| New King James Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1After this Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth. | 1After this, Job began to speak and cursed the day he was born. |
| 2And Job spoke, and said: | 2He said: |
| 3“May the day perish on which I was born, And the night in which it was said, ‘A male child is conceived.’ | 3May the day I was born perish, and the night when they said, "A boy is conceived." |
| 4May that day be darkness; May God above not seek it, Nor the light shine upon it. | 4If only that day had turned to darkness! May God above not care about it, or light shine on it. |
| 5May darkness and the shadow of death claim it; May a cloud settle on it; May the blackness of the day terrify it. | 5May darkness and gloom reclaim it, and a cloud settle over it. May an eclipse of the sun terrify it. |
| 6As for that night, may darkness seize it; May it not rejoice among the days of the year, May it not come into the number of the months. | 6If only darkness had taken that night away! May it not appear among the days of the year or be listed in the calendar. |
| 7Oh, may that night be barren! May no joyful shout come into it! | 7Yes, may that night be barren; may no joyful shout be heard in it. |
| 8May those curse it who curse the day, Those who are ready to arouse Leviathan. | 8Let those who curse certain days cast a spell on it, those who are skilled in rousing Leviathan. |
| 9May the stars of its morning be dark; May it look for light, but have none, And not see the dawning of the day; | 9May its morning stars grow dark. May it wait for daylight but have none; may it not see the breaking of dawn. |
| 10Because it did not shut up the doors of my mother’s womb, Nor hide sorrow from my eyes. | 10For that night did not shut the doors of my mother's womb, and hide sorrow from my eyes. |
| 11“Why did I not die at birth? Why did I not perish when I came from the womb? | 11Why was I not stillborn; why didn't I die as I came from the womb? |
| 12Why did the knees receive me? Or why the breasts, that I should nurse? | 12Why did the knees receive me, and why were there breasts for me to nurse? |
| 13For now I would have lain still and been quiet, I would have been asleep; Then I would have been at rest | 13Now I would certainly be lying down in peace; I would be asleep. Then I would be at rest |
| 14With kings and counselors of the earth, Who built ruins for themselves, | 14with the kings and counselors of the earth, who rebuilt ruined cities for themselves, |
| 15Or with princes who had gold, Who filled their houses with silver; | 15or with princes who had gold, who filled their houses with silver. |
| 16Or why was I not hidden like a stillborn child, Like infants who never saw light? | 16Or why was I not hidden like a miscarried child, like infants who never see daylight? |
| 17There the wicked cease from troubling, And there the weary are at rest. | 17There the wicked cease to make trouble, and there the weary find rest. |
| 18There the prisoners rest together; They do not hear the voice of the oppressor. | 18The captives are completely at ease; they do not hear the voice of their oppressor. |
| 19The small and great are there, And the servant is free from his master. | 19Both small and great are there, and the slave is set free from his master. |
| 20“Why is light given to him who is in misery, And life to the bitter of soul, | 20Why is light given to one burdened with grief, and life to those whose existence is bitter, |
| 21Who long for death, but it does not come, And search for it more than hidden treasures; | 21who wait for death, but it does not come, and search for it more than for hidden treasure, |
| 22Who rejoice exceedingly, And are glad when they can find the grave? | 22who are filled with much joy and are glad when they reach the grave? |
| 23Why is light given to a man whose way is hidden, And whom God has hedged in? | 23Why is life given to a man whose path is hidden, whom God has hedged in? |
| 24For my sighing comes before I eat, And my groanings pour out like water. | 24I sigh when food is put before me, and my groans pour out like water. |
| 25For the thing I greatly feared has come upon me, And what I dreaded has happened to me. | 25For the thing I feared has overtaken me, and what I dreaded has happened to me. |
| 26I am not at ease, nor am I quiet; I have no rest, for trouble comes.” | 26I cannot relax or be still; I have no rest, for trouble comes. |
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