Contact Us

TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS

Chapter 3

Translation and Transliteration of 

1Afterward, Iyov began to speak and cursed the day of his birth.

a-kha-ray KHAYN pa-TAKH i-YOV et PEE-hu vai-ka-LAYL et yo-MO

אאַֽחֲרֵי־כֵ֗ן פָּתַ֤ח אִיּוֹב֙ אֶת־פִּ֔יהוּ וַיְקַלֵּ֖ל אֶת־יוֹמֽוֹ׃

3:1   Cursed the day of his birth

The righteous Iyov’s initial reaction to the suffering that befell him was not to blaspheme God, but rather, to curse his own birth. Why be born, he calls out painfully, if one’s labor on this earth is pointless? With his reaction, Iyov gives us a model for coping with trials and tribulations. While we may express our personal pain, we should not vent our frustration on our Creator.

2Iyov spoke up and said:

vai-YA-an i-YOV va-YO-mer

בוַיַּ֥עַן אִיּ֗וֹב וַיֹּאמַֽר׃

3Perish the day on which I was born, And the night it was announced, “A male has been conceived!”

yo-VAD yom i-VAD bo v'-ha-la-YE-lah a-MAR ho-RA ga-VER

גיֹ֣אבַד י֭וֹם אִוָּ֣לֶד בּ֑וֹ וְהַלַּ֥יְלָה אָ֝מַ֗ר הֹ֣רָה גָֽבֶר׃

4May that day be darkness; May Hashem above have no concern for it; May light not shine on it;

ha-YOM ha-HU y'-HI-kho-SHEKH al-yid-r'-SHE-hu e-lo-HA mi-ma-AL v'-al-to-FA a-LA-yu n'-HA-ra

דהַיּ֥וֹם הַה֗וּא יְֽהִ֫י־חֹ֥שֶׁךְ אַֽל־יִדְרְשֵׁ֣הוּ אֱל֣וֹהַּ מִמַּ֑עַל וְאַל־תּוֹפַ֖ע עָלָ֣יו נְהָרָֽה׃

5May darkness and deep gloom reclaim it; May a pall lie over it; May what blackens the day terrify it.

yig-a-LU-khu kho-SHEKH v'-tza-l'-MA-vet tish-KON-a-LA-yu a-na-NAH, y'-va-a-tu-HU ki-m'-ri-REI yom

היִגְאָלֻ֡הוּ חֹ֣שֶׁךְ וְ֭צַלְמָוֶת תִּשְׁכׇּן־עָלָ֣יו עֲנָנָ֑ה יְ֝בַעֲתֻ֗הוּ כִּֽמְרִ֥ירֵי יֽוֹם׃

6May obscurity carry off that night; May it not be counted among the days of the year; May it not appear in any of its months;

ha-LA-yi-LAH ha-HU yi-ka-CHE-hu-o-FEL al yi-CHA-de b'-i-MAY sha-NAH b'-mis-PA-yar y'-ra-KHEEM al ya-VO

והַלַּ֥יְלָה הַהוּא֮ יִקָּחֵ֢ה֫וּ־אֹ֥פֶל אַל־יִ֭חַדְּ בִּימֵ֣י שָׁנָ֑ה בְּמִסְפַּ֥ר יְ֝רָחִ֗ים אַל־יָבֹֽא׃

7May that night be desolate; May no sound of joy be heard in it;

hi-NEH ha-la-YE-la ha-HU y'-HEE gal-MUD al-ta-VO r'-na-NA bo

זהִנֵּ֤ה הַלַּ֣יְלָה הַ֭הוּא יְהִ֣י גַלְמ֑וּד אַל־תָּב֖וֹא רְנָנָ֣ה בֽוֹ׃

8May those who cast spells upon the day damn it, Those prepared to disable Leviathan;

yi-k'-BU-hu o-r'-RAY-yom ha-a-ti-DEEM o-RAYR li-v'-ya-TAN

חיִקְּבֻ֥הוּ אֹֽרְרֵי־י֑וֹם הָ֝עֲתִידִ֗ים עֹרֵ֥ר לִוְיָתָֽן׃

9May its twilight stars remain dark; May it hope for light and have none; May it not see the glimmerings of the dawn—

yech'sh'khu kokh'vei nish'po y'-kav-le-or va-a-yin v'-al yir'-eh b'-a-fa-pey-sha-khar

