Job 8

1 Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said,

Then responded 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? Or, as a mighty wind, shall be the sayings of thy mouth?

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

Should, GOD, pervert justice? Or, the Almighty, pervert righteousness?

4 If thy children have sinned against him, and he have cast them away for their transgression;

Though, thy children, sinned against him, and he delivered them into the hand of their transgression,

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

Yet, if, thou thyself, wilt diligently seek unto GOD, —and, unto the Almighty, wilt make supplication;

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

If, pure and upright, thou thyself, art, surely, now, will he answer thy prayer, and will prosper thy righteous habitation:

7 Though thy beginning was small, yet thy latter end should greatly increase.

So shall thy beginning appear small, —when, thy latter end, he shall greatly increase!

8 For enquire, I pray thee, of the former age, and prepare thyself to the search of their fathers:

For inquire, I pray thee, of a former generation, and prepare thyself for the research of their fathers; —

9 (For we [are but of] yesterday, and know nothing, because our days upon earth [are] a shadow: )

For, of yesterday, are, we, and cannot know, for, a shadow, are our days upon earth:

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

Shall, they, not teach thee—tell thee, and, out of their memory, bring forth words?

11 Can the rush grow up without mire? can the flag grow without water?

Can the paper-reed grow up, without a marsh? Or the rush grow up, without water?

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

Though while still, in its freshness, it be not plucked off, yet, before any kind of grass, it doth wither:

13 So [are] the paths of all that forget God; and the hypocrite’s hope shall perish:

So, shall be the latter end of all who forget GOD, and, the hope of the impious, shall perish:

14 Whose hope shall be cut off, and whose trust [shall be] a spider’s web.

Whose trust shall be contemptible, —and, a spider’s web, his confidence:

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

He leaneth upon his house, and it will not stand, he holdeth it fast, and it will not remain erect.

16 He [is] green before the sun, and his branch shooteth forth in his garden.

Full of moisture he is, before the sun, and, over his garden, his shoot goeth forth:

17 His roots are wrapped about the heap, [and] seeth the place of stones.

Over a heap, his roots are entwined, a place of stones, he descrieth;

18 If he destroy him from his place, then [it] shall deny him, [saying], I have not seen thee.

If one destroy him out of his place, then will it disown him [saying] —I have not seen thee.

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

Lo! that, is the joy of his way, —and, out of the dust, shall others spring up.

20 Behold, God will not cast away a perfect [man], neither will he help the evil doers:

Lo! GOD, will not reject a blameless man, neither will he grasp the hand of evil-doers:

21 Till he fill thy mouth with laughing, and thy lips with rejoicing.

At length he shall fill with laughter thy mouth, and thy lips, with a shout of triumph:

22 They that hate thee shall be clothed with shame; and the dwelling place of the wicked shall come to nought.

They who hate thee, shall be clothed with shame, but, the tent of the lawless, shall not be!