New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures — With References (Rbi8, en_US, 1984)
Job
Job, 3
1 It was after this that Job opened his mouth and began to call down evil upon his day.
2 Job now answered and said:
3 “Let the day perish on which I came to be born, Also the night that someone said, ‘An able-bodied man*1 has been conceived!’
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4 As for that day, let it become darkness. Let not God*1 look for it from above, Nor let daylight beam upon it.
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5 Let darkness and deep shadow*1 reclaim it. Let a rain cloud reside over it. Let the things that darken a day terrorize it.
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6 That night—let gloom take it; Let it not feel glad among the days of a year; Among the number of the lunar months let it not enter.
7 Look! That night—let it become sterile; Let no joyful cry come in it.
8 Let cursers*1 of the day execrate it, Those ready to awaken Le·viʹa·than.*2
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9 Let the stars of its twilight grow dark; Let it wait for the light and there be none; And let it not see the beams of dawn.
10 For it did not close the doors of my [mother’s] belly, And so conceal trouble from my eyes.
11 Why from the womb did I not proceed to die? [Why did I not] come forth from the belly itself and then expire?
12 Why was it that knees confronted me, And why breasts that I should take suck?
13 For by now I should have lain down that I might be undisturbed; I should have slept then; I should be at rest
14 With kings and counselors of the earth, Those building desolate places*1 for themselves,
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15 Or with princes who have gold, Those who fill their houses with silver;
16 Or, like a hidden miscarriage, I should not come to be, Like children that have seen no light.
17 There the wicked themselves have ceased from agitation, And there those weary in power are at rest.
18 Together prisoners themselves are at ease; They actually do not hear the voice of one driving them to work.
19 Small and great are there the same, And the slave is set free from his master.*1
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20 Why does he give light to one having trouble, And life to those bitter of soul?
21 Why are there those waiting for death, and it is not, Although they keep digging for it more than for hidden treasures?
22 Those who are rejoicing to gleefulness,*1 They exult because they find a burial place.
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23 [Why does he give light] to able-bodied man,*1 whose way has been concealed, And whom God*2 hedges in?
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24 For before my food my sighing comes, And like waters my roaring cries pour forth;
25 Because a dreadful thing I have dreaded, and it comes upon me; And what I have been scared of comes to me.
26 I have not been carefree, nor have I been undisturbed, Nor been at rest, and yet agitation comes.”