Job 3-4
New American Standard Bible
3'May the day on which I was to be born perish, As well as the night which said, ‘A boy is conceived.’
4May that day be darkness; May God above not care for it, Nor light shine on it.
5May darkness and black gloom claim it; May a cloud settle on it; May the blackness of the day terrify it.
6 As for that night, may darkness seize it; May it not rejoice among the days of the year; May it not come into the number of the months.
7Behold, may that night be barren; May no joyful shout enter it.
8May those curse it who curse the day, Who are prepared to disturb Leviathan.
9May the stars of its twilight be darkened; May it wait for light but have none, And may it not see the breaking dawn;
10Because it did not shut the opening of my mother’s womb, Or hide trouble from my eyes.
11'Why did I not die at birth, Come out of the womb and pass away?
12Why were the knees there in front of me, And why the breasts, that I would nurse?
13For now I would have lain down and been quiet; I would have slept then, I would have been at rest,
14With kings and counselors of the earth, Who rebuilt ruins for themselves;
15Or with rulers who had gold, Who were filling their houses with silver.
16Or like a miscarriage which is hidden, I would not exist, As infants that never saw light.
17There the wicked cease from raging, And there the weary are at rest.
18The prisoners are at ease together; They do not hear the voice of the taskmaster.
19The small and the great are there, And the slave is free from his master.
20'Why is light given to one burdened with grief, And life to the bitter of soul,
21Who long for death, but there is none, And dig for it more than for hidden treasures;
22Who are filled with jubilation, And rejoice when they find the grave?
23 Why is light given to a man whose way is hidden, And whom God has shut off?
24For my groaning comes at the sight of my food, And my cries pour out like water.
25For what I fear comes upon me, And what I dread encounters me.
26I am not at ease, nor am I quiet, And I am not at rest, but turmoil comes.'
Chapter 4
1Then Eliphaz the Temanite responded,
2'If one ventures a word with you, will you become impatient? But who can refrain from speaking?
3Behold, you have taught many, And you have strengthened weak hands.
4Your words have helped the stumbling to stand, And you have strengthened feeble knees.
5But now it comes to you, and you are impatient; It touches you, and you are horrified.
6Is your fear of God not your confidence, And the integrity of your ways your hope?
7'Remember now, who ever perished being innocent? Or where were the upright destroyed?
8According to what I have seen, those who plow wrongdoing And those who sow trouble harvest it.
9By the breath of God they perish, And by the blast of His anger they come to an end.
10The roaring of the lion and the voice of the fierce lion, And the teeth of the young lions are broken out.
11The lion perishes for lack of prey, And the cubs of the lioness are scattered.
12'Now a word was brought to me secretly, And my ear received a whisper of it.
13Amid disquieting thoughts from visions of the night, When deep sleep falls on people,
14Dread came upon me, and trembling, And made all my bones shake.
15Then a spirit passed by my face; The hair of my flesh stood up.
16 Something was standing still, but I could not recognize its appearance; A form was before my eyes; There was silence, then I heard a voice:
17‘Can mankind be righteous before God? Can a man be pure before his Maker?
18He puts no trust even in His servants; And He accuses His angels of error.
19How much more those who live in houses of clay, Whose foundation is in the dust, Who are crushed before the moth!
20Between morning and evening they are broken in pieces; Unregarded, they perish forever.
21Is their tent-cord not pulled out within them? They die, yet without wisdom.’
King James Version
Chapter 3
1After this opened Job his mouth, and cursed his day. 2And Job spake, and said, 3Let the day perish wherein I was born, and the night in which it was said, There is a man child conceived.
10Because it shut not up the doors of my mother's womb, nor hid sorrow from mine eyes.
11Why died I not from the womb? why did I not give up the ghost when I came out of the belly?
19The small and great are there; and the servant is free from his master.
20Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery, and life unto the bitter in soul;
Chapter 4
1Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said, 2If we assay to commune with thee, wilt thou be grieved? but who can withhold himself from speaking?Christian Standard Bible
3May the day I was born perish, and the night that said, "A boy is conceived."
