Job 3

Job’s Lament

1AfterwardH310H3651 JobH347 openedH6605 his mouthH6310 and cursedH7043 1the dayH3117 of his birth. 2And JobH347 2saidH6030H559,3“3Let the dayH3117 perishH6 on which I was to be bornH3205, And the nightH3915 which saidH559, ‘A 4boyH1397 is conceivedH2029.’4May that dayH3117 be darknessH2822; Let not GodH433 aboveH4605 careH1875 for it, NorH408 lightH5105 shineH3313 on it.5Let 5darknessH2822 and blackH6757 gloomH6757 claimH1350 it; Let a cloudH6053 settleH7931 on it; Let the blacknessH3650 of the dayH3117 terrifyH1204 it.6As for that nightH3915, let darknessH652 seizeH3947 it; Let it not rejoiceH2302 among the daysH3117 of the yearH8141; Let it not comeH935 into the numberH4557 of the monthsH3391.7BeholdH2009, let that nightH3915 be barrenH1565; Let noH408 joyfulH7445 shoutH7445 enterH935 it.8Let those curseH6895 it who curseH779 the dayH3117, Who are 6preparedH6264 to 7rouseH5782 LeviathanH3882.9Let the starsH3556 of its twilightH5399 be darkenedH2821; Let it waitH6960 for lightH216 but haveH369 noneH369, And let it not seeH7200 the 8breakingH6079 dawnH7837;10BecauseH3588 it did not shutH5462 the openingH1817 of my mother’s wombH990, Or hideH5641 troubleH5999 from my eyesH5869.

11“9WhyH4100 did I not dieH4191 10at birthH7358, ComeH3318 forthH3318 from the wombH990 and expireH1478?12WhyH4069 did the kneesH1290 receiveH6923 me, And whyH4100 the breastsH7699, that I should suckH3243?13For nowH6258 I 11would have lainH7901 downH7901 and beenH8252 quietH8252; I would have sleptH3462 thenH227, I would have beenH5117 at restH5117,14With 12kingsH4428 and with 13counselorsH3289 of the earthH776, Who rebuiltH1129 14ruinsH2723 for themselves;15OrH176 with 15princesH8269 16who had goldH2091, Who were fillingH4390 their housesH1004 with silverH3701.16OrH176 like a miscarriageH5309 which is 17discardedH2934, I would not be, As infantsH5768 that neverH3808 sawH7200 lightH216.17ThereH8033 the wickedH7563 ceaseH2308 from ragingH7267, And thereH8033 the 18wearyH3019 are at 19restH5117.18The prisonersH615 are at easeH7599 togetherH3162; They do not hearH8085 the voiceH6963 of the taskmasterH5065.19The smallH6996 and the greatH1419 are thereH8033, And the slaveH5650 is freeH2670 from his masterH113.

20“WhyH4100 is 20lightH216 givenH5414 to him whoH6001 suffersH6001, And lifeH2425 to the bitterH4751 of soulH5315,21Who 2122longH2442 for deathH4194, but thereH369 is noneH369, And digH2658 for it moreH4480 thanH4480 for 23hiddenH4301 treasuresH4301,22Who rejoiceH8056 greatlyH413H1524, And exultH7797 whenH3588 they findH4672 the graveH6913?23Why is light given to a manH1397 24whoseH834 wayH1870 is hiddenH5641, And whom 25GodH433 has hedgedH5480 in?24For 26my groaningH585 comesH935 at the sightH6440 of my foodH3899, And 27my criesH7581 pourH5413 out like waterH4325.25For 2829whatH6343 I fearH6342 comesH857 upon me, And whatH834 I dreadH3025 befallsH935 me.26I 30am not at easeH7951, norH3808 am I quietH8252, And I am not at restH5117, but turmoilH7267 comesH935.”