Chapter 3
Job Laments His Birth
1
After this, Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his [birth].
𐤀𐤇𐤓𐤉 𐤊𐤍 𐤀𐤉𐤅𐤁 𐤀𐤕 𐤐𐤕𐤇 𐤐𐤉𐤄𐤅 𐤅𐤉𐤒𐤋𐤋 𐤀𐤕 𐤉𐤅𐤌𐤅𐤐
אַחֲרֵי־ כֵ֗ן אִיּוֹב֙ אֶת־ פָּתַ֤ח פִּ֔יהוּ וַיְקַלֵּ֖ל אֶת־ יוֹמֽוֹ׃פ ’a·ḥă·rê- ḵên ’î·yō·wḇ ’eṯ- pā·ṯaḥ pî·hū way·qal·lêl ’eṯ- yō·w·mōw — WLC · 1
2
And [this is what] [he] said:
𐤅𐤉𐤏𐤍 𐤀𐤉𐤅𐤁 𐤅𐤉𐤀𐤌𐤓
וַיַּ֥עַן אִיּ֗וֹב וַיֹּאמַֽר׃ way·ya·‘an ’î·yō·wḇ way·yō·mar — WLC · 2
3
“May the day of my birth perish, and the night it was said, ‘A boy is conceived.’
𐤉𐤅𐤌 𐤀𐤅𐤋𐤃 𐤁𐤅 𐤉𐤀𐤁𐤃 𐤅𐤄𐤋𐤉𐤋𐤄 𐤀𐤌𐤓 𐤂𐤁𐤓 𐤄𐤓𐤄
י֭וֹם אִוָּ֣לֶד בּ֑וֹ יֹ֣אבַד וְהַלַּ֥יְלָה אָ֝מַ֗ר גָֽבֶר׃ הֹ֣רָה yō·wm ’iw·wā·leḏ bōw yō·ḇaḏ wə·hal·lay·lāh ’ā·mar ḡā·ḇer hō·rāh — WLC · 3
4
If only that day had turned to darkness! May God above… vvv disregard it; [may no] light shine upon it.
𐤄𐤄𐤅𐤀 𐤄𐤉𐤅𐤌 𐤉𐤄𐤉 𐤇𐤔𐤊 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄 𐤌𐤌𐤏𐤋 𐤅𐤀𐤋 𐤀𐤋 𐤉𐤃𐤓𐤔𐤄𐤅 𐤍𐤄𐤓𐤄 𐤕𐤅𐤐𐤏 𐤏𐤋𐤉𐤅
הַה֗וּא הַיּ֥וֹם יְֽהִ֫י חֹ֥שֶׁךְ אֱל֣וֹהַּ מִמָּ֑עַל וְאַל־ אַֽל־ יִדְרְשֵׁ֣הוּ נְהָרָֽה׃ תּוֹפַ֖ע עָלָ֣יו ha·hū hay·yō·wm yə·hî ḥō·šeḵ ’ĕ·lō·w·ah mim·mā·‘al wə·’al- ’al- yiḏ·rə·šê·hū nə·hā·rāh tō·w·p̄a‘ ‘ā·lāw — WLC · 4
5
May darkness and gloom reclaim it, and a cloud settle over it; may the blackness of the day overwhelm it.
𐤇𐤔𐤊 𐤅𐤑𐤋𐤌𐤅𐤕 𐤉𐤂𐤀𐤋𐤄𐤅 𐤏𐤍𐤍𐤄 𐤕𐤔𐤊𐤍 𐤏𐤋𐤉𐤅 𐤊𐤌𐤓𐤉𐤓𐤉 𐤉𐤅𐤌 𐤉𐤁𐤏𐤕𐤄𐤅
חֹ֣שֶׁךְ וְ֭צַלְמָוֶת יִגְאָלֻ֡הוּ עֲנָנָ֑ה תִּשְׁכָּן־ עָלָ֣יו כִּֽמְרִ֥ירֵי יֽוֹם׃ יְ֝בַעֲתֻ֗הוּ ḥō·šeḵ wə·ṣal·mā·weṯ yiḡ·’ā·lu·hū ‘ă·nā·nāh tiš·kān- ‘ā·lāw kim·rî·rê yō·wm yə·ḇa·‘ă·ṯu·hū — WLC · 5
6
If only darkness had taken that night away! May it not appear among the days of the year; may it never be entered in any of the months.
