Job 18

1 Then Bildad the Shuhite answered,

Then Bildad the Shuhite spoke up and said,

2 "How long will you hunt for words? Consider, and afterwards we will speak.

“How long will you go on talking, hunting for the right words to say? Talk sense if you want us to reply!

3 Why are we counted as animals, which have become unclean in your sight?

Do you think we're dumb animals? Do we look stupid to you?

4 You who tear yourself in your anger, shall the earth be forsaken for you? Or shall the rock be removed out of its place?

You tear yourself apart with your anger. Do you think the earth has to be abandoned, or the mountains moved, just because of you?

5 "Yes, the light of the wicked shall be put out, The spark of his fire shall not shine.

It's certain that the life of the wicked will end like a lamp that is snuffed out—their flame will shine no more.

6 The light shall be dark in his tent. His lamp above him shall be put out.

The light in their home goes out, the lamp hanging above is extinguished.

7 The steps of his strength shall be shortened. His own counsel shall cast him down.

Instead of taking strong strides they stumble, and their own plans cause them to fall.

8 For he is cast into a net by his own feet, and he wanders into its mesh.

Their own feet trip them up and they are caught in a net; as they walk along they fall into a pit.

9 A snare will take him by the heel. A trap will catch him.

A trap grabs them by the heel; a snare tightens around them.

10 A noose is hidden for him in the ground, a trap for him in the way.

A noose is hidden on the ground for them; a rope is stretched across the path to trip them.

11 Terrors shall make him afraid on every side, and shall chase him at his heels.

Terrors scare the wicked, coming at them from every side, chasing them, biting at their heels.

12 His strength shall be famished. Calamity shall be ready at his side.

Hunger robs them of strength; disaster waits for them when they fall.

13 The members of his body shall be devoured. The firstborn of death shall devour his members.

Disease devours their skin; deadly disease consumes their limbs.

14 He shall be rooted out of his tent where he trusts. He shall be brought to the king of terrors.

They are torn from the homes they trusted in and taken to the king of terrors.

15 There shall dwell in his tent that which is none of his. Sulfur shall be scattered on his habitation.

People they don't know will live in their homes; sulfur will be scattered where they used to live.

16 His roots shall be dried up beneath. Above shall his branch be cut off.

They wither away, roots below and branches above;

17 His memory shall perish from the earth. He shall have no name in the street.

the memory of them fades from the earth; nobody remembers their names any more.

18 He shall be driven from light into darkness, and chased out of the world.

They are thrown out of light into darkness, driven from the world.

19 He shall have neither son nor grandson among his people, nor any remaining where he sojourned.

They have no children or descendants among their people, and no survivors where they used to live.

20 Those who come after shall be astonished at his day, as those who went before were frightened.

People of the west are appalled at what happens to them. People of the east are shocked.

21 Surely such are the dwellings of the unrighteous. This is the place of him who doesn't know God."

This is what happens to the homes of the wicked, to the places of those who reject God.”