Job 8
1 And Bildad the Shuhite answered and said,
Then Bildad the Shuhite replied:
2 How long wilt thou speak these things? and the words of thy mouth be a strong wind?
“How long will you go on saying such things? The words of your mouth are a blustering wind.
3 Doth God pervert judgment, and the Almighty pervert justice?
Does God pervert justice? Does the Almighty pervert what is right?
4 If thy children have sinned against him, he hath also given them over into the hand of their transgression.
When your children sinned against Him, He gave them over to their rebellion.
5 If thou seek earnestly unto God, and make thy supplication to the Almighty,
But if you would earnestly seek God and ask the Almighty for mercy,
6 If thou be pure and upright, surely now he will awake for thee, and make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous;
if you are pure and upright, even now He will rouse Himself on your behalf and restore your righteous estate.
7 And though thy beginning was small, yet thine end shall be very great.
Though your beginnings were modest, your latter days will flourish.
8 For inquire, I pray thee, of the former generation, and attend to the researches of their fathers;
Please inquire of past generations and consider the discoveries of their fathers.
9 For we are [but] of yesterday, and know nothing, for our days upon earth are a shadow.
For we were born yesterday and know nothing; our days on earth are but a shadow.
10 Shall not they teach thee, [and] tell thee, and utter words out of their heart?
Will they not teach you and tell you, and speak from their understanding?
11 Doth the papyrus shoot up without mire? doth the reed-grass grow without water?
Does papyrus grow where there is no marsh? Do reeds flourish without water?
12 Whilst it is yet in its greenness [and] not cut down, it withereth before any [other] grass.
While the shoots are still uncut, they dry up quicker than grass.
13 So are the paths of all that forget God; and the profane man's hope shall perish,
Such is the destiny of all who forget God; so the hope of the godless will perish.
14 Whose confidence shall be cut off, and his reliance is a spider's web.
His confidence is fragile; his security is in a spider’s web.
15 He shall lean upon his house, and it shall not stand; he shall lay hold on it, but it shall not endure.
He leans on his web, but it gives way; he holds fast, but it does not endure.
16 He is full of sap before the sun, and his sprout shooteth forth over his garden;
He is a well-watered plant in the sunshine, spreading its shoots over the garden.
17 His roots are entwined about the stoneheap; he seeth the place of stones.
His roots wrap around the rock heap; he looks for a home among the stones.
18 If he destroy him from his place, then it shall deny him: I have not seen thee!
If he is uprooted from his place, it will disown him, saying, ‘I never saw you.’
19 Behold, this is the joy of his way, and out of the dust shall others grow.
Surely this is the joy of his way; yet others will spring from the dust.
20 Behold, God will not cast off a perfect man, neither will he take evil-doers by the hand.
Behold, God does not reject the blameless, nor will He strengthen the hand of evildoers.
21 Whilst he would fill thy mouth with laughing and thy lips with shouting,
He will yet fill your mouth with laughter, and your lips with a shout of joy.
22 They that hate thee shall be clothed with shame, and the tent of the wicked be no more.
Your enemies will be clothed in shame, and the tent of the wicked will be no more.”
