The Hebrew noun itstsabon means painful toil, hardship, or the grief that accompanies hard labor. It is derived from atsab (H6087), meaning to pain, grieve, or vex. Appearing only three times in the Old Testament (Genesis 3:16–17; 5:29), the word is significant because it marks the curse language of the Fall.
Itstsabon is the word God uses in Genesis 3:16–17 to describe the painful toil that would now characterize both childbirth (for the woman) and agricultural labor (for the man). It is the signature word of the curse — life east of Eden is marked by itstsabon. Lamech names Noah hoping his son will bring rest from the itstsabon (Genesis 5:29), pointing forward to Christ, who takes the curse upon Himself (Galatians 3:13) and ultimately reverses it in the new creation (Revelation 22:3). Where there is no more curse, there is no more itstsabon.