Job 8
1 Then Bildad the Shuhite replied:
Then answered Bildad the Shuchite, 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? and [let] like a mighty wind be the words of thy mouth?
3 Does God pervert justice? Does the Almighty pervert what is right?
Should God pervert justice? or should the Almighty pervert righteousness?
4 When your children sinned against Him, He gave them over to their rebellion.
If thy children have sinned against him, then did he send them off through the means of their transgression.
5 But if you would earnestly seek God and ask the Almighty for mercy,
If thou wilt earnestly seek for 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 become pure and upright: surely then will he watch over thee, and restore thy righteous habitation.
7 Though your beginnings were modest, your latter days will flourish.
And thy beginning will have been small; because thy latter end will grow up greatly.
8 Please inquire of past generations and consider the discoveries of their fathers.
For ask, I pray thee, of an earlier generation, and prepare thyself to [stand by] the research of their fathers; —
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 a [mere] shadow are our days upon earth; —
10 Will they not teach you and tell you, and speak from their understanding?
Behold, these will truly teach thee, they will speak unto thee, and out of their very heart will they bring forth words:
11 Does papyrus grow where there is no marsh? Do reeds flourish without water?
Can the bulrush shoot upward without mire? can the meadow-grass grow up without water?
12 While the shoots are still uncut, they dry up quicker than grass.
It is yet in its greenness, not yet cut down, when it withereth before any other grass.
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 hypocrite will perish:
14 His confidence is fragile; his security is in a spider’s web.
[It is he] whose trust will be cut off, and but a spider's web is that in which he confideth.
15 He leans on his web, but it gives way; he holds fast, but it does not endure.
He leaneth against his house, but it shall not stand: he layeth fast hold on it, but it shall not remain erect.
16 He is a well-watered plant in the sunshine, spreading its shoots over the garden.
He is in full vigor before the sun, and over his garden his shoots go forth.
17 His roots wrap around the rock heap; he looks for a home among the stones.
His roots are twisted about a stoneheap, he selecteth [for himself] a place of stones.
18 If he is uprooted from his place, it will disown him, saying, ‘I never saw you.’
But when men destroy him from his place, then will it deny him, saying, I have never 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 [same] dust others will grow up.
20 Behold, God does not reject the blameless, nor will He strengthen the hand of evildoers.
Behold, God will not reject a perfect man, and will not hold fast by their hand 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 laughing, and thy lips with joyful 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.
