Job 8

1 But Baldad the Suhite, responding, said:

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

2 How long will you speak this way, so that the words of your mouth are like a changeable wind?

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

3 Does God supplant judgment, or does the Almighty subvert that which is just?

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

4 And if now your children have sinned against him, and he has dismissed them into the power of their iniquity,

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 even so, you should arise early to God, so as to beseech the Almighty.

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

6 If you approach with purity and honesty, he will quickly be attentive to you, and a peaceful life will repay your righteousness,

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 so much so that, if your former things were small, your latter things would be multiplied greatly.

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 For inquire of the earliest generation, and investigate diligently the history of the fathers,

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

9 (of course, we are but of yesterday and are ignorant that our days on earth are like a shadow, )

[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 and they will teach you; they will speak with you and will offer you the eloquence of their hearts.

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 Can the marsh plant live without moisture? Or can sedges grow 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 in flower, and has not been pulled up by hand, it withers before all other plants.

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

13 Just so are the ways of all who forget God, and the hope of the hypocrite will perish.

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 His frenzy will not please him, and his faith will be like a spider’s web.

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 will lean on his house, and it will not stand; he will prop it up, but it will not rise.

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 seems to have moisture before the sun arrives; and at sunrise, his sprout shoots forth.

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

17 His roots will crowd together over a heap of stones, and among the stones he will remain.

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

18 If someone is devoured right beside him, he will deny him and will say: “I do not know 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 For this is the benefit of his way, that others in turn may spring up from the earth.

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

20 God will not discard the simple, nor will he extend his hand to the spiteful,

: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 even until your mouth is filled with laughter and your lips with rejoicing.

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

22 Those who hate you, will be clothed with confusion, and the tabernacle of the impious will not continue.

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