1 μετα τουτο ηνοιξεν ιωβ το στομα αυτου | 1 In the end it was Job who broke the silence and cursed the day of his birth. |
2 και κατηρασατο την ημεραν αυτου λεγων | 2 This is what he said: |
3 απολοιτο η ημερα εν η εγεννηθην και η νυξ εν η ειπαν ιδου αρσεν | 3 Perish the day on which I was born and the night that told of a boy conceived. |
4 η ημερα εκεινη ειη σκοτος και μη αναζητησαι αυτην ο κυριος ανωθεν μηδε ελθοι εις αυτην φεγγος | 4 May that day be darkness, may God on high have no thought for it, may no light shine on it. |
5 εκλαβοι δε αυτην σκοτος και σκια θανατου επελθοι επ' αυτην γνοφος | 5 May murk and shadow dark as death claim it for their own, clouds hang over it, eclipse swoop down onit. |
6 καταραθειη η ημερα και η νυξ εκεινη απενεγκαιτο αυτην σκοτος μη ειη εις ημερας ενιαυτου μηδε αριθμηθειη εις ημερας μηνων | 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. |
7 αλλα η νυξ εκεινη ειη οδυνη και μη ελθοι επ' αυτην ευφροσυνη μηδε χαρμονη | 7 And may that night be sterile, devoid of any cries of joy! |
8 αλλα καταρασαιτο αυτην ο καταρωμενος την ημεραν εκεινην ο μελλων το μεγα κητος χειρωσασθαι | 8 Let it be cursed by those who curse certain days and are ready to rouse Leviathan. |
9 σκοτωθειη τα αστρα της νυκτος εκεινης υπομειναι και εις φωτισμον μη ελθοι και μη ιδοι εωσφορον ανατελλοντα | 9 Dark be the stars of its morning, let it wait in vain for light and never see the opening eyes of dawn. |
10 οτι ου συνεκλεισεν πυλας γαστρος μητρος μου απηλλαξεν γαρ αν πονον απο οφθαλμων μου | 10 Since it would not shut the doors of the womb on me to hide sorrow from my eyes. |
11 δια τι γαρ εν κοιλια ουκ ετελευτησα εκ γαστρος δε εξηλθον και ουκ ευθυς απωλομην | 11 Why was I not stil -born, or why did I not perish as I left the womb? |
12 ινα τι δε συνηντησαν μοι γονατα ινα τι δε μαστους εθηλασα | 12 Why were there knees to receive me, breasts for me to suck? |
13 νυν αν κοιμηθεις ησυχασα υπνωσας δε ανεπαυσαμην | 13 Now I should be lying in peace, wrapped in a restful slumber, |
14 μετα βασιλεων βουλευτων γης οι ηγαυριωντο επι ξιφεσιν | 14 with the kings and high viziers of earth who have built their dwel ings in desolate places, |
15 η μετα αρχοντων ων πολυς ο χρυσος οι επλησαν τους οικους αυτων αργυριου | 15 or with princes who have quantities of gold and silver cramming their tombs; |
16 η ωσπερ εκτρωμα εκπορευομενον εκ μητρας μητρος η ωσπερ νηπιοι οι ουκ ειδον φως | 16 or, put away like an abortive child, I should not have existed, like little ones that never see the light. |
17 εκει ασεβεις εξεκαυσαν θυμον οργης εκει ανεπαυσαντο κατακοποι τω σωματι | 17 Down there, the wicked bustle no more, there the weary rest. |
18 ομοθυμαδον δε οι αιωνιοι ουκ ηκουσαν φωνην φορολογου | 18 Prisoners, al left in peace, hear no more the shouts of the oppressor. |
19 μικρος και μεγας εκει εστιν και θεραπων ου δεδοικως τον κυριον αυτου | 19 High and low are there together, and the slave is free of his master. |
20 ινα τι γαρ δεδοται τοις εν πικρια φως ζωη δε ταις εν οδυναις ψυχαις | 20 Why give light to a man of grief? Why give life to those bitter of heart, |
21 οι ομειρονται του θανατου και ου τυγχανουσιν ανορυσσοντες ωσπερ θησαυρους | 21 who long for a death that never comes, and hunt for it more than for buried treasure? |
22 περιχαρεις δε εγενοντο εαν κατατυχωσιν | 22 They would be glad to see the grave-mound and shout with joy if they reached the tomb. |
23 θανατος ανδρι αναπαυμα συνεκλεισεν γαρ ο θεος κατ' αυτου | 23 Why give light to one who does not see his way, whom God shuts in al alone? |
24 προ γαρ των σιτων μου στεναγμος μοι ηκει δακρυω δε εγω συνεχομενος φοβω | 24 My only food is sighs, and my groans pour out like water. |
25 φοβος γαρ ον εφροντισα ηλθεν μοι και ον εδεδοικειν συνηντησεν μοι | 25 Whatever I fear comes true, whatever I dread befal s me. |
26 ουτε ειρηνευσα ουτε ησυχασα ουτε ανεπαυσαμην ηλθεν δε μοι οργη | 26 For me, there is no calm, no peace; my torments banish rest. |