[1] After seven days Job cried out and cursed the day he had been born, [2] saying: [3] "Let the day I was born be destroyed, and the night it was said, 'A boy is born!' [4] Let that day turn to darkness. Don't let God care about it. Don't let light shine on it. [5] Let darkness and gloom have that day. Let a cloud hide it. Let thick darkness cover its light. [6] Let thick darkness capture that night. Don't count it among the days of the year or put it in any of the months. [7] Let that night be empty, with no shout of joy to be heard. [8] Let those who curse days curse that day. Let them prepare to wake up the sea monster Leviathan. [9] Let that day's morning stars never appear; let it wait for daylight that never comes. Don't let it see the first light of dawn, [10] because it allowed me to be born and did not hide trouble from my eyes. [11] "Why didn't I die as soon as I was born? Why didn't I die when I came out of the womb? [12] Why did my mother's knees receive me, and my mother's breasts feed me? [13] If they had not been there, I would be lying dead in peace; I would be asleep and at rest [14] with kings and wise men of the earth who built places for themselves that are now ruined. [15] I would be asleep with rulers who filled their houses with gold and silver. [16] Why was I not buried like a child born dead, like a baby who never saw the light of day? [17] In the grave the wicked stop making trouble, and the weary workers are at rest. [18] In the grave there is rest for the captives who no longer hear the shout of the slave driver. [19] People great and small are in the grave, and the slave is freed from his master. [20] "Why is light given to those in misery? Why is life given to those who are so unhappy? [21] They want to die, but death does not come. They search for death more than for hidden treasure. [22] They are very happy when they get to the grave. [23] They cannot see where they are going. God has hidden the road ahead. [24] I make sad sounds as I eat; my groans pour out like water. [25] Everything I feared and dreaded has happened to me. [26] I have no peace or quietness. I have no rest, only trouble."
