Job 8
1 Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and saide,
Then Bildad the Shuhite made answer and said,
2 Howe long wilt thou talke of these things? and howe long shall the wordes of thy mouth be as a mightie winde?
How long will you say these things, and how long will the words of your mouth be like a strong wind?
3 Doeth God peruert iudgement? or doeth the Almightie subuert iustice?
Does God give wrong decisions? or is the Ruler of all not upright in his judging?
4 If thy sonnes haue sinned against him, and he hath sent them into the place of their iniquitie,
If your children have done evil against him, then their punishment is from his hand.
5 Yet if thou wilt early seeke vnto God, and pray to the Almightie,
If you will make search for God with care, and put your request before the Ruler of all;
6 If thou be pure and vpright, then surely hee will awake vp vnto thee, and he wil make the habitation of thy righteousnesse prosperous.
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.
7 And though thy beginning be small, yet thy latter ende shall greatly encrease.
And though your start was small, your end will be very great.
8 Inquire therefore, I pray thee, of the former age, and prepare thy selfe to search of their fathers.
Put the question now to the past generations, and give attention to what has been searched out by their fathers:
9 (For we are but of yesterday, and are ignorant: for our dayes vpon earth are but a shadowe)
(For we are but of yesterday, and have no knowledge, because our days on earth are gone like a shade: )
10 Shall not they teach thee and tell thee, and vtter the wordes of their heart?
Will they not give you teaching, and say words of wisdom to you?
11 Can a rush grow without myre? or can ye grasse growe without water?
Will the river-plant come up in its pride without wet earth? will the grass get tall without water?
12 Though it were in greene and not cutte downe, yet shall it wither before any other herbe.
When it is still green, without being cut down, it becomes dry and dead before any other plant.
13 So are the paths of al that forget God, and the hypocrites hope shall perish.
So is the end of all who do not keep God in mind; and the hope of the evil-doer comes to nothing:
14 His confidence also shalbe cut off, and his trust shalbe as the house of a spyder.
Whose support is cut off, and whose hope is no stronger than a spider's thread.
15 He shall leane vpon his house, but it shall not stand: he shall holde him fast by it, yet shall it not endure.
He is looking to his family for support, but it is not there; he puts his hope in it, but it comes to nothing.
16 The tree is greene before the sunne, and the branches spread ouer the garden thereof.
He is full of strength before the sun, and his branches go out over his garden.
17 The rootes thereof are wrapped about the fountaine, and are folden about ye house of stones.
His roots are twisted round the stones, forcing their way in between them.
18 If any plucke it from his place, and it denie, saying, I haue not seene thee,
If he is taken away from his place, then it will say, I have not seen you.
19 Beholde, it will reioyce by this meanes, that it may growe in another molde.
Such is the joy of his way, and out of the dust another comes up to take his place.
20 Behold, God will not cast away an vpright man, neither will he take the wicked by the hand,
Truly, God will not give up him who is without sin, and will not take evil-doers by the hand.
21 Till he haue filled thy mouth with laughter, and thy lippes with ioy.
The time will come when your mouth will be full of laughing, and cries of joy will come from your lips.
22 They that hate thee, shall be clothed with shame, and the dwelling of the wicked shall not remaine.
Your haters will be clothed with shame, and the tent of the sinner will not be seen again.
