Job 8
1 Then responded Bildad the Shuhite, and said: —
Then Bildad the Shuhite answered,
2 How long wilt thou speak these things? Or, as a mighty wind, shall be the sayings of thy mouth?
“How long will you speak these things? Shall the words of your mouth be a mighty wind?
3 Should, GOD, pervert justice? Or, the Almighty, pervert righteousness?
Does God pervert justice? Or does the Almighty pervert righteousness?
4 Though, thy children, sinned against him, and he delivered them into the hand of their transgression,
If your children have sinned against him, he has delivered them into the hand of their disobedience.
5 Yet, if, thou thyself, wilt diligently seek unto GOD, —and, unto the Almighty, wilt make supplication;
If you want to seek God diligently, make your supplication to the Almighty.
6 If, pure and upright, thou thyself, art, surely, now, will he answer thy prayer, and will 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 shall thy beginning appear small, —when, thy latter end, he shall greatly increase!
Though your beginning was small, yet your latter end would greatly increase.
8 For inquire, I pray thee, of a former generation, and prepare thyself for the research of their fathers; —
“Please inquire of past generations. Find out about the learning of their fathers.
9 For, of yesterday, are, we, and cannot know, for, a shadow, are our days upon earth:
(For we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, because our days on earth are a shadow.)
10 Shall, they, not teach thee—tell thee, and, out of their memory, bring forth words?
Shall they not teach you, tell you, and utter words out of their heart?
11 Can the paper-reed grow up, without a marsh? Or the rush grow up, without water?
“Can the papyrus grow up without mire? Can the rushes grow without water?
12 Though while still, in its freshness, it be not plucked off, yet, before any kind of grass, it doth wither:
While it is yet in its greenness, not cut down, it withers before any other reed.
13 So, shall be the latter end of all who forget GOD, and, the hope of the impious, shall perish:
So are the paths of all who forget God. The hope of the godless man will perish,
14 Whose trust shall be contemptible, —and, a spider’s web, his confidence:
whose confidence will break apart, whose trust is a spider’s web.
15 He leaneth upon his house, and it will not stand, he holdeth it fast, and it will not remain erect.
He will lean on his house, but it will not stand. He will cling to it, but it will not endure.
16 Full of moisture he is, before the sun, and, over his garden, his shoot goeth forth:
He is green before the sun. His shoots go out along his garden.
17 Over a heap, his roots are entwined, a place of stones, he descrieth;
His roots are wrapped around the rock pile. He sees the place of stones.
18 If one destroy him out of his place, then will it disown him [saying] —I have not seen thee.
If he is destroyed from his place, then it will deny him, saying, ‘I have not seen you.’
19 Lo! that, is the joy of his way, —and, out of the dust, shall others spring up.
Behold, this is the joy of his way. Out of the earth, others will spring.
20 Lo! GOD, will not reject a blameless man, neither will he grasp the hand of evil-doers:
“Behold, God will not cast away a blameless man, neither will he uphold the evildoers.
21 At length he shall fill with laughter thy mouth, and thy lips, with a shout of triumph:
He will still fill your mouth with laughter, your lips with shouting.
22 They who hate thee, shall be clothed with shame, but, the tent of the lawless, shall not be!
Those who hate you will be clothed with shame. The tent of the wicked will be no more.”
