Job 8
1 Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said:
Then Bildad the Shuhite replied:
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 go on saying such things? The words of your mouth are a blustering wind.
3 Will God pervert judgment? Or will the Almighty pervert justice?
Does God pervert justice? Does the Almighty pervert what is right?
4 As thy children sinned against him, He hath given them up to their transgression.
When your children sinned against Him, He gave them over to their rebellion.
5 But if thou wilt seek early to God, And make thy supplication to the Almighty, —
But if you would earnestly seek God and ask the Almighty for mercy,
6 If thou wilt be pure and upright, Surely he will yet arise for thee, And prosper thy righteous habitation;
if you are pure and upright, even now He will rouse Himself on your behalf and restore your righteous estate.
7 So that thy beginning shall be small, And thy latter end very great.
Though your beginnings were modest, your latter days will flourish.
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 and consider the discoveries of their fathers.
9 (For we are of yesterday and know nothing, Since our days upon the earth are but a shadow; )
For we were born yesterday and know nothing; our days on earth are but a shadow.
10 Will not they instruct thee, and tell thee, And utter words from their understanding?
Will they not teach you and tell you, and speak from their understanding?
11 “Can the paper-reed grow up without mire? Can the bulrush grow without water?
Does papyrus grow where there is no marsh? Do reeds flourish without water?
12 While it is yet in its greenness, and is not cut down, It withereth before any other herb.
While the shoots are still uncut, they dry up quicker than grass.
13 Such is the fate of all who forget God; So perisheth the hope of the ungodly.
Such is the destiny of all who forget God; so the hope of the godless will perish.
14 His confidence shall come to nought, And his trust shall prove a spider's web.
His confidence is fragile; his security is in 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 leans on his web, but it gives way; he holds fast, but it does not endure.
16 He is in full green before the sun, And his branches shoot forth over his garden;
He is a well-watered plant in the sunshine, spreading its shoots over the garden.
17 His roots are entwined about the heap, And he seeth the place of stones;
His roots wrap around the rock heap; he looks for a home among the stones.
18 When he shall be destroyed from his place, It shall deny him, saying, 'I never saw thee.'
If he is uprooted from his place, it will disown him, saying, ‘I never saw you.’
19 Lo! such is the joy of his course! And others shall spring up from his place”
Surely this is the joy of his way; yet others will spring from the dust.
20 Behold, God will not cast away an upright man; Nor will he help the evil-doers.
Behold, God does not reject the blameless, nor will He strengthen the hand of evildoers.
21 While he filleth thy mouth with laughter, And thy lips with gladness,
He will yet fill your mouth with laughter, and your lips with a shout of joy.
22 They that hate thee shall be clothed with shame, And the dwelling-place of the wicked shall come to nought.
Your enemies will be clothed in shame, and the tent of the wicked will be no more.”