4If only that day had turned to darkness! May God above not care about it, or light shine on it.
5May darkness and gloom reclaim it, and a cloud settle over it. May what darkens the day terrify it.
6If only darkness had taken that night away! May it not appear among the days of the year or be listed in the calendar.
7Yes, may that night be barren; may no joyful shout be heard in it.
8Let those who curse days condemn it, those who are ready to rouse Leviathan.
9May its morning stars grow dark. May it wait for daylight but have none; may it not see the breaking of dawn.
10For that night did not shut the doors of my mother’s womb, and hide sorrow from my eyes.
11Why was I not stillborn; why didn’t I die as I came from the womb?
12Why did the knees receive me, and why were there breasts for me to nurse?
13Now I would certainly be lying down in peace; I would be asleep. Then I would be at rest
14with the kings and counselors of the earth, who rebuilt ruined cities for themselves,
15or with princes who had gold, who filled their houses with silver.
16Or why was I not hidden like a miscarried child, like infants who never see daylight?
17There the wicked cease to make trouble, and there the weary find rest.
18The captives are completely at rest; they do not hear a taskmaster’s voice.
19Both small and great are there, and the slave is set free from his master.
20Why is light given to one burdened with grief, and life to those whose existence is bitter,
21who wait for death, but it does not come, and search for it more than for hidden treasure,
22who are filled with much joy and are glad when they reach the grave?
23Why is life given to a man whose path is hidden, whom God has hedged in?
24I sigh when food is put before me, and my groans pour out like water.
25For the thing I feared has overtaken me, and what I dreaded has happened to me.
26I cannot relax or be calm; I have no rest, for turmoil has come.
Chapter 4
1Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied:
2Should anyone try to speak with you when you are exhausted? Yet who can keep from speaking?
3Indeed, you have instructed many and have strengthened weak hands.
4Your words have steadied the one who was stumbling and braced the knees that were buckling.
5But now that this has happened to you, you have become exhausted. It strikes you, and you are dismayed.
6Isn’t your piety your confidence, and the integrity of your life your hope?
7Consider: Who has perished when he was innocent? Where have the honest been destroyed?
8In my experience, those who plow injustice and those who sow trouble reap the same.
9They perish at a single blast from God and come to an end by the breath of his nostrils.
10The lion may roar and the fierce lion growl, but the teeth of young lions are broken.
11The strong lion dies if it catches no prey, and the cubs of the lioness are scattered.
12A word was brought to me in secret; my ears caught a whisper of it.
13Among unsettling thoughts from visions in the night, when deep sleep comes over men,
14fear and trembling came over me and made all my bones shake.
15I felt a draft on my face, and the hair on my body stood up.
16A figure stood there, but I could not recognize its appearance; a form loomed before my eyes. I heard a whispering voice:
17"Can a mortal be righteous before God? Can a man be more pure than his Maker?"
18If God puts no trust in his servants and he charges his angels with foolishness,
19how much more those who dwell in clay houses, whose foundation is in the dust, who are crushed like a moth!
20They are smashed to pieces from dawn to dusk; they perish forever while no one notices.
21Are their tent cords not pulled up? They die without wisdom.
New Living Translation
3'Let the day of my birth be erased, and the night I was conceived.
4Let that day be turned to darkness. Let it be lost even to God on high, and let no light shine on it.
5Let the darkness and utter gloom claim that day for its own. Let a black cloud overshadow it, and let the darkness terrify it.
6Let 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.
7Let that night be childless. Let it have no joy.
8Let those who are experts at cursing — whose cursing could rouse Leviathan — curse that day.
9Let its morning stars remain dark. Let it hope for light, but in vain; may it never see the morning light.
10Curse that day for failing to shut my mother’s womb, for letting me be born to see all this trouble.
11'Why wasn’t I born dead? Why didn’t I die as I came from the womb?
12Why was I laid on my mother’s lap? Why did she nurse me at her breasts?
13Had I died at birth, I would now be at peace. I would be asleep and at rest.
