Job 8
1 Then Bildad the Shuhite made answer and said,
Then Bildad the Shuhite answered,
2 How long will you say these things, and how long will the words of your mouth be like a strong wind?
"How long will you speak these things? Shall the words of your mouth be a mighty wind?
3 Does God give wrong decisions? or is the Ruler of all not upright in his judging?
Does God pervert justice? Or does Shaddai pervert righteousness?
4 If your children have done evil against him, then their punishment is from his hand.
If your children have sinned against him, He has delivered them into the hand of their disobedience.
5 If you will make search for God with care, and put your request before the Ruler of all;
If you want to seek God diligently, make your petition to Shaddai.
6 If you are clean and upright; then he will certainly be moved to take up your cause, and will make clear your righteousness by building up your house again.
If you were pure and upright, surely now he would awaken for you, and make the habitation of your righteousness prosperous.
7 And though your start was small, your end will be very great.
Though your beginning was small, yet your latter end would greatly increase.
8 Put the question now to the past generations, and give attention to what has been searched out by their fathers:
"Please inquire of past generations. Find out about the learning of their fathers.
9 (For we are but of yesterday, and have no knowledge, because our days on earth are gone like a shade: )
(For we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, because our days on earth are a shadow.)
10 Will they not give you teaching, and say words of wisdom to you?
Shall they not teach you, tell you, and utter words out of their heart?
11 Will the river-plant come up in its pride without wet earth? will the grass get tall without water?
"Can the papyrus grow up without mire? Can the rushes grow without water?
12 When it is still green, without being cut down, it becomes dry and dead before any other plant.
While it is yet in its greenness, not cut down, it withers before any other reed.
13 So is the end of all who do not keep God in mind; and the hope of the evil-doer comes to nothing:
So are the paths of all who forget God. The hope of the godless man shall perish,
14 Whose support is cut off, and whose hope is no stronger than a spider's thread.
Whose confidence shall break apart, Whose trust is a spider's web.
15 He is looking to his family for support, but it is not there; he puts his hope in it, but it comes to nothing.
He shall lean on his house, but it shall not stand. He shall cling to it, but it shall not endure.
16 He is full of strength before the sun, and his branches go out over his garden.
He is green before the sun. His shoots go forth over his garden.
17 His roots are twisted round the stones, forcing their way in between them.
His roots are wrapped around the rock pile. He sees the place of stones.
18 If he is taken away from his place, then it will say, I have not seen you.
If he is destroyed from his place, then it shall deny him, saying, 'I have not seen you.'
19 Such is the joy of his way, and out of the dust another comes up to take his place.
Look, this is the joy of his way: out of the earth, others shall spring.
20 Truly, God will not give up him who is without sin, and will not take evil-doers by the hand.
"Look, God will not cast away a blameless man, neither will he uphold the evildoers.
21 The time will come when your mouth will be full of laughing, and cries of joy will come from your lips.
He will still fill your mouth with laughter, your lips with shouting.
22 Your haters will be clothed with shame, and the tent of the sinner will not be seen again.
Those who hate you shall be clothed with shame. The tent of the wicked shall be no more."
