Job 3:5-15

5 May the day of my birth be buried in deep darkness, shrouded by the fog, swallowed by the night.

6 And the night of my conception - the devil take it! Rip the date off the calendar, delete it from the almanac.

7 Oh, turn that night into pure nothingness - no sounds of pleasure from that night, ever!

8 May those who are good at cursing curse that day. Unleash the sea beast, Leviathan, on it.

9 May its morning stars turn to black cinders, waiting for a daylight that never comes, never once seeing the first light of dawn.

10 And why? Because it released me from my mother's womb into a life with so much trouble.

11 "Why didn't I die at birth, my first breath out of the womb my last?

12 Why were there arms to rock me, and breasts for me to drink from?

13 I could be resting in peace right now, asleep forever, feeling no pain,

14 In the company of kings and statesmen in their royal ruins,

15 Or with princes resplendent in their gold and silver tombs.

Job 3:5-15 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JOB 3

In this chapter we have an account of Job's cursing the day of his birth, and the night of his conception; Job 3:1-3; first the day, to which he wishes the most extreme darkness, Job 3:4,5; then the night, to which he wishes the same and that it might be destitute of all joy, and be cursed by others as well as by himself, Job 3:6-9; The reasons follow, because it did not prevent his coming into the world, and because he died not on it, Job 3:10-12; which would, as he judged, have been an happiness to him; and this he illustrates by the still and quiet state of the dead, the company they are with, and their freedom from all trouble, oppression, and bondage, Job 3:13-19; but however, since it was otherwise with him, he desires his life might not be prolonged, and expostulates about the continuance of it, Job 3:20-23; and this by reason of his present troubles, which were many and great, and came upon him as he feared they would, and which had made him uneasy in his prosperity, Job 3:24-26.