The Visit of Job’s Friends

11 When Job’s three friends heard about all this calamity that had happened to him, each of them came from his own country – Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. They met together to come to show sympathy for him and to console him. 12 But when they gazed intently from a distance but did not recognize him, they began to weep loudly. Each of them tore his robes, and they threw dust into the air over their heads. 13 Then they sat down with him on the ground for seven days and seven nights, yet no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his pain was very great.

3 After this Job opened his mouth and cursed the day he was born. 2 Job spoke up and said:

3 “Let the day on which I was born perish,

and the night that said,

‘A man has been conceived!’

4 That day – let it be darkness;

let not God on high regard it,

nor let light shine on it!

5 Let darkness and the deepest

shadow claim it;

let a cloud settle on it;

let whatever blackens the day terrify it!

6 That night – let darkness seize it;

let it not be included among the days of the year;

let it not enter among the number of the months!

7 Indeed, let that night be barren;

let no shout of joy penetrate it!

8 Let those who curse the day curse it –

those who are prepared to rouse Leviathan.

9 Let its morning stars be darkened;

let it wait for daylight but find none,

nor let it see the first rays of dawn,

10 because it did not shut the doors of my mother’s womb on me,

nor did it hide trouble from my eyes!