טיֶחְשְׁכוּ֮ כּוֹכְבֵ֢י נִ֫שְׁפּ֥וֹ יְקַו־לְא֥וֹר וָאַ֑יִן וְאַל־יִ֝רְאֶ֗ה בְּעַפְעַפֵּי־שָֽׁחַר׃

10Because it did not block my mother's womb, And hide trouble from my eyes.

ki lo SA-gar dal-TEI vit-NI, va-YAS-ter a-MAL me-EI-nai

יכִּ֤י לֹ֣א סָ֭גַר דַּלְתֵ֣י בִטְנִ֑י וַיַּסְתֵּ֥ר עָ֝מָ֗ל מֵעֵינָֽי׃

11Why did I not die at birth, Expire as I came forth from the womb?

la-MAH lo me-RE-khem a-MUT mi-BE-ten ya-TZA-tee v'-eg-VA

יאלָ֤מָּה לֹּ֣א מֵרֶ֣חֶם אָמ֑וּת מִבֶּ֖טֶן יָצָ֣אתִי וְאֶגְוָֽע׃

12Why were there knees to receive me, Or breasts for me to suck?

ma-DU-a ki-d'-MU-nee vir-KA-yim u-MAH sha-DA-yim ki ee-NAK

יבמַ֭דּוּעַ קִדְּמ֣וּנִי בִרְכָּ֑יִם וּמַה־שָּׁ֝דַ֗יִם כִּ֣י אִינָֽק׃

13For now would I be lying in repose, asleep and at rest,

ki-a-TAH sha-KHAV-tee v'-esh-KOT ya-SHAN-tee AZ ya-NU-akh LEE

יגכִּֽי־עַ֭תָּה שָׁכַ֣בְתִּי וְאֶשְׁק֑וֹט יָ֝שַׁ֗נְתִּי אָ֤ז ׀ יָנ֬וּחַֽ לִֽי׃

14With the world's kings and counselors who rebuild ruins for themselves,

im-m'-la-KHEEM v'-yo-a-TZEI a-RETZ ha-bo-NIM kho-RA-vot la-MO

ידעִם־מְ֭לָכִים וְיֹ֣עֲצֵי אָ֑רֶץ הַבֹּנִ֖ים חֳרָב֣וֹת לָֽמוֹ׃

15Or with nobles who possess gold and who fill their houses with silver.

o im-sa-RIM za-HAV la-HEM ha-m'-ma-l'-IM ba-TE-hem ka-SEF

טוא֣וֹ עִם־שָׂ֭רִים זָהָ֣ב לָהֶ֑ם הַֽמְמַלְאִ֖ים בָּתֵּיהֶ֣ם כָּֽסֶף׃

16Or why was I not like a buried stillbirth, Like babies who never saw the light?

o k'-NE-fel ta-MUN lo e-HE-yeh k'-o-l'-LEEM lo-RA-u oR

טזא֤וֹ כְנֵ֣פֶל טָ֭מוּן לֹ֣א אֶהְיֶ֑ה כְּ֝עֹלְלִ֗ים לֹא־רָ֥אוּ אֽוֹר׃

17There the wicked cease from troubling; There rest those whose strength is spent.

sham r'-sha-EEM kha-D'-lu RO-g'-z, v'-sham ya-NOO-khu y'-gi-EI ko-AKH

יזשָׁ֣ם רְ֭שָׁעִים חָ֣דְלוּ רֹ֑גֶז וְשָׁ֥ם יָ֝נ֗וּחוּ יְגִ֣יעֵי כֹֽחַ׃

18Prisoners are wholly at ease; They do not hear the taskmaster's voice.

