< Job 8 >

1 The Baldad the Suhite answered, and said:
Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said,
2 How long wilt thou speak these things, and how long shall the words of thy mouth be like a strong wind?
How long wilt thou speak these [things]? and [how long shall] the words of thy mouth [be like] a strong wind?
3 Doth God pervert judgment, or doth the Almighty overthrow that which is just?
Doth God pervert judgment; or doth the Almighty pervert justice?
4 Although thy children have sinned against him, and he hath left them in the hand of their iniquity:
If thy children have sinned against him, and he hath cast them away for their transgression;
5 Yet if thou wilt arise early to God, and wilt beseech the Almighty:
If thou wouldst seek to God betimes, and make thy supplication to the Almighty;
6 If thou wilt walk clean and upright, he will presently awake onto thee, and will make the dwelling of thy justice peaceable:
If thou [wert] pure and upright; surely now he would awake for thee, and make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous.
7 Insomuch, that if thy former things were small, thy latter things would be multiplied exceedingly.
Though thy beginning was small, yet thy latter end would greatly increase.
8 For inquire of the former generation, and search diligently into the memory of the fathers:
For inquire, I pray thee, of the former age, and prepare thyself to the search of their fathers:
9 (For we are but of yesterday, and are ignorant that our days upon earth are but a shadow: )
(For we [are but of] yesterday, and know nothing, because our days upon earth [are] a shadow: )
10 And they shall teach thee: they shall speak to thee, and utter words out of their hearts.
Will they not teach thee, [and] tell thee, and utter words out of their heart?
11 Can the rush be green without moisture? or a sedge-bush grow without water?
Can the rush grow without mire? can the flag grow without water?
12 When it is yet in flower, and is not plucked up with the hand, it withereth before all herbs.
Whilst it [is] yet in its greenness, [and] not cut down, it withereth before any [other] herb.
13 Even so are the ways of all that forget God, and the hope of the hypocrite shall perish:
So [are] the paths of all that forget God; and the hypocrite's hope shall perish:
14 His folly shall not please him, and his trust shall be like the spider’s web.
Whose hope shall be cut off, and whose trust [shall be] a spider's web.
15 He shall lean upon his house, and it shall not stand: he shall prop it up, and it shall not rise:
He shall lean upon his house, but it shall not stand: he shall hold it fast, but it shall not endure.
16 He seemeth to have moisture before the sun cometh, and at his rising his blossom shall shoot forth.
He [is] green before the sun, and his branch shooteth forth in his garden.
17 His roots shall be thick upon a heap of stones, and among the stones he shall abide.
His roots are wrapped about the heap, [and] seeth the place of stones.
18 If one swallow him up out of his place, he shall deny him, and shall say: I know thee not.
If he shall destroy him from his place, then [it] shall deny him, [saying], I have not seen thee.
19 For this is the joy of his way, that others may spring again out of the earth.
Behold, this [is] the joy of his way, and out of the earth shall others grow.
20 God will not cast away the simple, nor reach out his hand to the evildoer:
Behold, God will not cast away a perfect [man], neither will he help the evil doers:
21 Until thy mouth be filled with laughter, and thy lips with rejoicing.
Till he shall fill thy mouth with laughing, and thy lips with rejoicing.
22 They that hate thee, shall be clothed with confusion: and the dwelling of the wicked shall not stand.
They that hate thee shall be clothed with shame; and the dwelling place of the wicked shall come to naught.

< Job 8 >