Job Curses His Birth

Job 3

Job breaks his silence and curses the day he was born, wishing that night had brought no light and that he had died in the womb or at birth. He asks why life and light are given to those in misery who long for death and cannot find it, and ends still troubled, without peace or rest.

About these editions

The Septuagint (LXX) in Greek, with Charles Thomson’s 1808 and Sir Lancelot Brenton’s 1851 English translations, set beside the King James Version and the Jewish Masoretic text (JPS 1917) where they align, so you can compare the Greek and the Hebrew. All public domain; choose which to show with the controls above.

Thomson 1808Septuagint

Brenton 1851Septuagint

Greek · BrentonSeptuagint

KJV 1769Masoretic

JPS 1917Masoretic

ThomsonAFTER this Job opened his mouth and cursed his day,

BrentonAfter this Job opened his mouth, and cursed his day,

GreekΜετὰ τοῦτο ἤνοιξεν Ἰὼβ τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ,

KJVAfter this opened Job his mouth, and cursed his day.

JPSAfter this opened Job his mouth, and cursed his day.

Thomsonsaying:

Brentonsaying,

Greekκαὶ κατηράσατο τὴν ἡμέραν αὐτοῦ, λέγων,

KJV—

JPS—

ThomsonPerish the day in which I was born—and the night in which they said, It is a male!

BrentonLet the day perish in which I was born, and that night in which they said, Behold a man-child!

GreekἈπόλοιτο ἡ ἡμέρα ἐν ᾗ ἐγεννήθην, καὶ ἡ νὺξ ἐκείνη ᾗ εἶπαν, Ἰδοὺ ἄρσεν.

KJVLet the day perish wherein I was born, and the night in which it was said, There is a man child conceived.

JPSLet the day perish wherein I was born, And the night wherein it was said: ‘A man-child is brought forth.’

ThomsonLet that night be darkness: let not the Lord from above regard it, nor splendour come upon it:

BrentonLet that night be darkness, and let not the Lord regard it from above, neither let light come upon it.

GreekἩ νὺξ ἐκείνη εἴη σκότος, καὶ μὴ ἀναζητήσαι αὐτὴν ὁ Κύριος ἄνωθεν, μηδὲ ἔλθοι εἰς αὐτὴν φέγγος·

KJVLet that day be darkness; let not God regard it from above, neither let the light shine upon it.

JPSLet that day be darkness; Let not God inquire after it from above, Neither let the light shine upon it.

Thomsonbut let darkness and the shadow of death cover it: upon it let there come a thick darkness. May the day be execrated!

BrentonBut let darkness and the shadow of death seize it; let blackness come upon it;

GreekἘκλάβοι δὲ αὐτὴν σκότος καὶ σκιὰ θανάτου, ἐπέλθοι ἐπʼ αὐτὴν γνόφος·

KJVLet darkness and the shadow of death stain it; let a cloud dwell upon it; let the blackness of the day terrify it.

JPSLet darkness and the shadow of death claim it for their own; Let a cloud dwell upon it; Let all that maketh black the day terrify it.

ThomsonAnd as for that night, may a pitchy darkness sweep it away! May that never come into the days of the year; nor be numbered among the days of months.

Brentonlet that day and night be cursed, let darkness carry them away; let it not come into the days of the year, neither let it be numbered with the days of the months.

Greekκαταραθείη ἡ ἡμέρα καὶ ἡ νὺξ ἐκείνη, ἀπενέγκοιτο αὐτὴν σκότος· μὴ εἴη εἰς ἡμέρας ἐνιαυτοῦ, μηδὲ ἀριθμηθείη εἰς ἡμέρας μηνῶν.

KJVAs for that night, let darkness seize upon it; let it not be joined unto the days of the year, let it not come into the number of the months.

JPSAs for that night, let thick darkness seize upon it; Let it not rejoice among the days of the year; Let it not come into the number of the months.

ThomsonBut as for that night, may it be sorrow, and may there never come upon it gladness or mirth!

BrentonBut let that night be pain, and let not mirth come upon it, nor joy.

GreekἈλλὰ ἡ νὺξ ἐκείνη εἴη ὀδύνη, καὶ μὴ ἔλθοι ἐπʼ αὐτὴν εὐφροσύνη, μηδὲ χαρμονή·

KJVLo, let that night be solitary, let no joyful voice come therein.

JPSLo, let that night be desolate; Let no joyful voice come therein.

ThomsonBut let Him curse it who curseth the day—Him Who is to attack the great sea-monster.