𐤀𐤐𐤋 𐤄𐤄𐤅𐤀 𐤄𐤋𐤉𐤋𐤄 𐤉𐤒𐤇𐤄𐤅 𐤀𐤋 𐤉𐤇𐤃 𐤁𐤉𐤌𐤉 𐤔𐤍𐤄 𐤀𐤋 𐤉𐤁𐤀 𐤁𐤌𐤎𐤐𐤓 𐤉𐤓𐤇𐤉𐤌
אֹ֥פֶל הַהוּא֮ הַלַּ֥יְלָה יִקָּחֵ֪ה֫וּ אַל־ יִ֭חַדְּ בִּימֵ֣י שָׁנָ֑ה אַל־ יָבֹֽא׃ בְּמִסְפַּ֥ר יְ֝רָחִ֗ים ’ō·p̄el ha·hū hal·lay·lāh yiq·qā·ḥê·hū ’al- yi·ḥad bî·mê šā·nāh ’al- yā·ḇō bə·mis·par yə·rā·ḥîm — WLC · 6
7
Behold, may that night be barren; may no joyful voice come into it.
𐤄𐤍𐤄 𐤄𐤄𐤅𐤀 𐤄𐤋𐤉𐤋𐤄 𐤉𐤄𐤉 𐤂𐤋𐤌𐤅𐤃 𐤀𐤋 𐤓𐤍𐤍𐤄 𐤕𐤁𐤀 𐤁𐤅
הִנֵּ֤ה הַ֭הוּא הַלַּ֣יְלָה יְהִ֣י גַלְמ֑וּד אַל־ רְנָנָ֣ה תָּבֹ֖א בֽוֹ׃ hin·nêh ha·hū hal·lay·lāh yə·hî ḡal·mūḏ ’al- rə·nā·nāh tā·ḇō ḇōw — WLC · 7
8
May it be cursed by those who curse the day those prepared to rouse Leviathan.
𐤀𐤓𐤓𐤉 𐤉𐤒𐤁𐤄𐤅 𐤉𐤅𐤌 𐤄𐤏𐤕𐤉𐤃𐤉𐤌 𐤏𐤓𐤓 𐤋𐤅𐤉𐤕𐤍
אֹרְרֵי־ יִקְּבֻ֥הוּ י֑וֹם הָ֝עֲתִידִ֗ים עֹרֵ֥ר לִוְיָתָֽן׃ ’ō·rə·rê- yiq·qə·ḇu·hū yō·wm hā·‘ă·ṯî·ḏîm ‘ō·rêr liw·yā·ṯān — WLC · 8
9
May its morning stars grow dark; may it wait in vain for daylight; may it not see the breaking of dawn.
𐤍𐤔𐤐𐤅 𐤊𐤅𐤊𐤁𐤉 𐤉𐤇𐤔𐤊𐤅 𐤉𐤒𐤅 𐤅𐤀𐤉𐤍 𐤋𐤀𐤅𐤓 𐤅𐤀𐤋 𐤉𐤓𐤀𐤄 𐤁𐤏𐤐𐤏𐤐𐤉 𐤔𐤇𐤓
נִ֫שְׁפּ֥וֹ כּוֹכְבֵ֪י יֶחְשְׁכוּ֮ יְקַו־ וָאַ֑יִן לְא֥וֹר וְאַל־ יִ֝רְאֶ֗ה בְּעַפְעַפֵּי־ שָֽׁחַר׃ niš·pōw kō·wḵ·ḇê yeḥ·šə·ḵū yə·qaw- wā·’a·yin lə·’ō·wr wə·’al- yir·’eh bə·‘ap̄·‘ap·pê- šā·ḥar — WLC · 9
10
For that night did not shut the doors of the womb to hide the sorrow from my eyes.
