King James Bible
"Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery, and life unto the bitter in soul;"
Job questions why God allows those in deep suffering to continue living, using 'light' as a metaphor for life itself. This rhetorical question emerges from Job's extreme anguish after losing his children, wealth, and health, marking the beginning of his lament where he curses the day of his birth. The parallel structure intensifies Job's complaint by restating it—those whose souls are filled with bitterness still receive the gift of existence. The phrase captures the paradox Job perceives: life, normally considered a blessing, becomes a burden when overwhelmed by profound grief.