14I would rest with the world’s kings and prime ministers, whose great buildings now lie in ruins.
15I would rest with princes, rich in gold, whose palaces were filled with silver.
16Why wasn’t I buried like a stillborn child, like a baby who never lives to see the light?
17For in death the wicked cause no trouble, and the weary are at rest.
18Even captives are at ease in death, with no guards to curse them.
19Rich and poor are both there, and the slave is free from his master.
20'Oh, why give light to those in misery, and life to those who are bitter?
21They long for death, and it won’t come. They search for death more eagerly than for hidden treasure.
22They’re filled with joy when they finally die, and rejoice when they find the grave.
23Why is life given to those with no future, those God has surrounded with difficulties?
24I cannot eat for sighing; my groans pour out like water.
25What I always feared has happened to me. What I dreaded has come true.
26I have no peace, no quietness. I have no rest; only trouble comes.'
3'In the past you have encouraged many people; you have strengthened those who were weak.
4Your words have supported those who were falling; you encouraged those with shaky knees.
5But now when trouble strikes, you lose heart. You are terrified when it touches you.
6Doesn’t your reverence for God give you confidence? Doesn’t your life of integrity give you hope?
7'Stop and think! Do the innocent die? When have the upright been destroyed?
8My experience shows that those who plant trouble and cultivate evil will harvest the same.
9A breath from God destroys them. They vanish in a blast of his anger.
10The lion roars and the wildcat snarls, but the teeth of strong lions will be broken.
11The fierce lion will starve for lack of prey, and the cubs of the lioness will be scattered.
12'This truth was given to me in secret, as though whispered in my ear.
13It came to me in a disturbing vision at night, when people are in a deep sleep.
14Fear gripped me, and my bones trembled.
15A spirit swept past my face, and my hair stood on end.
16The spirit stopped, but I couldn’t see its shape. There was a form before my eyes. In the silence I heard a voice say,
17‘Can a mortal be innocent before God? Can anyone be pure before the Creator?’
18'If God does not trust his own angels and has charged his messengers with foolishness,
19how much less will he trust people made of clay! They are made of dust, crushed as easily as a moth.
20They are alive in the morning but dead by evening, gone forever without a trace.
21Their tent-cords are pulled and the tent collapses, and they die in ignorance.
English Standard Version
3 "Let the day perish on which I was born, and the night that said, ‘A man is conceived.’
4Let that day be darkness! May God above not seek it, nor light shine upon it.
5Let gloom and deep darkness claim it. Let clouds dwell upon it; let the blackness of the day terrify it.
6That night — let thick darkness seize it! Let it not rejoice among the days of the year; let it not come into the number of the months.
7Behold, let that night be barren; let no joyful cry enter it.
8Let those curse it who curse the day, who are ready to rouse up Leviathan.
9Let the stars of its dawn be dark; let it hope for light, but have none, nor see the eyelids of the morning,
10because it did not shut the doors of my mother 's womb, nor hide trouble from my eyes.
11"Why did I not die at birth, come out from the womb and expire?
12Why did the knees receive me? Or why the breasts, that I should nurse?
13For then I would have lain down and been quiet; I would have slept; then I would have been at rest,
14with kings and counselors of the earth who rebuilt ruins for themselves,
15or with princes who had gold, who filled their houses with silver.
16Or why was I not as a hidden stillborn child, as infants who never see the light?
17There the wicked cease from troubling, and there the weary are at rest.
18There the prisoners are at ease together; they hear not the voice of the taskmaster.
19The small and the great are there, and the slave is free from his master.
20"Why is light given to him who is in misery, and life to the bitter in soul,
21who long for death, but it comes not, and dig for it more than for hidden treasures,
22who rejoice exceedingly and are glad when they find the grave?
23Why is light given to a man whose way is hidden, whom God has hedged in?
24For my sighing comes instead of my bread, and my groanings are poured out like water.
25 For the thing that I fear comes upon me, and what I dread befalls me.
26I am not at ease, nor am I quiet; I have no rest, but trouble comes."
