Job 3

NEW JERUSALEM	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 In the end it was Job who broke the silence and cursed the day of his birth.	1 After this, Job opened his mouth and cursed his day,
2 This is what he said:	2 and this is what he said:
3 Perish the day on which I was born and the night that told of a boy conceived.	3 May the day perish on which I was born, and the night, in which it was said, “A man has been conceived.”
4 May that day be darkness, may God on high have no thought for it, may no light shine on it.	4 May that day be turned into darkness, may God not seek it from above, and may light not illuminate it.
5 May murk and shadow dark as death claim it for their own, clouds hang over it, eclipse swoop down onit.	5 Let darkness and the shadow of death obscure it, let a fog overtake it, and let it be enveloped in bitterness.
6 See! Let obscurity seize on it, from the days of the year let it be excluded, into the reckoning of themonths not find its way.	6 Let a whirlwind of darkness take hold of that night, let it not be counted in the days of the year, nor numbered in the months.
7 And may that night be sterile, devoid of any cries of joy!	7 May that night be alone and unworthy of praise.
8 Let it be cursed by those who curse certain days and are ready to rouse Leviathan.	8 May they curse it, who curse the day, who are prepared to awaken a leviathan.
9 Dark be the stars of its morning, let it wait in vain for light and never see the opening eyes of dawn.	9 Let the stars be concealed with its darkness. Let it expect light, and not see it, nor the rising of the dawn in the East.
10 Since it would not shut the doors of the womb on me to hide sorrow from my eyes.	10 For it did not close the doors of the womb that bore me, nor take away evils from my eyes.
11 Why was I not stil -born, or why did I not perish as I left the womb?	11 Why did I not die in the womb? Having left the womb, why did I not immediately perish?
12 Why were there knees to receive me, breasts for me to suck?	12 Why was I received upon the knees? Why was I suckled at the breasts?
13 Now I should be lying in peace, wrapped in a restful slumber,	13 For by now, I should have been sleeping silently, and taking rest in my sleep
14 with the kings and high viziers of earth who have built their dwel ings in desolate places,	14 with the kings and consuls of the earth, who build themselves solitudes,
15 or with princes who have quantities of gold and silver cramming their tombs;	15 either with princes, who possess gold and fill their houses with silver,
16 or, put away like an abortive child, I should not have existed, like little ones that never see the light.	16 or, like a hidden miscarriage, I should not have continued, just like those who, being conceived, have not seen the light.
17 Down there, the wicked bustle no more, there the weary rest.	17 There the impious cease from rebellion, and there the wearied in strength take rest.
18 Prisoners, al left in peace, hear no more the shouts of the oppressor.	18 And at such times, having been bound together without difficulty, they have not heard the voice of the bailiff.
19 High and low are there together, and the slave is free of his master.	19 The small and great are there, and the servant is free from his master.
20 Why give light to a man of grief? Why give life to those bitter of heart,	20 Why is light given to the miserable, and life to those who are in bitterness of soul,
21 who long for a death that never comes, and hunt for it more than for buried treasure?	21 who expect death, and it does not arrive, like those who dig for treasure
22 They would be glad to see the grave-mound and shout with joy if they reached the tomb.	22 and who rejoice greatly when they have found the grave,
23 Why give light to one who does not see his way, whom God shuts in al alone?	23 to a man whose way is hidden and whom God has surrounded with darkness?
24 My only food is sighs, and my groans pour out like water.	24 Before I eat, I sigh; and like overflowing waters, so is my howl,
25 Whatever I fear comes true, whatever I dread befal s me.	25 for the terror that I feared has happened to me, and so has the dread befallen me.
26 For me, there is no calm, no peace; my torments banish rest.	26 Have I not remained hidden? Have I not kept silence? Have I not remained calm? Yet indignation has overcome me.