given to those in misery,

and life to the bitter of soul,

to those who long for death that does not come,

who search for it more than for hidden treasure,

who are filled with gladness

and rejoice when they reach the grave?

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?

Now I would certainly be lying down in peace;

I would be asleep.

Then I would be at rest

with the kings and counselors of the earth,

who rebuilt ruined cities for themselves,

or with princes who had gold,

who filled their houses with silver.

Or why was I not hidden like a miscarried child,

like infants who never see daylight?

There the wicked cease to make trouble,

and there the weary find rest.

The captives are completely at rest;

they do not hear a taskmaster’s voice.

Both small and great are there,

and the slave is set free from his master.

Why is light given to one burdened with grief,

and life to those whose existence is bitter,

who wait for death, but it does not come,

and search for it more than for hidden treasure,

who are filled with much joy

and are glad when they reach the grave?

“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?

Had I died at birth, I would now be at peace.

I would be asleep and at rest.

I would rest with the world’s kings and prime ministers,

whose great buildings now lie in ruins.

I would rest with princes, rich in gold,

whose palaces were filled with silver.

Why wasn’t I buried like a stillborn child,

like a baby who never lives to see the light?

For in death the wicked cause no trouble,

and the weary are at rest.

Even captives are at ease in death,

with no guards to curse them.

Rich and poor are both there,

and the slave is free from his master.

“Oh, why give light to those in misery,

and life to those who are bitter?

They long for death, and it won’t come.

They search for death more eagerly than for hidden treasure.

They’re filled with joy when they finally die,

and rejoice when they find the grave.

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?

For now should I have lain still and been quiet,

I should have slept: then had I been at rest,

With kings and counsellers of the earth,

Which built desolate places for themselves;

Or with princes that had gold,

Who filled their houses with silver:

Or as an hidden untimely birth I had not been;

As infants which never saw light.

There the wicked cease from troubling;

And there the weary be at rest.

There the prisoners rest together;

They hear not the voice of the oppressor.

The small and great are there;

And the servant is free from his master.

Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery,

And life unto the bitter in soul;

Which long for death, but it cometh not;

And dig for it more than for hid treasures;

Which rejoice exceedingly,

And are glad, when they can find the grave?