Job 8

1 Then answered Bildad the Shuchite, and said,

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

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

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

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

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

4 If thy children have sinned against him, then did he send them off through the means 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 wilt earnestly seek for God, and make thy supplication to the Almighty;

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

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

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

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 ask, I pray thee, of an earlier generation, and prepare thyself to [stand by] the research of their fathers; —

“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 a [mere] shadow are our days upon earth; —

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

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 bulrush shoot upward without mire? can the meadow-grass grow up 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 It is yet in its greenness, not yet cut down, when it withereth before any other grass.

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

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

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

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

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

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

18 But when men destroy him from his place, then will it deny him, saying, I have never 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 [same] dust others will grow up.

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

20 Behold, God will not reject a perfect man, and will not hold fast by their hand 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 laughing, and thy lips with joyful 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.”