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New Living Translation
Job 3:20
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Why is light given to one burdened with grief,and life to those whose existence is bitter,
"Why is light given to him who is in misery, Life to the bitter in soul,
Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery, and life unto the bitter in soul;
"Why is light given to him who is in misery, and life to the bitter in soul,
"Why is light given to those in misery? Why is life given to those who are so unhappy?
"Why does God give light to one who is in misery, and life to those whose soul is bitter,
"Why is the light given to him who is in misery, And life to the bitter in soul,
"Why is light given to one burdened with grief, And life to the bitter of soul,
"Why is light given to him who is in misery, Life to the bitter in soul,
Wherefore is the light giuen to him that is in miserie? and life vnto them that haue heauie hearts?
"Why is light given to him who is troubled,And life to the bitter of soul,
Why is light given to the miserable, and life to the bitter of soul,
Why does God let me live when life is miserable and so bitter?
They long for death, but it never comes; they search for it more than for buried treasure;
Wherefore is light given to him that is in trouble, and life to those bitter of soul,
"Why must a suffering person continue to live? Why let anyone live such a bitter life?
Why is light given to him who is in trouble, and life to the bitter in soul,
Why let people go on living in misery? Why give light to those in grief
"Why does he give light to one in misery and life to those bitter of soul,
Why is light given to the miserable one, and life to him who is bitter in soul;
Wherfore is the light geuen, to him that is in mysery? and life vnto them, that haue heuy hertes?
Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery, And life unto the bitter in soul;
Why does he give light to him who is in trouble, and life to the bitter in soul;
Wherefore is the light geuen to hym that is in miserie? & lyfe vnto them that haue heauy heartes?
Wherewith is light given to him that is in misery, and life unto the bitter in soul--
Wherefore is light giuen to him that is in misery, and life vnto the bitter in soule?
For why is light given to those who are in bitterness, and life to those souls which are in griefs?
Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery, and life unto the bitter in soul;
Whi is liyt youun to the wretche, and lijf to hem that ben in bitternesse of soule?
Why is light given to him that is in misery, And life to the bitter in soul?
Why is light given to him that is in misery, and life to the bitter [in] soul;
"Why is light given to him who is in misery, And life to the bitter of soul,
"Why is light given to him who suffers? Why is life given to those who feel sad in their soul?
"Why is light given to one in misery, and life to the bitter in soul,
Wherefore give, to the wretched, light? Or, life, to the embittered in soul? -
Why is light given to him that is in misery, and life to them that are in bitterness of soul?
"Why is light given to him that is in misery, and life to the bitter in soul,
Why giveth He to the miserable light, and life to the bitter soul?
"Why does God bother giving light to the miserable, why bother keeping bitter people alive, Those who want in the worst way to die, and can't, who can't imagine anything better than death, Who count the day of their death and burial the happiest day of their life? What's the point of life when it doesn't make sense, when God blocks all the roads to meaning?
"Why is light given to him who suffers, And life to the bitter of soul,
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
Wherefore: Job 6:9, Job 7:15, Job 7:16, Jeremiah 20:18
light: Job 3:16, Job 33:28, Job 33:30
the bitter: Job 7:15, Job 7:16, 1 Samuel 1:10, 2 Kings 4:27, Proverbs 31:6
Reciprocal: Genesis 27:46 - I am Genesis 30:1 - or else I die Exodus 16:3 - we had Numbers 11:15 - kill me 1 Kings 19:4 - he requested Job 9:18 - filleth me Job 10:1 - My soul Job 13:26 - writest Job 18:18 - He shall be driven Job 21:25 - in the bitterness Job 36:20 - Desire Job 40:2 - he that reproveth Ecclesiastes 2:17 - I hated Isaiah 15:4 - his Jeremiah 8:3 - death Jonah 4:3 - take Revelation 9:6 - shall men
Cross-References
He gave names to all the livestock, all the birds of the sky, and all the wild animals. But still there was no helper just right for him.
"At last!" the man exclaimed. "This one is bone from my bone, and flesh from my flesh! She will be called ‘woman,' because she was taken from ‘man.'"
Lamech named his son Noah, for he said, "May he bring us relief from our work and the painful labor of farming this ground that the Lord has cursed."
And the angel also said, "You are now pregnant and will give birth to a son. You are to name him Ishmael (which means ‘God hears'), for the Lord has heard your cry of distress.
Rachel was about to die, but with her last breath she named the baby Ben-oni (which means "son of my sorrow"). The baby's father, however, called him Benjamin (which means "son of my right hand").
Later, when the boy was older, his mother brought him back to Pharaoh's daughter, who adopted him as her own son. The princess named him Moses, for she explained, "I lifted him out of the water."
and in due time she gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, for she said, "I asked the Lord for him."
And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins."
"Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.'"
From one man he created all the nations throughout the whole earth. He decided beforehand when they should rise and fall, and he determined their boundaries.
Gill's Notes on the Bible
Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery,.... That labours under various calamities and afflictions, as Job did, being stripped of his substance, deprived of his children, and now in great pain of body and distress of mind; who, since he died not so soon as he wished he had, expostulates why his life is protracted; for that is what he means by light, as appears from the following clause, even the light of the living, or the light of the world; which though sweet and pleasant to behold to a man in health, yet not to one in pain of body and anguish of mind, as he was, who chose rather to be in the dark and silent grave; this he represents as a gift, as indeed life is, and the gift of God: the words may be rendered, "wherefore does he give light?" y that is, God, as some z supply it, who is undoubtedly meant, though not mentioned, through reverence of him, and that he might not seem to quarrel with him; the principle of life is from him, and the continuance and protraction of it, and all the means and mercies by which it is supported; and Job asks the reasons, which he seems to be at a loss for, why it should be continued to a person in such uncomfortable circumstances as he was in; though these, with respect to a good man as he was, are plain and obvious: such are continued in the world under afflictions, both for their own good, and for the glory of God, that their graces may be tried, their sins purged away or prevented, and they made more partakers of divine holiness; and be weaned from this world, and fitted for another, and not be condemned with the world of the ungodly:
and life unto the bitter [in] soul; whose lives are embittered to them by afflictions, comparable to the waters of Marah, and to wormwood and gall, which occasion bitterness of spirit in them, and bitter complaints from them; see Job 13:26.
y למה יתן "quare dat", Cocceius, Schmidt, Schultens, Michaelis. z So Junius & Tremellius, Piscator. vid. Schultens in loc.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery? - The word “light” here is used undoubtedly to denote “life.” This verse commences a new part of Job’s complaint. It is that God keeps people alive who would prefer to die; that he furnishes them with the means of sustaining existence, and actually preserves them, when they would consider it an inestimable blessing to expire. Schultens remarks, on this part of the chapter, that the tone of Job’s complaint is considerably modified. He has given vent to his strong feelings, and the language here is more mild and gentle. Still it implies a reflection on God. It is not the language of humble submission. It contains an implied charge of cruelty and injustice; and it laid the foundation for some of the just reproofs which follow.
And life unto the bitter in soul - Who are suffering bitter grief. We use the word “bitter” yet to denote great grief and pain.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Job 3:20. Wherefore is light given — Why is life granted to him who is incapable of enjoying it, or of performing its functions?
