The answer is: His birth

Job 3:1 - Job wished he had never been born

Job's deep lament in the opening of Chapter 3 dives away from typical expressions of grief. Instead of kicking off with affection for those around him or even a reflection on life's events, he reflects on a more existential crisis: the mere fact that he drew breath. It’s rather profound when you think about it. Job's anguish comes not purely from his suffering, but from questioning the very purpose of his existence. He laments the day he was born and wishes it hadn’t arrived.

Throughout the dialogue, Job's feelings resonate with these age-old thoughts many people share in moments of distress. Given that Job lived in a time when birth was often viewed as a blessing, this stark expression of despair indicates depth in his suffering. It's not just physical affliction he's experiencing; it’s the emotional and spiritual turmoil of deeper questions.

Interesting tidbit: Did you know that Job is often referred to as the “patron saint of sufferers”? What makes his story compelling are its reflective themes of faith amidst despair, which echoes throughout literary and cultural histories. The one askance viewpoint where the ups and downs of human experience lead directly to investigations of purpose rings a bell for many societies, showcasing that unfathomable suffering can spur existential questioning. His candid wrestling with despair inspires readers grappling with their own lives to confront uncomfortable truths, prompting the wide-reaching metaphor: in surviving tribulation, we confront the ultimate nature of our being.