BrentonBut let him that curses that day curse it, even he that is ready to attack the great whale.

GreekἈλλὰ καταράσαιτο αὐτὴν ὁ καταρώμενος τὴν ἡμέραν ἐκείνην, ὁ μέλλων τὸ μέγα κῆτος χειρώσασθαι.

KJVLet them curse it that curse the day, who are ready to raise up their mourning.

JPSLet them curse it that curse the day, Who are ready to rouse up leviathan.

ThomsonMay the stars of that night be obscured in darkness: may it long for light but never reach it; nor see the rising of the morning star:

BrentonLet the stars of that night be darkened; let it remain dark, and not come into light; and let it not see the morning star arise:

GreekΣκοτωθείη τὰ ἄστρα τῆς νυκτὸς ἐκείνης· ὑπομείναι, καὶ εἰς φωτισμὸν μὴ ἔλθοι, καὶ μὴ ἴδοι Ἑωσφόρον ἀνατέλλοντα.

KJVLet the stars of the twilight thereof be dark; let it look for light, but have none; neither let it see the dawning of the day:

JPSLet the stars of the twilight thereof be dark; Let it look for light, but have none; Neither let it behold the eyelids of the morning;

Thomsonbecause it shut not up the door of my mother’s womb: for that would have removed sorrow from mine eyes:

Brentonbecause it shut not up the gates of my mother's womb, for so it would have removed sorrow from my eyes.

GreekὍτι οὐ συνέκλεισε πύλας γαστρὸς μητρός μου, ἀπήλλαξε γὰρ ἂν πόνον ἀπὸ ὀφθαλμῶν μου.

KJVBecause it shut not up the doors of my mother’s womb, nor hid sorrow from mine eyes.

JPSBecause it shut not up the doors of my [mother’s] womb, Nor hid trouble from mine eyes.

Thomsonfor why did I not end my days in the womb?

BrentonFor why died I not in the belly? and why did I not come forth from the womb and die immediately?

GreekΔιατί γὰρ ἐν κοιλίᾳ οὐκ ἐτελεύτησα; ἐκ γαστρὸς δὲ ἐξῆλθον, καὶ οὐκ εὐθὺς ἀπωλόμην;

KJVWhy died I not from the womb? why did I not give up the ghost when I came out of the belly?

JPSWhy died I not from the womb? Why did I not perish at birth?

ThomsonOr when I came forth from the belly why did I not instantly perish? Why was I dandled upon the knees? And why have I sucked the breasts?

BrentonAnd why did the knees support me? and why did I suck the breasts?

GreekἹνατί δὲ συνήντησάν μοι τὰ γόνατα; ἱνατί δὲ μαστοὺς ἐθήλασα;

KJVWhy did the knees prevent me? or why the breasts that I should suck?

JPSWhy did the knees receive me? And wherefore the breasts, that I should suck?

ThomsonI might now have lain still and been quiet; I might have gone to sleep and been at rest;

BrentonNow I should have lain down and been quiet, I should have slept and been at rest,

Greekνῦν ἂν κοιμηθεὶς ἡσύχασα, ὑπνώσας δὲ ἀνεπαυσάμην

KJVFor now should I have lain still and been quiet, I should have slept: then had I been at rest,

JPSFor now should I have lain still and been quiet; I should have slept; then had I been at rest—

Thomsonwith despots of the earth who gloried in their swords:

Brentonwith kings and councillors of the earth, who gloried in their swords;

GreekΝῦν ἂν κοιμηθεὶς ἡσύχασα, ὑπνώσας δὲ ἀνεπαυσάμην μετὰ βασιλέων βουλευτῶν γῆς οἳ ἐγαυριῶντο ἐπὶ ξίφεσιν,

KJVWith kings and counsellors of the earth, which built desolate places for themselves;

JPSWith kings and counsellors of the earth, Who built up waste places for themselves;

Thomsonor with chiefs who abounded in gold—who filled their houses with silver;

Brentonor with rulers, whose gold was abundant, who filled their houses with silver:

Greekἢ μετὰ ἀρχόντων, ὧν πολὺς ὁ χρυσός, οἳ ἔπλησαν τοὺς οἴκους αὐτῶν ἀργυρίου·

KJVOr with princes that had gold, who filled their houses with silver:

JPSOr with princes that had gold, Who filled their houses with silver;

Thomsonor like an untimely birth sent forth from its mother’s womb: or like infants which never saw the light.

Brentonor I should have been as an untimely birth proceeding from his mother's womb, or as infants who never saw light.

