KJV ORIGINAL
Wherefore then hast thou brought me forth out of the womb? Oh that I had given up the ghost, and no eye had seen me!
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE
Why did you even bring me out of my mother's womb? I wish I had died at birth before anyone ever saw me!
⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE
Job is expressing his deepest despair, wishing he had never been born because his suffering feels unbearable.
📚 Historical Context
This comes from Job's second speech in his dialogue with his friends, after losing his children, wealth, and health to devastating calamities. Job is struggling to understand why God would allow such intense suffering in his life. In ancient times, being born was seen as God's direct involvement in bringing life into the world, so Job is essentially questioning God's purpose in creating him.
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