¹After this, Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth. ²And this is what he said: ³“May the day of my birth perish, ⁴If only that day had turned to darkness! ⁵May darkness and gloom reclaim it, ⁶If only darkness had taken that night away! ⁷Behold, may that night be barren; ⁸May it be cursed by those who curse the day — ⁹May its morning stars grow dark; ¹⁰For that night did not shut the doors of the womb ¹¹Why did I not perish at birth; ¹²Why were there knees to receive me, ¹³For now I would be lying down in peace; ¹⁴with kings and counselors of the earth, ¹⁵or with princes who had gold, ¹⁶Or why was I not hidden like a stillborn child, ¹⁷There the wicked cease from raging, ¹⁸The captives enjoy their ease; ¹⁹Both small and great are there, ²⁰Why is light given to the miserable, ²¹who long for death that does not come, ²²who rejoice and greatly exult ²³Why is life given to a man whose way is hidden, ²⁴I sigh when food is put before me, ²⁵For the thing I feared has overtaken me, ²⁶I am not at ease or quiet;