GreekἪ ὥσπερ ἔκτρωμα ἐκπορευόμενον ἐκ μήτρας μητρὸς, ἢ ὥσπερ νήπιοι, οἳ οὐκ εἶδον φῶς·

KJVOr as an hidden untimely birth I had not been; as infants which never saw light.

JPSOr as a hidden untimely birth I had not been; As infants that never saw light.

ThomsonThere the wicked have ceased to be a terror: there the weary have got rest for their body:

BrentonThere the ungodly have burnt out the fury of rage; there the wearied in body rest.

GreekἘκεῖ ἀσεβεῖς ἐξέκαυσαν θυμὸν ὀργῆς, ἐκεῖ ἀνεπαύσαντο κατάκοποι τῷ σώματι.

KJV—

JPS—

Thomsonand they of old who are assembled there together; have never heard the exactor’s voice.

BrentonAnd the men of old time have together ceased to hear the exactor's voice.

GreekὉμοθυμαδὸν δὲ οἱ αἰώνιοι οὐκ ἤκουσαν φωνὴν φορολόγου.

KJVThere the prisoners rest together; they hear not the voice of the oppressor.

JPSThere the prisoners are at ease together; They hear not the voice of the taskmaster.

ThomsonSmall and great are there on a level—the servant, with his dreaded lord.

BrentonThe small and great are there, and the servant that feared his lord.

GreekΜικρὸς καὶ μέγας ἐκεῖ ἐστι, καὶ θεράπων δεδοικὼς τὸν κύριον αὐτοῦ.

KJVThe small and great are there; and the servant is free from his master.

JPSThe small and great are there alike; And the servant is free from his master.

ThomsonFor why is light given to them in misery; or life to souls distressed with sorrow,

BrentonFor why is light given to those who are in bitterness, and life to the souls which are in griefs?

GreekἹνατί γὰρ δέδοται τοῖς ἐν πικρίᾳ φῶς; ζωὴ δὲ ταῖς ἐν ὀδύναις ψυχαῖς,

KJVWherefore is light given to him that is in misery, and life unto the bitter in soul;

JPSWherewith is light given to him that is in misery, And life unto the bitter in soul—

Thomsonwho long for death but find it not; though they dig for it as for treasures;

Brentonwho desire death, and obtain it not, digging for it as for treasures;

Greekοἳ ἱμείρονται τοῦ θανάτου, καὶ οὐ τυγχάνουσιν ἀνορύσσοντες ὥσπερ θησαυροὺς,

KJVWhich long for death, but it cometh not; and dig for it more than for hid treasures;

JPSWho long for death, but it cometh not; And dig for it more than for hid treasures;

Thomsonand would rejoice exceedingly if they should chance to find it.

Brentonand would be very joyful if they should gain it?

Greekπεριχαρεῖς δὲ ἐγένοντο ἐὰν κατατύχωσι;

KJV—

JPS—

ThomsonFor God hath shut up death from a man to whom it would have been a repose.

BrentonDeath is rest to such a man, for God has hedged him in.

GreekΘάνατος ἀνδρὶ ἀνάπαυμα, συνέκλεισεν γὰρ ὁ Θεὸς κατʼ αὐτοῦ.

KJVWhy is light given to a man whose way is hid, and whom God hath hedged in?

JPSTo a man whose way is hid, And whom God hath hedged in?

Thomson—

BrentonFor my groaning comes before my food, and I weep being beset with terror.

GreekΠρὸ γὰρ τῶν σίτων μου στεναγμὸς ἥκει, δακρύω δὲ ἐγὼ συνεχόμενος φόβῳ.

KJV—

JPS—

ThomsonFor the terror, which I dreaded, is come upon me; and that of which I was afraid hath befallen me.

BrentonFor the terror of which I meditated has come upon me, and that which I had feared has befallen me.

GreekΦόβος γὰρ ὃν ἐφρόντισα ἦλθέ μοι, καὶ ὃν ἐδεδοίκειν, συνήντησέν μοι.

KJVFor the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me.

JPS—

ThomsonDid I not cultivate peace? was I not quiet? was I not at rest? Yet wrath is come upon me.

BrentonI was not at peace, nor quiet, nor had I rest; yet wrath came upon me.

GreekΟὔτε εἰρήνευσα, οὔτε ἡσύχασα, οὔτε ἀνεπαυσάμην, ἦλθε δέ μοι ὀργή·

KJVI was not in safety, neither had I rest, neither was I quiet; yet trouble came.

JPSI was not at ease, neither was I quiet, Neither had I rest; but trouble came.