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.

19 The small and the great are there,

and the slaves are freed from their owners.

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.

19 The small and the great are there,

and the slave is free from his master.

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. 19 The small and great are there; And the servant is free from his master.

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.

19 Rich and poor are both there,

and the slave is free from his master.

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.

19 The small and great are there,

And the servant is free from his master.

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.

19 People great and small are in the grave,

and the slave is freed from his master.

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.

19 The small and the great are there:

And the servant is free from his master.

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. 19 The small and great are there, and the bondman freed from his master.

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. 

19 There ⸤you find⸥ both the unimportant and important people. 

There the slave is free from his master. 

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.

19 Both small and great are there,

and the slave is set free from his master.

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.

19 The small and the great are there,

and the slaves are free from their masters.

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.

19 The small and the great are there,

and the slave is free from his masters.

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.

19 The least important and most important people are there.

And there the slaves are set free from their owners.