[1] At last Job spoke, and he cursed the day of his birth.
[2] He said:
[3] “Let the day of my birth be erased, and the night I was conceived.
[4] Let that day be turned to darkness. Let it be lost even to God on high, and let no light shine on it.
[5] Let the darkness and utter gloom claim that day for its own. Let a black cloud overshadow it, and let the darkness terrify it.
[6] 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.
[7] Let that night be childless. Let it have no joy.
[8] Let those who are experts at cursing— whose cursing could rouse Leviathan— curse that day.
[9] Let its morning stars remain dark. Let it hope for light, but in vain; may it never see the morning light.
[10] Curse that day for failing to shut my mother’s womb, for letting me be born to see all this trouble.
[11] “Why wasn’t I born dead? Why didn’t I die as I came from the womb?
[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.
[19] Rich and poor are both there, and the slave is free from his master.
[20] “Oh, why give light to those in misery, and life to those who are bitter?
[21] They long for death, and it won’t come. They search for death more eagerly than for hidden treasure.
[22] They’re filled with joy when they finally die, and rejoice when they find the grave.
[23] Why is life given to those with no future, those God has surrounded with difficulties?
[24] I cannot eat for sighing; my groans pour out like water.
[25] What I always feared has happened to me. What I dreaded has come true.
[26] I have no peace, no quietness. I have no rest; only trouble comes.”