2"If one ventures a word with you, will you be impatient? Yet who can keep from speaking?
3Behold, you have instructed many, and you have strengthened the weak hands.
4Your words have upheld him who was stumbling, and you have made firm the feeble knees.
5But now it has come to you, and you are impatient; it touches you, and you are dismayed.
6 Is not your fear of God your confidence, and the integrity of your ways your hope?
7"Remember: who that was innocent ever perished? Or where were the upright cut off?
8As I have seen, those who plow iniquity and sow trouble reap the same.
9By the breath of God they perish, and by the blast of his anger they are consumed.
10The roar of the lion, the voice of the fierce lion, the teeth of the young lions are broken.
11The strong lion perishes for lack of prey, and the cubs of the lioness are scattered.
12"Now a word was brought to me stealthily; my ear received the whisper of it.
13Amid thoughts from visions of the night, when deep sleep falls on men,
14dread came upon me, and trembling, which made all my bones shake.
15A spirit glided past my face; the hair of my flesh stood up.
16It stood still, but I could not discern its appearance. A form was before my eyes; there was silence, then I heard a voice:
17 ‘Can mortal man be in the right before God? Can a man be pure before his Maker?
18Even in his servants he puts no trust, and his angels he charges with error;
19how much more those who dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, who are crushed like the moth.
20Between morning and evening they are beaten to pieces; they perish forever without anyone regarding it.
21Is not their tent-cord plucked up within them, do they not die, and that without wisdom?’
New International Version
3"May the day of my birth perish, and the night that said, ‘A boy is conceived!’
4That day—may it turn to darkness; may God above not care about it; may no light shine on it.
5May gloom and utter darkness claim it once more; may a cloud settle over it; may blackness overwhelm it.
6That night—may thick darkness seize it; may it not be included among the days of the year nor be entered in any of the months.
7May that night be barren; may no shout of joy be heard in it.
8May those who curse days curse that day, those who are ready to rouse Leviathan.
9May its morning stars become dark; may it wait for daylight in vain and not see the first rays of dawn,
10for it did not shut the doors of the womb on me to hide trouble from my eyes.
11"Why did I not perish at birth, and die as I came from the womb?
12Why were there knees to receive me and breasts that I might be nursed?
13For now I would be lying down in peace; I would be asleep and at rest
14with kings and rulers of the earth, who built for themselves places now lying in ruins,
15with princes who had gold, who filled their houses with silver.
16Or why was I not hidden away in the ground like a stillborn child, like an infant who never saw the light of day?
17There the wicked cease from turmoil, and there the weary are at rest.
18Captives also enjoy their ease; they no longer hear the slave driver’s shout.
19The small and the great are there, and the slaves are freed from their owners.
20"Why is light given to those in misery, and life to the bitter of soul,
21to those who long for death that does not come, who search for it more than for hidden treasure,
22who are filled with gladness and rejoice when they reach the grave?
23Why is life given to a man whose way is hidden, whom God has hedged in?
24For sighing has become my daily food; my groans pour out like water.
25What I feared has come upon me; what I dreaded has happened to me.
26I have no peace, no quietness; I have no rest, but only turmoil."
Chapter 4
1Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied:
2"If someone ventures a word with you, will you be impatient? But who can keep from speaking?
3Think how you have instructed many, how you have strengthened feeble hands.
4Your words have supported those who stumbled; you have strengthened faltering knees.
5But now trouble comes to you, and you are discouraged; it strikes you, and you are dismayed.
6Should not your piety be your confidence and your blameless ways your hope?
7"Consider now: Who, being innocent, has ever perished? Where were the upright ever destroyed?
8As I have observed, those who plow evil and those who sow trouble reap it.
9At the breath of God they perish; at the blast of his anger they are no more.
10The lions may roar and growl, yet the teeth of the great lions are broken.
11The lion perishes for lack of prey, and the cubs of the lioness are scattered.
12"A word was secretly brought to me, my ears caught a whisper of it.
