Job 8
1 Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said:
Then Bildad the Shuhite answered,
2 How long wilt thou speak such things? How long shall the words of thy mouth be like a strong wind?
“How long will you speak these things? Shall the words of your mouth be a mighty wind?
3 Will God pervert judgment? Or will the Almighty pervert justice?
Does God pervert justice? Or does the Almighty pervert righteousness?
4 As thy children sinned against him, He hath given them up to their transgression.
If your children have sinned against him, he has delivered them into the hand of their disobedience.
5 But if thou wilt seek early to God, And make thy supplication to the Almighty, —
If you want to seek God diligently, make your supplication to the Almighty.
6 If thou wilt be pure and upright, Surely he will yet arise for thee, And prosper thy righteous habitation;
If you were pure and upright, surely now he would awaken for you, and make the habitation of your righteousness prosperous.
7 So that thy beginning shall be small, And thy latter end very great.
Though your beginning was small, yet your latter end would greatly increase.
8 For inquire, I pray thee, of the former age, And mark what hath been searched out by their fathers;
“Please inquire of past generations. Find out about the learning of their fathers.
9 (For we are of yesterday and know nothing, Since our days upon the earth are but a shadow; )
(For we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, because our days on earth are a shadow.)
10 Will not they instruct thee, and tell thee, And utter words from their understanding?
Shall they not teach you, tell you, and utter words out of their heart?
11 “Can the paper-reed grow up without mire? Can the bulrush grow without water?
“Can the papyrus grow up without mire? Can the rushes grow without water?
12 While it is yet in its greenness, and is not cut down, It withereth before any other herb.
While it is yet in its greenness, not cut down, it withers before any other reed.
13 Such is the fate of all who forget God; So perisheth the hope of the ungodly.
So are the paths of all who forget God. The hope of the godless man will perish,
14 His confidence shall come to nought, And his trust shall prove a spider's web.
whose confidence will break apart, whose trust is a spider’s web.
15 He shall lean upon his house, and it shall not stand; He shall lay fast hold on it, but it shall not endure.
He will lean on his house, but it will not stand. He will cling to it, but it will not endure.
16 He is in full green before the sun, And his branches shoot forth over his garden;
He is green before the sun. His shoots go out along his garden.
17 His roots are entwined about the heap, And he seeth the place of stones;
His roots are wrapped around the rock pile. He sees the place of stones.
18 When he shall be destroyed from his place, It shall deny him, saying, 'I never saw thee.'
If he is destroyed from his place, then it will deny him, saying, ‘I have not seen you.’
19 Lo! such is the joy of his course! And others shall spring up from his place”
Behold, this is the joy of his way. Out of the earth, others will spring.
20 Behold, God will not cast away an upright man; Nor will he help the evil-doers.
“Behold, God will not cast away a blameless man, neither will he uphold the evildoers.
21 While he filleth thy mouth with laughter, And thy lips with gladness,
He will still fill your mouth with laughter, your lips with shouting.
22 They that hate thee shall be clothed with shame, And the dwelling-place of the wicked shall come to nought.
Those who hate you will be clothed with shame. The tent of the wicked will be no more.”