𐤊𐤉 𐤋𐤀 𐤎𐤂𐤓 𐤃𐤋𐤕𐤉 𐤁𐤈𐤍𐤉 𐤅𐤉𐤎𐤕𐤓 𐤏𐤌𐤋 𐤌𐤏𐤉𐤍𐤉
כִּ֤י לֹ֣א סָ֭גַר דַּלְתֵ֣י בִטְנִ֑י וַיַּסְתֵּ֥ר עָ֝מָ֗ל מֵעֵינָֽי׃ kî lō sā·ḡar dal·ṯê ḇiṭ·nî way·yas·têr ‘ā·māl mê·‘ê·nāy — WLC · 10
11
Why vvv did I not perish at birth; why did I not die as I came from the womb?
𐤋𐤌𐤄 𐤋𐤀 𐤀𐤌𐤅𐤕 𐤌𐤓𐤇𐤌 𐤅𐤀𐤂𐤅𐤏 𐤉𐤑𐤀𐤕𐤉 𐤌𐤁𐤈𐤍
לָ֤מָּה לֹּ֣א אָמ֑וּת מֵרֶ֣חֶם וְאֶגְוָֽע׃ יָצָ֣אתִי מִבֶּ֖טֶן lām·māh lō ’ā·mūṯ mê·re·ḥem wə·’eḡ·wā‘ yā·ṣā·ṯî mib·be·ṭen — WLC · 11
12
Why were there knees to receive me, [and] breasts that I should be nursed?
𐤌𐤃𐤅𐤏 𐤁𐤓𐤊𐤉𐤌 𐤒𐤃𐤌𐤅𐤍𐤉 𐤅𐤌𐤄 𐤔𐤃𐤉𐤌 𐤊𐤉 𐤀𐤉𐤍𐤒
מַ֭דּוּעַ בִרְכָּ֑יִם קִדְּמ֣וּנִי וּמַה־ שָּׁ֝דַ֗יִם כִּ֣י אִינָֽק׃ mad·dū·a‘ ḇir·kā·yim qid·də·mū·nî ū·ma·hō·šā- šā·d̲a·yim kî ’î·nāq — WLC · 12
13
For now I would be lying down in peace; I would be asleep and at rest
𐤊𐤉 𐤏𐤕𐤄 𐤔𐤊𐤁𐤕𐤉 𐤅𐤀𐤔𐤒𐤅𐤈 𐤉𐤔𐤍𐤕𐤉 𐤀𐤆 𐤉𐤍𐤅𐤇 𐤋𐤉
כִּֽי־ עַ֭תָּה שָׁכַ֣בְתִּי וְאֶשְׁק֑וֹט יָ֝שַׁ֗נְתִּי אָ֤ז׀ יָנ֬וּחַֽ לִֽי׃ kî- ‘at·tāh šā·ḵaḇ·tî wə·’eš·qō·wṭ yā·šan·tî ’āz yā·nū·aḥ lî — WLC · 13
14
with kings and counselors of the earth, who built for themselves cities now in ruins,
𐤏𐤌 𐤌𐤋𐤊𐤉𐤌 𐤅𐤉𐤏𐤑𐤉 𐤀𐤓𐤑 𐤄𐤁𐤍𐤉𐤌 𐤋𐤌𐤅 𐤇𐤓𐤁𐤅𐤕
עִם־ מְ֭לָכִים וְיֹ֣עֲצֵי אָ֑רֶץ הַבֹּנִ֖ים לָֽמוֹ׃ חֳרָב֣וֹת ‘im- mə·lā·ḵîm wə·yō·‘ă·ṣê ’ā·reṣ hab·bō·nîm lā·mōw ḥo·rā·ḇō·wṯ — WLC · 14
15
or with princes who had gold…, who filled their houses with silver.
𐤀𐤅 𐤏𐤌 𐤔𐤓𐤉𐤌 𐤆𐤄𐤁 𐤋𐤄𐤌 𐤄𐤌𐤌𐤋𐤀𐤉𐤌 𐤁𐤕𐤉𐤄𐤌 𐤊𐤎𐤐
א֣וֹ עִם־ שָׂ֭רִים זָהָ֣ב לָהֶ֑ם הַֽמְמַלְאִ֖ים בָּתֵּיהֶ֣ם כָּֽסֶף׃ ’ōw ‘i·m·śā- śā·rîm zā·hāḇ lā·hem ham·mal·’îm bāt·tê·hem kā·sep̄ — WLC · 15
16
Or why was I not hidden like a stillborn child, like an infant who never sees daylight?