13Amid disquieting dreams in the night, when deep sleep falls on people,
14fear and trembling seized me and made all my bones shake.
15A spirit glided past my face, and the hair on my body stood on end.
16It stopped, but I could not tell what it was. A form stood before my eyes, and I heard a hushed voice:
17‘Can a mortal be more righteous than God? Can even a strong man be more pure than his Maker?
18If God places no trust in his servants, if he charges his angels with error,
19how much more those who live in houses of clay, whose foundations are in the dust, who are crushed more readily than a moth!
20Between dawn and dusk they are broken to pieces; unnoticed, they perish forever.
21Are not the cords of their tent pulled up, so that they die without wisdom?’
New King James Version
Chapter 3
1After this Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth. 2And Job spoke, and said:
3“May the day perish on which I was born, And the night in which it was said, ‘A male child is conceived.’
4May that day be darkness; May God above not seek it, Nor the light shine upon it.
5May darkness and the shadow of death claim it; May a cloud settle on it; May the blackness of the day terrify it.
6 As for that night, may darkness seize it; May it not rejoice among the days of the year, May it not come into the number of the months.
7Oh, may that night be barren! May no joyful shout come into it!
8May those curse it who curse the day, Those who are ready to arouse Leviathan.
9May the stars of its morning be dark; May it look for light, but have none, And not see the dawning of the day;
10Because it did not shut up the doors of my mother’s womb, Nor hide sorrow from my eyes.
11“Why did I not die at birth? Why did I not perish when I came from the womb?
12 Why did the knees receive me? Or why the breasts, that I should nurse?
13For now I would have lain still and been quiet, I would have been asleep; Then I would have been at rest
14With kings and counselors of the earth, Who built ruins for themselves,
15Or with princes who had gold, Who filled their houses with silver;
16Or why was I not hidden like a stillborn child, Like infants who never saw light?
17There the wicked cease from troubling, And there the weary are at rest.
18 There the prisoners rest together; They do not hear the voice of the oppressor.
19The small and great are there, And the servant is free from his master.
20“Why is light given to him who is in misery, And life to the bitter of soul,
21Who long for death, but it does not come, And search for it more than hidden treasures;
22Who rejoice exceedingly, And are glad when they can find the grave?
23 Why is light given to a man whose way is hidden, And whom God has hedged in?
24For my sighing comes before I eat, And my groanings pour out like water.
25For the thing I greatly feared has come upon me, And what I dreaded has happened to me.
26I am not at ease, nor am I quiet; I have no rest, for trouble comes.”
2“ If one attempts a word with you, will you become weary? But who can withhold himself from speaking?
3Surely you have instructed many, And you have strengthened weak hands.
4Your words have upheld him who was stumbling, And you have strengthened the feeble knees;
5But now it comes upon you, and you are weary; It touches you, and you are troubled.
6 Is not your reverence your confidence? And the integrity of your ways your hope?
7“Remember now, who ever perished being innocent? Or where were the upright ever cut off?
8Even as I have seen, Those who plow iniquity And sow trouble reap the same.
9By the blast of God they perish, And by the breath of His anger they are consumed.
10The roaring of the lion, The voice of the fierce lion, And the teeth of the young lions are broken.
11 The old lion perishes for lack of prey, And the cubs of the lioness are scattered.
12“Now a word was secretly brought to me, And my ear received a whisper of it.
13 In disquieting thoughts from the visions of the night, When deep sleep falls on men,
14Fear came upon me, and trembling, Which made all my bones shake.
15Then a spirit passed before my face; The hair on my body stood up.
16It stood still, But I could not discern its appearance. A form was before my eyes; There was silence; Then I heard a voice saying:
17‘Can a mortal be more righteous than God? Can a man be more pure than his Maker?
18If He puts no trust in His servants, If He charges His angels with error,
19How much more those who dwell in houses of clay, Whose foundation is in the dust, Who are crushed before a moth?
20 They are broken in pieces from morning till evening; They perish forever, with no one regarding.
21Does not their own excellence go away? They die, even without wisdom.’
