Job 3

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