New Living Translation NLT
Common English Bible CEB
1 At last Job spoke, and he cursed the day of his birth.
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Afterward, Job spoke up and cursed the day he was born.
2 He said:
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Job said:
3 “Let the day of my birth be erased, and the night I was conceived.
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Perish the day I was born, the night someone said, "A boy has been 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.
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That day—let it be darkness; may God above ignore it, and light not 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.
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May deepest darkness claim it and a cloud linger over it; may all that darkens the day 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.
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May gloom seize that night; may it not be counted in the days of a year; may it not appear in the months.
7 Let that night be childless. Let it have no joy.
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May that night be childless; may no happy singing come in it.
8 Let those who are experts at cursing— whose cursing could rouse Leviathan — curse that day.
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May those who curse the day curse it, those with enough skill to awaken Leviathan.
9 Let its morning stars remain dark. Let it hope for light, but in vain; may it never see the morning light.
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May its evening stars stay dark; may it wait in vain for light; may it not see dawn's gleam,
10 Curse that day for failing to shut my mother’s womb, for letting me be born to see all this trouble.
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because it didn't close the doors of my mother's womb, didn't hide trouble from my eyes.
11 “Why wasn’t I born dead? Why didn’t I die as I came from the womb?
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Why didn't I die at birth, come forth from the womb and die?
12 Why was I laid on my mother’s lap? Why did she nurse me at her breasts?
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Why did knees receive me and breasts let me nurse?
13 Had I died at birth, I would now be at peace. I would be asleep and at rest.
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For now I would be lying down quietly; I'd sleep; rest would be mine
14 I would rest with the world’s kings and prime ministers, whose great buildings now lie in ruins.
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with kings and earth's advisors, who rebuild ruins for themselves,
15 I would rest with princes, rich in gold, whose palaces were filled with silver.
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or with princes who have gold, who fill their houses with silver.
16 Why wasn’t I buried like a stillborn child, like a baby who never lives to see the light?
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Or why wasn't I like a buried miscarried infant, like babies who never see light?
17 For in death the wicked cause no trouble, and the weary are at rest.
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There the wicked rage no more; there the weak rest.
18 Even captives are at ease in death, with no guards to curse them.
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Prisoners are entirely at ease; they don't hear a boss's voice.
19 Rich and poor are both there, and the slave is free from his master.
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Both small and great are there; a servant is free from his masters.
20 “Oh, why give light to those in misery, and life to those who are bitter?
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Why is light given to the hard worker, life to those bitter of soul,
21 They long for death, and it won’t come. They search for death more eagerly than for hidden treasure.
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those waiting in vain for death, who search for it more than for treasure,
22 They’re filled with joy when they finally die, and rejoice when they find the grave.
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who rejoice excitedly, who are thrilled when they find a grave?
23 Why is life given to those with no future, those God has surrounded with difficulties?
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Why is light given to the person whose way is hidden, whom God has fenced in?
24 I cannot eat for sighing; my groans pour out like water.
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My groans become my bread; my roars pour out like water.
25 What I always feared has happened to me. What I dreaded has come true.
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Because I was afraid of something awful, and it arrived; what I dreaded came to me.
26 I have no peace, no quietness. I have no rest; only trouble comes.”
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I had no ease, quiet, or rest, and trembling came.
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by
Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2011 Common English Bible