Job Laments his Birth

1After this hath Job opened his mouth, and revileth his day. 2And Job answereth and saith: --

3Let the day perish in which I am born, And the night that hath said: 'A man-child hath been conceived.'

4That day -- let it be darkness, Let not God require it from above, Nor let light shine upon it.

5Let darkness and death-shade redeem it, Let a cloud tabernacle upon it, Let them terrify it as the most bitter of days.

6That night -- let thick darkness take it, Let it not be united to days of the year, Into the number of months let it not come.

7Lo! that night -- let it be gloomy, Let no singing come into it.

8Let the cursers of day mark it, Who are ready to wake up Leviathan.

9Let the stars of its twilight be dark, Let it wait for light, and there is none, And let it not look on the eyelids of the dawn.

10Because it hath not shut the doors Of the womb that was mine! And hide misery from mine eyes.

11Why from the womb do I not die? From the belly I have come forth and gasp!

12Wherefore have knees been before me? And what are breasts, that I suck?

13For now, I have lain down, and am quiet, I have slept -- then there is rest to me,

14With kings and counsellors of earth, These building wastes for themselves.

15Or with princes -- they have gold, They are filling their houses with silver.

16(Or as a hidden abortion I am not, As infants -- they have not seen light.)

17There the wicked have ceased troubling, And there rest do the wearied in power.

18Together prisoners have been at ease, They have not heard the voice of an exactor,

19Small and great are there the same. And a servant is free from his lord.

20Why giveth He to the miserable light, and life to the bitter soul?

21Who are waiting for death, and it is not, And they seek it above hid treasures.

22Who are glad -- unto joy, They rejoice when they find a grave.

23To a man whose way hath been hidden, And whom God doth shut up?

24For before my food, my sighing cometh, And poured out as waters are my roarings.

25For a fear I feared and it meeteth me, And what I was afraid of doth come to me.

26I was not safe -- nor was I quiet -- Nor was I at rest -- and trouble cometh!