𐤀𐤅 𐤀𐤄𐤉𐤄 𐤋𐤀 𐤈𐤌𐤅𐤍 𐤊𐤍𐤐𐤋 𐤊𐤏𐤋𐤋𐤉𐤌 𐤋𐤀 𐤓𐤀𐤅 𐤀𐤅𐤓
א֤וֹ אֶהְיֶ֑ה לֹ֣א טָ֭מוּן כְנֵ֣פֶל כְּ֝עֹלְלִ֗ים לֹא־ רָ֥אוּ אֽוֹר׃ ’ōw ’eh·yeh lō ṭā·mūn ḵə·nê·p̄el kə·‘ō·lə·lîm lō- rā·’ū ’ō·wr — WLC · 16
17
There the wicked cease from raging, and there the weary… find rest.
𐤔𐤌 𐤓𐤔𐤏𐤉𐤌 𐤇𐤃𐤋𐤅 𐤓𐤂𐤆 𐤅𐤔𐤌 𐤉𐤂𐤉𐤏𐤉 𐤊𐤇 𐤉𐤍𐤅𐤇𐤅
שָׁ֣ם רְ֭שָׁעִים חָ֣דְלוּ רֹ֑גֶז וְשָׁ֥ם יְגִ֣יעֵי כֹֽחַ׃ יָ֝נ֗וּחוּ šām rə·šā·‘îm ḥā·ḏə·lū rō·ḡez wə·šām yə·ḡî·‘ê ḵō·aḥ yā·nū·ḥū — WLC · 17
18
The captives enjoy their ease; they do not hear the voice of the oppressor.
𐤀𐤎𐤉𐤓𐤉𐤌 𐤉𐤇𐤃 𐤔𐤀𐤍𐤍𐤅 𐤋𐤀 𐤔𐤌𐤏𐤅 𐤒𐤅𐤋 𐤍𐤂𐤔
אֲסִירִ֣ים יַ֭חַד שַׁאֲנָ֑נוּ לֹ֥א שָׁ֝מְע֗וּ ק֣וֹל נֹגֵֽשׂ׃ ’ă·sî·rîm ya·ḥaḏ ša·’ă·nā·nū lō šā·mə·ʿû qō·wl nō·ḡêś — WLC · 18
19
Both small and great are there…, and the slave is freed from his master.
𐤒𐤈𐤍 𐤅𐤂𐤃𐤅𐤋 𐤔𐤌 𐤄𐤅𐤀 𐤅𐤏𐤁𐤃 𐤇𐤐𐤔𐤉 𐤌𐤀𐤃𐤍𐤉𐤅
קָטֹ֣ן וְ֭גָדוֹל שָׁ֣ם ה֑וּא וְ֝עֶ֗בֶד חָפְשִׁ֥י מֵאֲדֹנָֽיו׃ qā·ṭōn wə·ḡā·ḏō·wl šām hū wə·‘e·ḇeḏ ḥā·p̄ə·šî mê·’ă·ḏō·nāw — WLC · 19
20
Why is light given to the miserable, and life to the bitter of soul,
𐤋𐤌𐤄 𐤀𐤅𐤓 𐤉𐤕𐤍 𐤋𐤏𐤌𐤋 𐤅𐤇𐤉𐤉𐤌 𐤋𐤌𐤓𐤉 𐤍𐤐𐤔
לָ֤מָּה א֑וֹר יִתֵּ֣ן לְעָמֵ֣ל וְ֝חַיִּ֗ים לְמָ֣רֵי נָֽפֶשׁ׃ lām·māh ’ō·wr yit·tên lə·‘ā·mêl wə·ḥay·yîm lə·mā·rê nā·p̄eš — WLC · 20
21
who long for death that does not come, and search for it like hidden treasure,
𐤄𐤌𐤇𐤊𐤉𐤌 𐤋𐤌𐤅𐤕 𐤅𐤀𐤉𐤍𐤍𐤅 𐤅𐤉𐤇𐤐𐤓𐤄𐤅 𐤌𐤌𐤈𐤌𐤅𐤍𐤉𐤌
הַֽמְחַכִּ֣ים לַמָּ֣וֶת וְאֵינֶ֑נּוּ וַֽ֝יַּחְפְּרֻ֗הוּ מִמַּטְמוֹנִֽים׃ ham·ḥak·kîm lam·mā·weṯ wə·’ê·nen·nū way·yaḥ·pə·ru·hū mim·maṭ·mō·w·nîm — WLC · 21
22
who rejoice… and greatly exult when they reach the grave?
