1After this Job began speaking, cursing the day of his birth.3:1. Most of Job is written in poetic form, and this should be borne in mind when reading the book. After the first two chapters of prose, the poetry begins here. 2He said, 3“Wipe out the day I was born, and the night when it was announced that a boy had been conceived. 4Turn that day to darkness. God above should not remember it. Don't let light shine on it. 5Take it back, darkness and death-shadow. A black cloud should overshadow it. It should be as terrifying as the darkness of an eclipse3:5. The word “darkness” here is only used once in the Bible and is associated with bitterness. In Amos 8:10 a “bitter day” is linked with an eclipse. during the day. 6Blot out that night as if it never existed. Don't count it on the calendar. Don't let it have a day in any month.

7Let that night be childless, with no sounds of happiness heard. 8Those who place curses on certain days should curse it, those who have the power to raise Leviathan.3:8. Leviathan: a mythical sea-monster of great power. 9Its early morning stars should stay dark. Looking for light, may none come, may it not see the glimmer of dawn 10for it did not shut my mother's womb to prevent me from seeing trouble.

11Why wasn't I stillborn? Why didn't I die at birth? 12Why was there a lap for me to lie on, or breasts for me to suck? 13For now I would be lying down in peace. I would be sleeping and at rest, 14along with the kings of this world and their officials whose palaces now lie in ruins, 15or with noblemen who collected gold and filled their houses with silver. 16Why wasn't I a miscarriage, buried in secret, a baby who never saw the light? 17There in the grave the wicked give no more trouble, and those whose strength is gone have their rest. 18There prisoners take it easy—they don't hear the commands of their oppressors. 19Both small and great are there, and slaves are freed from their masters. 20Why does God give life to those who are suffering, living bitterly miserable lives, 21those who are waiting for death that does not come and who are looking for death more desperately than hunting for treasure? 22They're so incredibly happy when they reach the grave! 23Why is light given to someone who doesn't know where they're going, someone God has fenced in?3:23. The same word used for God's protection in 1:9 is now used as a complaint.

24My groans are the bread I eat; my raging tears are the water I drink. 25For all that I feared has happened to me; everything that I dreaded has come upon me. 26I have no peace, no quiet, no rest. All that comes is rage.”3:26. This is a different word to “trouble” that is mentioned for example in 3:10 and is associated with turmoil and anger.