JOIN THE JOURNEY JR.

Job’s Three Friends Share His Anguish

11When three of Job’s friends heard of the tragedy he had suffered, they got together and traveled from their homes to comfort and console him. Their names were Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. 12When they saw Job from a distance, they scarcely recognized him. Wailing loudly, they tore their robes and threw dust into the air over their heads to show their grief. 13Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and nights. No one said a word to Job, for they saw that his suffering was too great for words.

Job 3

Job’s First Speech

1At last Job spoke, and he cursed the day of his birth. 2He said:

3“Let the day of my birth be erased,

and the night I was conceived.

4Let that day be turned to darkness.

Let it be lost even to God on high,

and let no light shine on it.

5Let the darkness and utter gloom claim that day for its own.

Let a black cloud overshadow it,

and let the darkness terrify it.

6Let that night be blotted off the calendar,

never again to be counted among the days of the year,

never again to appear among the months.

7Let that night be childless.

Let it have no joy.

8Let those who are experts at cursing—

whose cursing could rouse Leviathan*—

curse that day.

9Let its morning stars remain dark.

Let it hope for light, but in vain;

may it never see the morning light.

10Curse that day for failing to shut my mother’s womb,

for letting me be born to see all this trouble.

25What I always feared has happened to me.

What I dreaded has come true.

26I have no peace, no quietness.

I have no rest; only trouble comes.”