𐤄𐤔𐤌𐤇𐤉𐤌 𐤀𐤋𐤉 𐤂𐤉𐤋 𐤉𐤔𐤉𐤔𐤅 𐤊𐤉 𐤉𐤌𐤑𐤀𐤅 𐤒𐤁𐤓
הַשְּׂמֵחִ֥ים אֱלֵי־ גִ֑יל יָ֝שִׂ֗ישׂוּ כִּ֣י יִמְצְאוּ־ קָֽבֶר׃ haś·śə·mê·ḥîm ’ĕ·lê- ḡîl yā·śî·śū kî yim·ṣə·’ū- qā·ḇer — WLC · 22
23
Why is life given to a man whose way is hidden, whom God… has hedged in?
𐤋𐤂𐤁𐤓 𐤀𐤔𐤓 𐤃𐤓𐤊𐤅 𐤍𐤎𐤕𐤓𐤄 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄 𐤁𐤏𐤃𐤅 𐤅𐤉𐤎𐤊
לְ֭גֶבֶר אֲשֶׁר־ דַּרְכּ֣וֹ נִסְתָּ֑רָה אֱל֣וֹהַּ בַּעֲדֽוֹ׃ וַיָּ֖סֶךְ lə·ḡe·ḇer ’ă·šer- dar·kōw nis·tā·rāh ’ĕ·lō·w·ah ba·‘ă·ḏōw way·yā·seḵ — WLC · 23
24
I sigh when food is put before me, and my groans pour out like water.
𐤀𐤍𐤇𐤕𐤉 𐤊𐤉 𐤋𐤇𐤌𐤉 𐤕𐤁𐤀 𐤋𐤐𐤍𐤉 𐤔𐤀𐤂𐤕𐤉 𐤅𐤉𐤕𐤊𐤅 𐤊𐤌𐤉𐤌
אַנְחָתִ֣י כִּֽי־ לַ֭חְמִי תָבֹ֑א לִפְנֵ֣י שַׁאֲגֹתָֽי׃ וַֽיִּתְּכ֥וּ כַ֝מַּ֗יִם ’an·ḥā·ṯî kî- laḥ·mî ṯā·ḇō lip̄·nê ša·’ă·ḡō·ṯāy way·yit·tə·ḵū ḵam·ma·yim — WLC · 24
25
For the thing I feared has overtaken me, and what I dreaded has befallen me.
𐤊𐤉 𐤐𐤇𐤃 𐤐𐤇𐤃𐤕𐤉 𐤅𐤉𐤀𐤕𐤉𐤍𐤉 𐤅𐤀𐤔𐤓 𐤉𐤂𐤓𐤕𐤉 𐤉𐤁𐤀 𐤋𐤉
כִּ֤י פַ֣חַד פָּ֭חַדְתִּי וַיֶּאֱתָיֵ֑נִי וַאֲשֶׁ֥ר יָ֝גֹ֗רְתִּי יָ֣בֹא לִֽי׃ kî p̄a·ḥaḏ pā·ḥaḏ·tî way·ye·’ĕ·ṯā·yê·nî wa·’ă·šer yā·ḡō·rə·tî yā·ḇō lî — WLC · 25
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I am not at ease or quiet…; I have no rest, for trouble has come.”
𐤋𐤀 𐤔𐤋𐤅𐤕𐤉 𐤔𐤒𐤈𐤕𐤉 𐤅𐤋𐤀 𐤅𐤋𐤀 𐤍𐤇𐤕𐤉 𐤓𐤂𐤆𐤐 𐤅𐤉𐤁𐤀
לֹ֤א שָׁלַ֨וְתִּי׀ שָׁקַ֥טְתִּי וְֽלֹא־ וְלֹ֖א נָ֗חְתִּי רֹֽגֶז׃פ וַיָּ֥בֹא lō šā·law·tî šā·qaṭ·tî wə·lō- wə·lō nā·ḥə·tî rō·ḡez way·yā·ḇō — WLC · 26