1.
After this opened Job his mouth, and cursed his day.
2.
And Job spake, and said,
spake = answered, i.e. began, or lamented. Hebrew idiom. See note on Deuteronomy 1:41 .
3.
Let the day perish wherein I was born, and the night in which it was said, There is a man child conceived.
and = or. He knew not which it was. Compare Judges 11:31 .
man. Hebrew. geber. App-14 .
4.
Let that day be darkness; let not God regard it from above, neither let the light shine upon it.
darkness. Hebrew. hashak. GOD. Hebrew Eloah. See App-4 .
5.
Let darkness and the shadow of death stain it; let a cloud dwell upon it; let the blackness of the day terrify it.
the shadow of death. Hebrew. zalmaveth = the darkness of death.
stain it = pollute it. Hebrew. ga'al, to pollute; not ga'al, to redeem.
6.
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.
7.
Lo, let that night be solitary, let no joyful voice come therein.
Lo. Figure of speech Asterismos. App-6 .
8.
Let them curse it that curse the day, who are ready to raise up their mourning.
their mourning = a dragon. Referring probably to what the constellation signified.
9.
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:
dark. Hebrew. hashak. See Job 3:4 .
let it look. Figure of speech Prosopopoeia. App-6 .
10.
Because it shut not up the doors of my mother's womb, nor hid sorrow from mine eyes.
11.
Why died I not from the womb? why did I not give up the ghost when I came out of the belly?
12.
Why did the knees prevent me? or why the breasts that I should suck?
the knees [of the mother]. Figure of speech Ellipsis. App-6 .
prevent = come before, so as to meet.
13.
For now should I have lain still and been quiet, I should have slept: then had I been at rest,
14.
With kings and counsellers of the earth, which built desolate places for themselves;
desolate places = ruins: i.e. places (tombs or monuments) already going to ruins.
15.
Or with princes that had gold, who filled their houses with silver:
16.
Or as an hidden untimely birth I had not been; as infants which never saw light.
17.
There the wicked cease from troubling; and there the weary be at rest.
wicked = lawless agitators. Hebrew. rasha'. App-44 .
weary = worn out [of strength].
18.
There the prisoners rest together; they hear not the voice of the oppressor.
oppressor = taskmaster.
19.
The small and great are there; and the servant is free from his master.
master = masters. Hebrew, plural for emphasis.
20.
Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery, and life unto the bitter in soul;
Wherefore . . . ? Figure of speech Erotesis. App-6 .
soul. Hebrew. nephesh. App-13 .
21.
Which long for death, but it cometh not; and dig for it more than for hid treasures;
long = wait, or look for.
22.
Which rejoice exceedingly, and are glad, when they can find the grave?
grave = sepulchre. Hebrew. keber. See App-35 .
23.
Why is light given to a man whose way is hid, and whom God hath hedged in?
24.
For my sighing cometh before I eat, and my roarings are poured out like the waters.
I eat = my food.
25.
For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me.
26.
I was not in safety, neither had I rest, neither was I quiet; yet trouble came.