Job 8
1 Then responded Bildad the Shuhite, and said: —
Then Bildad the Shuhite replied:
2 How long wilt thou speak these things? Or, as a mighty wind, shall be the sayings of thy mouth?
“How long will you go on saying such things? The words of your mouth are a blustering wind.
3 Should, GOD, pervert justice? Or, the Almighty, pervert righteousness?
Does God pervert justice? Does the Almighty pervert what is right?
4 Though, thy children, sinned against him, and he delivered them into the hand of their transgression,
When your children sinned against Him, He gave them over to their rebellion.
5 Yet, if, thou thyself, wilt diligently seek unto GOD, —and, unto the Almighty, wilt make supplication;
But if you would earnestly seek God and ask the Almighty for mercy,
6 If, pure and upright, thou thyself, art, surely, now, will he answer thy prayer, and will 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 shall thy beginning appear small, —when, thy latter end, he shall greatly increase!
Though your beginnings were modest, your latter days will flourish.
8 For inquire, I pray thee, of a former generation, and prepare thyself for the research of their fathers; —
Please inquire of past generations and consider the discoveries of their fathers.
9 For, of yesterday, are, we, and cannot know, for, a shadow, are our days upon earth:
For we were born yesterday and know nothing; our days on earth are but a shadow.
10 Shall, they, not teach thee—tell thee, and, out of their memory, bring forth words?
Will they not teach you and tell you, and speak from their understanding?
11 Can the paper-reed grow up, without a marsh? Or the rush grow up, without water?
Does papyrus grow where there is no marsh? Do reeds flourish without water?
12 Though while still, in its freshness, it be not plucked off, yet, before any kind of grass, it doth wither:
While the shoots are still uncut, they dry up quicker than grass.
13 So, shall be the latter end of all who forget GOD, and, the hope of the impious, shall perish:
Such is the destiny of all who forget God; so the hope of the godless will perish.
14 Whose trust shall be contemptible, —and, a spider’s web, his confidence:
His confidence is fragile; his security is in 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 leans on his web, but it gives way; he holds fast, but it does not endure.
16 Full of moisture he is, before the sun, and, over his garden, his shoot goeth forth:
He is a well-watered plant in the sunshine, spreading its shoots over the garden.
17 Over a heap, his roots are entwined, a place of stones, he descrieth;
His roots wrap around the rock heap; he looks for a home among the stones.
18 If one destroy him out of his place, then will it disown him [saying] —I have not seen thee.
If he is uprooted from his place, it will disown him, saying, ‘I never saw you.’
19 Lo! that, is the joy of his way, —and, out of the dust, shall others spring up.
Surely this is the joy of his way; yet others will spring from the dust.
20 Lo! GOD, will not reject a blameless man, neither will he grasp the hand of evil-doers:
Behold, God does not reject the blameless, nor will He strengthen the hand of evildoers.
21 At length he shall fill with laughter thy mouth, and thy lips, with a shout of triumph:
He will yet fill your mouth with laughter, and your lips with a shout of joy.
22 They who hate thee, shall be clothed with shame, but, the tent of the lawless, shall not be!
Your enemies will be clothed in shame, and the tent of the wicked will be no more.”
