Job 8
1 Then Bildad the Shuhite replied:
Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said:
2 “How long will you go on saying such things? The words of your mouth are a blustering wind.
How long wilt thou speak these things, seeing that the words of thy mouth are as a mighty wind?
3 Does God pervert justice? Does the Almighty pervert what is right?
Doth God pervert judgment? Or doth the Almighty pervert justice?
4 When your children sinned against Him, He gave them over to their rebellion.
If thy children sinned against Him, He delivered them into the hand of their transgression.
5 But if you would earnestly seek God and ask the Almighty for mercy,
If thou wouldest seek earnestly unto God, and make thy supplication to the Almighty;
6 if you are pure and upright, even now He will rouse Himself on your behalf and restore your righteous estate.
If thou wert pure and upright; surely now He would awake for thee, and make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous.
7 Though your beginnings were modest, your latter days will flourish.
And though thy beginning was small, yet thy end should greatly increase.
8 Please inquire of past generations and consider the discoveries of their fathers.
For inquire, I pray thee, of the former generation, and apply thyself to that which their fathers have searched out —
9 For we were born yesterday and know nothing; our days on earth are but a shadow.
For we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, because our days upon earth are a shadow —
10 Will they not teach you and tell you, and speak from their understanding?
Shall not they teach thee, and tell thee, and utter words out of their heart?
11 Does papyrus grow where there is no marsh? Do reeds flourish without water?
Can the rush shoot up without mire? Can the reed-grass grow without water?
12 While the shoots are still uncut, they dry up quicker than grass.
Whilst it is yet in its greenness, and not cut down, it withereth before any other herb.
13 Such is the destiny of all who forget God; so the hope of the godless will perish.
So are the paths of all that forget God; and the hope of the godless man shall perish;
14 His confidence is fragile; his security is in a spider’s web.
Whose confidence is gossamer, and whose trust is a spider's web.
15 He leans on his web, but it gives way; he holds fast, but it does not endure.
He shall lean upon his house, but it shall not stand; he shall hold fast thereby, but it shall not endure.
16 He is a well-watered plant in the sunshine, spreading its shoots over the garden.
He is green before the sun, and his shoots go forth over his garden.
17 His roots wrap around the rock heap; he looks for a home among the stones.
His roots are wrapped about the heap, he beholdeth the place of stones.
18 If he is uprooted from his place, it will disown him, saying, ‘I never saw you.’
If he be destroyed from his place, then it shall deny him: 'I have not seen thee.'
19 Surely this is the joy of his way; yet others will spring from the dust.
Behold, this is the joy of his way, and out of the earth shall others spring.
20 Behold, God does not reject the blameless, nor will He strengthen the hand of evildoers.
Behold, God will not cast away an innocent man, neither will He uphold the evil-doers;
21 He will yet fill your mouth with laughter, and your lips with a shout of joy.
Till He fill thy mouth with laughter, and thy lips with shouting.
22 Your enemies will be clothed in shame, and the tent of the wicked will be no more.”
They that hate thee shall be clothed with shame; and the tent of the wicked shall be no more.
