Job 8

1 Then Bildad the Shuhite made answer and said,

Then Bildad, from [the] Shuah [area], spoke to Job. He said,

2 How long will you say these things, and how long will the words of your mouth be like a strong wind?

“Job, how much longer will you talk like this? What you say is [only] hot air.

3 Does God give wrong decisions? or is the Ruler of all not upright in his judging?

Almighty God certainly never does [RHQ] what is unfair/unjust. He always does [LIT] what is right/fair.

4 If your children have done evil against him, then their punishment is from his hand.

So, it is evident that your children have sinned against him, therefore he has caused them to be punished for evil things that they have done.

5 If you will make search for God with care, and put your request before the Ruler of all;

But, if you will [now] earnestly request [DOU] Almighty [God] to help you,

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.

and if you are pure and honest/righteous, he will surely do something good for you and reward you by giving your family back to you and enabling you to prosper.

7 And though your start was small, your end will be very great.

And even though you [think that you] were not very prosperous/wealthy before, during the last part of your life you will become very wealthy.

8 Put the question now to the past generations, and give attention to what has been searched out by their fathers:

“I request you to think about what happened long ago and consider what our ancestors found out.

9 (For we are but of yesterday, and have no knowledge, because our days on earth are gone like a shade: )

[It seems as though] we were born only yesterday and we know very little [HYP]; our time here on the earth [disappears quickly, like] a shadow [MET].

10 Will they not give you teaching, and say words of wisdom to you?

So, why do you not allow your ancestors to teach you and tell you something? Allow them to tell you from what they learned!

11 Will the river-plant come up in its pride without wet earth? will the grass get tall without water?

Papyrus can certainly not [RHQ] grow in places where there is no marsh/swamp; reeds certainly cannot [RHQ] flourish/grow where there is no water.

12 When it is still green, without being cut down, it becomes dry and dead before any other plant.

[If they do not have enough water], while they are still blossoming, they wither more quickly than other plants wither.

13 So is the end of all who do not keep God in mind; and the hope of the evil-doer comes to nothing:

Those who do not pay attention to what God says are like those [reeds]; godless people stop confidently expecting [that good things will happen to them].

14 Whose support is cut off, and whose hope is no stronger than a spider's thread.

The things they confidently expect to happen do not happen; things they trust [will help them] are [as fragile as] [MET] 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.

If they lean against a house (OR, trust in their wealth; OR, lean on a spider web), it does not (endure/protect them) [LIT]; they cling to things [to be protected], but those things do not remain firm.

16 He is full of strength before the sun, and his branches go out over his garden.

Godless people [are like plants] [MET] that are watered before the sun rises; their shoots spread all over the gardens.

17 His roots are twisted round the stones, forcing their way in between them.

The roots of those plants twist around piles of stones and cling tightly to rocks.

18 If he is taken away from his place, then it will say, I have not seen you.

But if those plants are pulled out, [it is as though] the place where they were planted says ‘They were never here!’ [And that is what happens to wicked people who do not heed what God says].

19 Such is the joy of his way, and out of the dust another comes up to take his place.

Truly, evil people [MET] are not joyful [IRO] for a long time; other people come and take their places.

20 Truly, God will not give up him who is without sin, and will not take evil-doers by the hand.

:So, [I tell you, Job], God will not reject you if you are truly godly/righteous, but he does not help [IDM] evil people.

21 The time will come when your mouth will be full of laughing, and cries of joy will come from your lips.

He will enable you [MTY] to continually laugh and to always shout [joyfully].

22 Your haters will be clothed with shame, and the tent of the sinner will not be seen again.

But those who hate you will be very ashamed, and the homes of wicked people will disappear.”