Job 8
1 Then Bildad the Shuhite answered, and said,
Then Bildad the Shuhite replied:
2 How long will thou speak these things? And how long shall the words of thy mouth be like a mighty wind?
“How long will you go on saying such things? The words of your mouth are a blustering wind.
3 Does God pervert justice? Or does the Almighty pervert righteousness?
Does God pervert justice? Does the Almighty pervert what is right?
4 If thy sons have sinned against him, and he has delivered them into the hand of their transgression,
When your children sinned against Him, He gave them over to their rebellion.
5 if thou would seek diligently to God, and make thy supplication to the Almighty,
But if you would earnestly seek God and ask the Almighty for mercy,
6 if thou were pure and upright, surely now he would awake for thee, and make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous.
if you are pure and upright, even now He will rouse Himself on your behalf and restore your righteous estate.
7 And though thy beginning was small, yet thy latter end would greatly increase.
Though your beginnings were modest, your latter days will flourish.
8 For inquire, I pray thee, of the former age, and apply thyself to that which their fathers have searched out
Please inquire of past generations and consider the discoveries of their fathers.
9 (for we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, because our days upon earth are a shadow).
For we were born yesterday and know nothing; our days on earth are but a shadow.
10 Shall they not teach thee, and tell thee, and utter words out of their heart?
Will they not teach you and tell you, and speak from their understanding?
11 Can the rush grow up without mire? Can a reed grow without water?
Does papyrus grow where there is no marsh? Do reeds flourish without water?
12 While it is yet in its greenness, and not cut down, it withers before any other herb.
While the shoots are still uncut, they dry up quicker than grass.
13 So are the paths of all who forget God. And the hope of the profane man shall perish,
Such is the destiny of all who forget God; so the hope of the godless will perish.
14 whose confidence shall break apart, and whose trust is a spider's web.
His confidence is fragile; his security is in a spider’s web.
15 He shall lean upon his house, but it shall not stand. He shall hold fast thereby, but it shall not endure.
He leans on his web, but it gives way; he holds fast, but it does not endure.
16 He is green before the sun, and his shoots go forth over his garden.
He is a well-watered plant in the sunshine, spreading its shoots over the garden.
17 His roots are wrapped around the stone heap. He beholds the place of stones.
His roots wrap around the rock heap; he looks for a home among the stones.
18 If he is destroyed from his place, then it shall deny him, saying, I have not seen thee.
If he is uprooted from his place, it will disown him, saying, ‘I never saw you.’
19 Behold, this is the joy of his way, and out of the earth others shall spring.
Surely this is the joy of his way; yet others will spring from the dust.
20 Behold, God will not cast away a perfect man, nor will he uphold the evildoers.
Behold, God does not reject the blameless, nor will He strengthen the hand of evildoers.
21 He will yet fill thy mouth with laughter, and thy lips with shouting.
He will yet fill your mouth with laughter, and your lips with a shout of joy.
22 Those who hate thee shall be clothed with shame, and the tent of the wicked shall be no more.
Your enemies will be clothed in shame, and the tent of the wicked will be no more.”
