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Job 3

Holman Christian Standard Bible, 2009 (HCSB)

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¹ After this, Job began to speak and cursed the day he was born.

² He said:

³ May the day I was born perish, and the night when they said, “A boy is conceived.” ⓐ

⁴ If only that day had turned to darkness! May God above not care about it, or light shine on it.

⁵ May darkness and gloom ⓑ reclaim it, and a cloud settle over it. May an eclipse of the sun [1] terrify it.

⁶ If only darkness had taken that night away! May it not appear [2] among the days of the year or be listed in the calendar. [3]

⁷ Yes, may that night be barren; may no joyful shout ⓒ be heard in it.

⁸ Let those who curse certain days cast a spell ⓓ on it, those who are skilled in rousing Leviathan. ⓔ

⁹ May its morning stars grow dark. May it wait for daylight but have none; may it not see the breaking [4] of dawn.

¹⁰ For that night did not shut the doors of my mother’s womb, and hide sorrow from my eyes.

¹¹ Why was I not stillborn; why didn’t I die as I came from the womb? ⓕ

¹² Why did the knees receive me, and why were there breasts for me to nurse? ⓖ

¹³ Now I would certainly be lying down in peace; I would be asleep. ⓗ Then I would be at rest ⓘ

¹⁴ with the kings and counselors ⓙ of the earth, who rebuilt ruined cities for themselves,

¹⁵ or with princes who had gold, who filled their houses ⓚ with silver.

¹⁶ Or why was I not hidden like a miscarried child, ⓛ like infants who never see daylight?

¹⁷ There the wicked ⓜ cease to make trouble, and there the weary find rest.

¹⁸ The captives are completely at ease; ⓝ they do not hear the voice of their oppressor. ⓞ

¹⁹ Both small and great are there, and the slave is set free from his master. ⓟ

²⁰ Why is light given to one burdened with grief, and life to those whose existence is bitter, ⓠ

²¹ who wait for death, ⓡ but it does not come, and search for it more than for hidden treasure,

²² who are filled with much joy and are glad when they reach the grave? ⓢ

²³ Why is life given to a man whose path is hidden, ⓣ whom God has hedged in?

²⁴ I sigh when food ⓤ is put before me, [5] and my groans pour out like water. ⓥ

²⁵ For the thing I feared has overtaken me, and what I dreaded has happened to me. ⓦ

²⁶ I cannot relax or be still; I have no rest, ⓧ for trouble comes.

#	HCSB
1	After this, Job began to speak and cursed the day he was born.
2	He said:
3	May the day I was born perish, and the night when they said, “A boy is conceived.” ⓐ
4	If only that day had turned to darkness! May God above not care about it, or light shine on it.
5	May darkness and gloom ⓑ reclaim it, and a cloud settle over it. May an eclipse of the sun [1] terrify it.
6	If only darkness had taken that night away! May it not appear [2] among the days of the year or be listed in the calendar. [3]
7	Yes, may that night be barren; may no joyful shout ⓒ be heard in it.
8	Let those who curse certain days cast a spell ⓓ on it, those who are skilled in rousing Leviathan. ⓔ
9	May its morning stars grow dark. May it wait for daylight but have none; may it not see the breaking [4] of dawn.
10	For that night did not shut the doors of my mother’s womb, and hide sorrow from my eyes.
11	Why was I not stillborn; why didn’t I die as I came from the womb? ⓕ
12	Why did the knees receive me, and why were there breasts for me to nurse? ⓖ
13	Now I would certainly be lying down in peace; I would be asleep. ⓗ Then I would be at rest ⓘ
14	with the kings and counselors ⓙ of the earth, who rebuilt ruined cities for themselves,
15	or with princes who had gold, who filled their houses ⓚ with silver.
16	Or why was I not hidden like a miscarried child, ⓛ like infants who never see daylight?
17	There the wicked ⓜ cease to make trouble, and there the weary find rest.
18	The captives are completely at ease; ⓝ they do not hear the voice of their oppressor. ⓞ
19	Both small and great are there, and the slave is set free from his master. ⓟ
20	Why is light given to one burdened with grief, and life to those whose existence is bitter, ⓠ
21	who wait for death, ⓡ but it does not come, and search for it more than for hidden treasure,
22	who are filled with much joy and are glad when they reach the grave? ⓢ
23	Why is life given to a man whose path is hidden, ⓣ whom God has hedged in?
24	I sigh when food ⓤ is put before me, [5] and my groans pour out like water. ⓥ
25	For the thing I feared has overtaken me, and what I dreaded has happened to me. ⓦ
26	I cannot relax or be still; I have no rest, ⓧ for trouble comes.

Footnotes & Cross-References

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^{Job 3:8 [6]} Or curse the sea

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