Job 8

1 Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said:

Then answered Bildad the Shuchite, and said,

2 How long wilt thou speak these things, seeing that the words of thy mouth are as a mighty wind?

How long wilt thou speak these things? and [let] like a mighty wind be the words of thy mouth?

3 Doth God pervert judgment? Or doth the Almighty pervert justice?

Should God pervert justice? or should the Almighty pervert righteousness?

4 If thy children sinned against Him, He delivered them into the hand of their transgression.

If thy children have sinned against him, then did he send them off through the means of their transgression.

5 If thou wouldest seek earnestly unto God, and make thy supplication to the Almighty;

If thou wilt earnestly seek for God, and make thy supplication to the Almighty;

6 If thou wert pure and upright; surely now He would awake for thee, and make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous.

If thou become pure and upright: surely then will he watch over thee, and restore thy righteous habitation.

7 And though thy beginning was small, yet thy end should greatly increase.

And thy beginning will have been small; because thy latter end will grow up greatly.

8 For inquire, I pray thee, of the former generation, and apply thyself to that which their fathers have searched out —

For ask, I pray thee, of an earlier generation, and prepare thyself to [stand by] the research of 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 know nothing, because a [mere] shadow are our days upon earth; —

10 Shall not they teach thee, and tell thee, and utter words out of their heart?

Behold, these will truly teach thee, they will speak unto thee, and out of their very heart will they bring forth words:

11 Can the rush shoot up without mire? Can the reed-grass grow without water?

Can the bulrush shoot upward without mire? can the meadow-grass grow up without water?

12 Whilst it is yet in its greenness, and not cut down, it withereth before any other herb.

It is yet in its greenness, not yet cut down, when it withereth before any other grass.

13 So are the paths of all that forget God; and the hope of the godless man shall perish;

So are the paths of all that forget God; and the hope of the hypocrite will perish:

14 Whose confidence is gossamer, and whose trust is a spider's web.

[It is he] whose trust will be cut off, and but a spider's web is that in which he confideth.

15 He shall lean upon his house, but it shall not stand; he shall hold fast thereby, but it shall not endure.

He leaneth against his house, but it shall not stand: he layeth fast hold on it, but it shall not remain erect.

16 He is green before the sun, and his shoots go forth over his garden.

He is in full vigor before the sun, and over his garden his shoots go forth.

17 His roots are wrapped about the heap, he beholdeth the place of stones.

His roots are twisted about a stoneheap, he selecteth [for himself] a place of stones.

18 If he be destroyed from his place, then it shall deny him: 'I have not seen thee.'

But when men destroy him from his place, then will it deny him, saying, I have never seen thee.

19 Behold, this is the joy of his way, and out of the earth shall others spring.

Behold, this is the joy of his way, and out of the [same] dust others will grow up.

20 Behold, God will not cast away an innocent man, neither will He uphold the evil-doers;

Behold, God will not reject a perfect man, and will not hold fast by their hand the evil-doers:

21 Till He fill thy mouth with laughter, and thy lips with shouting.

Till he fill thy mouth with laughing, and thy lips with joyful shouting.

22 They that hate thee shall be clothed with shame; and the tent of the wicked shall be no more.

They that hate thee shall be clothed with shame; and the tent of the wicked shall be no more.