< Job 8 >

1 Then Bildad the Shuhite made answer and said,
ויען בלדד השוחי ויאמר׃
2 How long will you say these things, and how long will the words of your mouth be like a strong wind?
עד אן תמלל אלה ורוח כביר אמרי פיך׃
3 Does God give wrong decisions? or is the Ruler of all not upright in his judging?
האל יעות משפט ואם שדי יעות צדק׃
4 If your children have done evil against him, then their punishment is from his hand.
אם בניך חטאו לו וישלחם ביד פשעם׃
5 If you will make search for God with care, and put your request before the Ruler of all;
אם אתה תשחר אל אל ואל שדי תתחנן׃
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.
אם זך וישר אתה כי עתה יעיר עליך ושלם נות צדקך׃
7 And though your start was small, your end will be very great.
והיה ראשיתך מצער ואחריתך ישגה מאד׃
8 Put the question now to the past generations, and give attention to what has been searched out by their fathers:
כי שאל נא לדר רישון וכונן לחקר אבותם׃
9 (For we are but of yesterday, and have no knowledge, because our days on earth are gone like a shade: )
כי תמול אנחנו ולא נדע כי צל ימינו עלי ארץ׃
10 Will they not give you teaching, and say words of wisdom to you?
הלא הם יורוך יאמרו לך ומלבם יוצאו מלים׃
11 Will the river-plant come up in its pride without wet earth? will the grass get tall without water?
היגאה גמא בלא בצה ישגה אחו בלי מים׃
12 When it is still green, without being cut down, it becomes dry and dead before any other plant.
עדנו באבו לא יקטף ולפני כל חציר ייבש׃
13 So is the end of all who do not keep God in mind; and the hope of the evil-doer comes to nothing:
כן ארחות כל שכחי אל ותקות חנף תאבד׃
14 Whose support is cut off, and whose hope is no stronger than a spider's thread.
אשר יקוט כסלו ובית עכביש מבטחו׃
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.
ישען על ביתו ולא יעמד יחזיק בו ולא יקום׃
16 He is full of strength before the sun, and his branches go out over his garden.
רטב הוא לפני שמש ועל גנתו ינקתו תצא׃
17 His roots are twisted round the stones, forcing their way in between them.
על גל שרשיו יסבכו בית אבנים יחזה׃
18 If he is taken away from his place, then it will say, I have not seen you.
אם יבלענו ממקומו וכחש בו לא ראיתיך׃
19 Such is the joy of his way, and out of the dust another comes up to take his place.
הן הוא משוש דרכו ומעפר אחר יצמחו׃
20 Truly, God will not give up him who is without sin, and will not take evil-doers by the hand.
הן אל לא ימאס תם ולא יחזיק ביד מרעים׃
21 The time will come when your mouth will be full of laughing, and cries of joy will come from your lips.
עד ימלה שחוק פיך ושפתיך תרועה׃
22 Your haters will be clothed with shame, and the tent of the sinner will not be seen again.
שנאיך ילבשו בשת ואהל רשעים איננו׃

< Job 8 >