New International Version NIV
New King James Version NKJV
1 After this, Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth.
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After this Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth.
2 He said:
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And Job spoke, and said:
3 “May the day of my birth perish, and the night that said, ‘A boy is conceived!’
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"May the day perish on which I was born, And the night in which it was said, 'A male child is conceived.'
4 That day—may it turn to darkness; may God above not care about it; may no light shine on it.
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May that day be darkness; May God above not seek it, Nor the light shine upon it.
5 May gloom and utter darkness claim it once more; may a cloud settle over it; may blackness overwhelm it.
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May darkness and the shadow of death claim it; May a cloud settle on it; May the blackness of the day terrify it.
6 That night—may thick darkness seize it; may it not be included among the days of the year nor be entered in any of the months.
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As for that night, may darkness seize it; May it not rejoice among the days of the year, May it not come into the number of the months.
7 May that night be barren; may no shout of joy be heard in it.
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Oh, may that night be barren! May no joyful shout come into it!
8 May those who curse days curse that day, those who are ready to rouse Leviathan.
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May those curse it who curse the day, Those who are ready to arouse Leviathan.
9 May its morning stars become dark; may it wait for daylight in vain and not see the first rays of dawn,
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May the stars of its morning be dark; May it look for light, but have none, And not see the dawning of the day;
10 for it did not shut the doors of the womb on me to hide trouble from my eyes.
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Because it did not shut up the doors of my mother's womb, Nor hide sorrow from my eyes.
11 “Why did I not perish at birth, and die as I came from the womb?
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"Why did I not die at birth? Why did I not perish when I came from the womb?
12 Why were there knees to receive me and breasts that I might be nursed?
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Why did the knees receive me? Or why the breasts, that I should nurse?
13 For now I would be lying down in peace; I would be asleep and at rest
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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 rulers of the earth, who built for themselves places now lying in ruins,
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With kings and counselors of the earth, Who built ruins for themselves,
15 with princes who had gold, who filled their houses with silver.
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Or 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?
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Or why was I not hidden like a stillborn child, Like infants who never saw light?
17 There the wicked cease from turmoil, and there the weary are at rest.
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There the wicked cease from troubling, And there the weary are at rest.
18 Captives also enjoy their ease; they no longer hear the slave driver’s shout.
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There the prisoners rest together; They do not hear the voice of the oppressor.
19 The small and the great are there, and the slaves are freed from their owners.
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The small and great are there, And the servant is free from his master.
20 “Why is light given to those in misery, and life to the bitter of soul,
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"Why is light given to him who is in misery, And life to the bitter of soul,
21 to those who long for death that does not come, who search for it more than for hidden treasure,
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Who long for death, but it does not come, And search for it more than hidden treasures;
22 who are filled with gladness and rejoice when they reach the grave?
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Who rejoice exceedingly, And are glad when they can find the grave?
23 Why is life given to a man whose way is hidden, whom God has hedged in?
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Why is light given to a man whose way is hidden, And whom God has hedged in?
24 For sighing has become my daily food; my groans pour out like water.
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For my sighing comes before I eat, And my groanings pour out like water.
25 What I feared has come upon me; what I dreaded has happened to me.
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For the thing I greatly feared has come upon me, And what I dreaded has happened to me.
26 I have no peace, no quietness; I have no rest, but only turmoil.”
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I am not at ease, nor am I quiet; I have no rest, for trouble comes."
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.