YA-khad a-see-REEM sha-a-NA-nu, lo sha-M'-U kol no-GAYSH

יחיַ֭חַד אֲסִירִ֣ים שַׁאֲנָ֑נוּ לֹ֥א שָׁ֝מְע֗וּ ק֣וֹל נֹגֵֽשׂ׃

19Small and great alike are there, And the slave is free of his master.

ka-TON v'-ga-DOL sham HU v'-E-ved kho-F'-shi me-a-do-NAI

יטקָטֹ֣ן וְ֭גָדוֹל שָׁ֣ם ה֑וּא וְ֝עֶ֗בֶד חׇפְשִׁ֥י מֵאֲדֹנָֽיו׃

20Why does He give light to the sufferer And life to the bitter in spirit;

la-MAH yi-TEN l'-a-MEL or v'-cha-YIM l'-ma-REI na-FESH

כלָ֤מָּה יִתֵּ֣ן לְעָמֵ֣ל א֑וֹר וְ֝חַיִּ֗ים לְמָ֣רֵי נָֽפֶשׁ׃

21To those who wait for death but it does not come, Who search for it more than for treasure,

ha-m'-kha-KEEM la-ma-VET v'-EY-ne-NU va-ya-KH'-ru-HU mi-mat-mo-NEEM

כאהַֽמְחַכִּ֣ים לַמָּ֣וֶת וְאֵינֶ֑נּוּ וַֽ֝יַּחְפְּרֻ֗הוּ מִמַּטְמוֹנִֽים׃

22Who rejoice to exultation, And are glad to reach the grave;

ha-s'-ME-kheem e-lei-GIL ya-see-SU kee yim-t'-ZU-ka-VER

כבהַשְּׂמֵחִ֥ים אֱלֵי־גִ֑יל יָ֝שִׂ֗ישׂוּ כִּ֣י יִמְצְאוּ־קָֽבֶר׃

23To the man who has lost his way, Whom Hashem has hedged about?

l'-GE-ver a-SHER dar-KO nis-ta-RAH va-YA-sekh e-lo-AH ba-a-DO

כגלְ֭גֶבֶר אֲשֶׁר־דַּרְכּ֣וֹ נִסְתָּ֑רָה וַיָּ֖סֶךְ אֱל֣וֹהַּ בַּעֲדֽוֹ׃

24My groaning serves as my bread; My roaring pours forth as water.

ki-lif-NEI lach-MI an-kha-TEE ta-VO, va-yit-TE-khu kha-MA-yim sha-a-GO-tai

כדכִּֽי־לִפְנֵ֣י לַ֭חְמִי אַנְחָתִ֣י תָבֹ֑א וַֽיִּתְּכ֥וּ כַ֝מַּ֗יִם שַׁאֲגֹתָֽי׃

25For what I feared has overtaken me; What I dreaded has come upon me.

ki fa-KHAD fa-KHAD-tee va-ye-a-ta-YAY-nee va-a-SHER ya-GOR-tee ya-VO lee

כהכִּ֤י פַ֣חַד פָּ֭חַדְתִּי וַיֶּאֱתָיֵ֑נִי וַאֲשֶׁ֥ר יָ֝גֹ֗רְתִּי יָ֣בֹא לִֽי׃

26I had no repose, no quiet, no rest, And trouble came.

lo sha-LA-ve-TEE, v'-lo sha-KAT-tee, v'-lo-NAKH-tee, va-YA-vo RO-gez.

כולֹ֤א שָׁלַ֨וְתִּי ׀ וְלֹ֖א שָׁקַ֥טְתִּי וְֽלֹא־נָ֗חְתִּי וַיָּ֥בֹא רֹֽגֶז׃