Job 8
1 Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said:
Then Bildad the Shuhite made answer and said,
2 How long wilt thou speak these things, seeing that the words of thy mouth are as a mighty wind?
How long will you say these things, and how long will the words of your mouth be like a strong wind?
3 Doth God pervert judgment? Or doth the Almighty pervert justice?
Does God give wrong decisions? or is the Ruler of all not upright in his judging?
4 If thy children sinned against Him, He delivered them into the hand of their transgression.
If your children have done evil against him, then their punishment is from his hand.
5 If thou wouldest seek earnestly unto God, and make thy supplication to the Almighty;
If you will make search for God with care, and put your request before the Ruler of all;
6 If thou wert pure and upright; surely now He would awake for thee, and make the habitation of thy righteousness 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 was small, yet thy end should greatly increase.
And though your start was small, your end will be very great.
8 For inquire, I pray thee, of the former generation, and apply thyself to that which their fathers have searched out —
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 know nothing, because our days upon earth are a shadow —
(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 utter words out of their heart?
Will they not give you teaching, and say words of wisdom to you?
11 Can the rush shoot up without mire? Can the reed-grass grow without water?
Will the river-plant come up in its pride without wet earth? will the grass get tall without water?
12 Whilst it is yet in its greenness, and not cut down, it withereth before any other herb.
When it is still green, without being cut down, it becomes dry and dead before any other plant.
13 So are the paths of all that forget God; and the hope of the godless man 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 Whose confidence is gossamer, and whose trust is a spider's web.
Whose support is cut off, and whose hope is no stronger than a spider's thread.
15 He shall lean upon his house, but it shall not stand; he shall hold fast thereby, but it shall 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 He is green before the sun, and his shoots go forth over his garden.
He is full of strength before the sun, and his branches go out over his garden.
17 His roots are wrapped about the heap, he beholdeth the place of stones.
His roots are twisted round the stones, forcing their way in between them.
18 If he be destroyed from his place, then it shall deny him: 'I have not seen thee.'
If he is taken away from his place, then it will say, I have not seen you.
19 Behold, this is the joy of his way, and out of the earth shall others spring.
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 innocent man, neither will He uphold the evil-doers;
Truly, God will not give up him who is without sin, and will not take evil-doers by the hand.
21 Till He fill thy mouth with laughter, and thy lips with shouting.
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 tent of the wicked shall be no more.
Your haters will be clothed with shame, and the tent of the sinner will not be seen again.
