Common English Bible CEB
New Revised Standard NRS
1 Afterward, Job spoke up and cursed the day he was born.
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After this Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth.
2 Job said:
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Job said:
3 Perish the day I was born, the night someone said, "A boy has been conceived."
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"Let the day perish in which I was born, and the night that said, "A man-child is conceived.'
4 That day—let it be darkness; may God above ignore it, and light not shine on it.
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Let that day be darkness! May God above not seek it, or light shine on it.
5 May deepest darkness claim it and a cloud linger over it; may all that darkens the day terrify it.
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Let gloom and deep darkness claim it. Let clouds settle upon it; let the blackness of the day terrify it.
6 May gloom seize that night; may it not be counted in the days of a year; may it not appear in the months.
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That night—let thick darkness seize it! let it not rejoice among the days of the year; let it not come into the number of the months.
7 May that night be childless; may no happy singing come in it.
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Yes, let that night be barren; let no joyful cry be heard in it.
8 May those who curse the day curse it, those with enough skill to awaken Leviathan.
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Let those curse it who curse the Sea, those who are skilled to rouse up Leviathan.
9 May its evening stars stay dark; may it wait in vain for light; may it not see dawn's gleam,
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Let the stars of its dawn be dark; let it hope for light, but have none; may it not see the eyelids of the morning—
10 because it didn't close the doors of my mother's womb, didn't hide trouble from my eyes.
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because it did not shut the doors of my mother's womb, and hide trouble from my eyes.
11 Why didn't I die at birth, come forth from the womb and die?
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"Why did I not die at birth, come forth from the womb and expire?
12 Why did knees receive me and breasts let me nurse?
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Why were there knees to receive me, or breasts for me to suck?
13 For now I would be lying down quietly; I'd sleep; rest would be mine
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Now I would be lying down and quiet; I would be asleep; then I would be at rest
14 with kings and earth's advisors, who rebuild ruins for themselves,
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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.
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or with princes who have gold, who fill their houses with silver.
16 Or why wasn't I like a buried miscarried infant, like babies who never see light?
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Or why was I not buried like a stillborn child, like an infant that never sees the light?
17 There the wicked rage no more; there the weak rest.
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There the wicked cease from troubling, and there the weary are at rest.
18 Prisoners are entirely at ease; they don't hear a boss's voice.
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There the prisoners are at ease together; they do not hear the voice of the taskmaster.
19 Both small and great are there; a servant is free from his masters.
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The small and the great are there, and the slaves are free from their masters.
20 Why is light given to the hard worker, life to those bitter of soul,
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"Why is light given to one in misery, and life to the bitter in soul,
21 those waiting in vain for death, who search for it more than for treasure,
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who long for death, but it does not come, and dig for it more than for hidden treasures;
22 who rejoice excitedly, who are thrilled when they find a grave?
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who rejoice exceedingly, and are glad when they find the grave?
23 Why is light given to the person whose way is hidden, whom God has fenced in?
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Why is light given to one who cannot see the way, whom God has fenced in?
24 My groans become my bread; my roars pour out like water.
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For my sighing comes like my bread, and my groanings are poured out like water.
25 Because I was afraid of something awful, and it arrived; what I dreaded came to me.
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Truly the thing that I fear comes upon me, and what I dread befalls me.
26 I had no ease, quiet, or rest, and trembling came.
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I am not at ease, nor am I quiet; I have no rest; but trouble comes."
Copyright © 2011 Common English Bible
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.