Job 3

Derefter oplod Job sin Mund og forbandede sin Dag,

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

og Job tog til Orde og sagde:

And Job spake, and said,

Bort med den Dag, jeg fødtes, den Nat, der sagde: "Se, en Dreng!"

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

Denne Dag vorde Mørke, Gud deroppe spørge ej om den, over den stråle ej Lyset frem!

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

Mulm og Mørke løse den ind, Tåge lægge sig over den, Formørkelser skræmme den!

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

Mørket tage den Nat, den høre ej hjemme blandt Årets Dage, den komme ikke i Måneders Tal!

As 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.

Ja, denne Nat vorde gold, der lyde ej Jubel i den!

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

De, der besværger Dage, forbande den, de, der har lært at hidse Livjatan";

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

dens Morgenstjerner formørkes, den bie forgæves på Lys, den skue ej Morgenrødens Øjenlåg,

Let 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:

fordi den ej lukked mig Moderlivets Døre og skjulte Kvide for mit Blik!

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

Hvi døde jeg ikke i Moders Liv eller udånded straks fra Moders Skød?

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

Hvorfor var der Knæ til at tage imod mig, hvorfor var der Bryster at die?

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

Så havde jeg nu ligget og hvilet, så havde jeg slumret i Fred

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

blandt Konger og Jordens Styrere, der bygged sig Gravpaladser,

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

blandt Fyrster, rige på Guld, som fyldte deres Huse med Sølv.

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

Eller var jeg dog som et nedgravet Foster. som Børn, der ikke fik Lyset at se!

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

Der larmer de gudløse ikke mer, der hviler de trætte ud,

There the wicked cease from troubling; and there the weary be at rest.

alle de fangne har Ro, de hører ej Fogedens Røst;

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

små og store er lige der og Trællen fri for sin Herre.

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

Hvi giver Gud de lidende Lys, de bittert sørgende Liv,

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

dem, som bier forgæves på Døden, graver derefter som efter Skatte,

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

som glæder sig til en Stenhøj, jubler, når de finder deres Grav

Which rejoice exceedingly, and are glad, when they can find the grave?

en Mand, hvis Vej er skjult, hvem Gud har stænget inde?

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

Thi Suk er blevet mit daglige Brød, mine Ve råb strømmer som Vand.

For my sighing cometh before I eat, and my roarings are poured out like the waters.

Thi hvad jeg gruer for, rammer mig, hvad jeg bæver for, kommer over mig.

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

Knap har jeg Fred, og knap har jeg Ro, knap har jeg Hvile, så kommer Uro!

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