Job 8

1 Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said:

Then Bildad, from [the] Shuah [area], spoke to Job. He said,

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

“Job, how much longer will you talk like this? What you say is [only] hot air.

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

Almighty God certainly never does [RHQ] what is unfair/unjust. He always does [LIT] what is right/fair.

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

So, it is evident that your children have sinned against him, therefore he has caused them to be punished for evil things that they have done.

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

But, if you will [now] earnestly request [DOU] Almighty [God] to help you,

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

and if you are pure and honest/righteous, he will surely do something good for you and reward you by giving your family back to you and enabling you to prosper.

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

And even though you [think that you] were not very prosperous/wealthy before, during the last part of your life you will become very wealthy.

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

“I request you to think about what happened long ago and consider what our ancestors found out.

9 For we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, because our days upon earth are a shadow —

[It seems as though] we were born only yesterday and we know very little [HYP]; our time here on the earth [disappears quickly, like] a shadow [MET].

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

So, why do you not allow your ancestors to teach you and tell you something? Allow them to tell you from what they learned!

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

Papyrus can certainly not [RHQ] grow in places where there is no marsh/swamp; reeds certainly cannot [RHQ] flourish/grow where there is no water.

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

[If they do not have enough water], while they are still blossoming, they wither more quickly than other plants wither.

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

Those who do not pay attention to what God says are like those [reeds]; godless people stop confidently expecting [that good things will happen to them].

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

The things they confidently expect to happen do not happen; things they trust [will help them] are [as fragile as] [MET] a spider’s web.

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

If they lean against a house (OR, trust in their wealth; OR, lean on a spider web), it does not (endure/protect them) [LIT]; they cling to things [to be protected], but those things do not remain firm.

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

Godless people [are like plants] [MET] that are watered before the sun rises; their shoots spread all over the gardens.

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

The roots of those plants twist around piles of stones and cling tightly to rocks.

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

But if those plants are pulled out, [it is as though] the place where they were planted says ‘They were never here!’ [And that is what happens to wicked people who do not heed what God says].

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

Truly, evil people [MET] are not joyful [IRO] for a long time; other people come and take their places.

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

:So, [I tell you, Job], God will not reject you if you are truly godly/righteous, but he does not help [IDM] evil people.

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

He will enable you [MTY] to continually laugh and to always shout [joyfully].

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

But those who hate you will be very ashamed, and the homes of wicked people will disappear.”