Job 3

Wycliffe Bible

3 After these things Job opened his mouth, and cursed his day,

² and he said,

³ Perish the day in which I was born, and the night in which it was said, A man is conceived.

⁴ That day be turned into darknesses; God seek not it [from] above, and be it not in mind, neither be it lightened with light. (Let that day be turned into darkness; let God not seek it out from above, and be it forgotten, and let no light shine upon it.)

⁵ Darkness make it dark, and the shadow of death and of mist occupy it; and be it wrapped with bitterness. (Let darkness make it dark, and the shadow of death and mist fill it full; and let it be wrapped up in bitterness.)

⁶ Dark whirlwind hold that night; be it not reckoned among the days of the year, neither be it numbered among the months (Let a dark whirlwind hold that night; be it not reckoned among the days of the year, nor let it be counted among the months.)

⁷ (Let) That night be sullen, and not worthy of praising.

⁸ Curse they it, that curse the day, that be ready to raise Leviathan^[a]. (Curse they it, who curse the day, yea, they who be ready to raise up even Leviathan.)

⁹ [The] Stars of that night be they made dark with the darkness thereof; abide it light, and see it not, neither see it the beginning of the morrowtide rising up. (Let the stars of that night be made dark in its darkness; let it wait for the light, but not see it, nor let it see the beginning of the morning rising up.)

¹⁰ For it closed not (up) the doors of the womb, that bare me, neither it took away evil from mine eyes.

¹¹ Why was not I dead in the womb? why went I out of the womb, and perished not anon? (Why was I not dead in the womb? why did I not go out of the womb, and perish at once?)

¹² Why was I taken on knees? why was I given suck with teats?

¹³ For now I sleeping should be still, and I should rest in my sleep, (For then, now sleeping, I would be silent, and I would be resting in my sleep,)

¹⁴ with kings and counsellors of the earth, which build to them sullen places; (with kings and counsellors of the earth, who built palaces for themselves;)

¹⁵ either with princes that have gold in possession, and fill their houses with silver; (and with princes who had a great deal of gold, and filled their houses with silver;)

¹⁶ either as a child, or a beast, born before the time, and hid, I should not have been; either as they that be conceived, and saw not light. (or like a child, or a beast, born early, or still-born, and then hidden, or buried, I should not have been; or like they who be conceived, but never saw the light.)

¹⁷ There wicked men ceased of (making) noise, and there men made weary of strength rested. (There the wicked cease making noise, and there the strong, made weary, rest.)

¹⁸ And sometime men bound together (now be) without dis-ease, they heard not the voice of the wrongful asker. (And those who before were bound together, now be without unease, or distress; they hear no more their taskmaster’s voice.)

¹⁹ A little man and (a) great man be there, and a servant (is) free from his lord.

²⁰ Why is light given to the wretch, and life to them that be in bitterness of soul? (Why is light given to the wretch, and life to those who have a bitter soul?)

²¹ Which abide death, and it cometh not; as men that dig out treasure, (They who wait for death, but it cometh not; like men who dig out treasure,)

²² and joy greatly, when they have found a sepulchre? (and greatly rejoice, when they have found a tomb, or a grave?)

²³ Why is light given to a man, whose way is hid, and God hath (en)compassed him with darknesses? (Why is light given to a man, whose way forward is hidden, or obscured, and God hath surrounded him with darkness?)

²⁴ Before that I eat, I sigh; and as of water flowing, so is my roaring. (Before that I eat, I sigh; and my roaring floweth out, like the water.)

²⁵ For the dread, which I dreaded, hath come to me; and that thing, that I shamed [of], hath befallen to me. (For the fear, which I feared, hath come to me; and what I was afraid of, hath befallen me.)

²⁶ Whether I dissembled, or feigned, not? whether I was not still? (was I not silent?) whether I rested not? and yet indignation hath come [up]on me.