Job 8
1 Then responded Bildad the Shuhite, and said: —
Then Bildad the Shuhite spoke up and said,
2 How long wilt thou speak these things? Or, as a mighty wind, shall be the sayings of thy mouth?
“How much longer will you go on talking like this? The words coming out of your mouth are a lot of hot air!
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,
Your children must have sinned against him, and so they deserved the punishment he inflicted on them.
5 Yet, if, thou thyself, wilt diligently seek unto GOD, —and, unto the Almighty, wilt make supplication;
But if you pray to God and ask for his help,
6 If, pure and upright, thou thyself, art, surely, now, will he answer thy prayer, and will prosper thy righteous habitation:
if you live a clean life and do what is right, then he would act to make things right for you in your home.
7 So shall thy beginning appear small, —when, thy latter end, he shall greatly increase!
Though you began with next to nothing, you will end up with so much!
8 For inquire, I pray thee, of a former generation, and prepare thyself for the research of their fathers; —
Why don't you ask what previous generations discovered, examine what our ancestors found out? We were born yesterday and don't know anything!
9 For, of yesterday, are, we, and cannot know, for, a shadow, are our days upon earth:
Our days on earth fade as quickly as a passing shadow.
10 Shall, they, not teach thee—tell thee, and, out of their memory, bring forth words?
Won't they teach you and explain what they know?
11 Can the paper-reed grow up, without a marsh? Or the rush grow up, without water?
Can papyrus grow where there is no marsh? Can reeds grow without water?
12 Though while still, in its freshness, it be not plucked off, yet, before any kind of grass, it doth wither:
Even without being cut, while they are still flowering, they wither faster than grass.
13 So, shall be the latter end of all who forget GOD, and, the hope of the impious, shall perish:
This is what happens to everyone who forgets God. The hopes of those who live without God come to nothing.
14 Whose trust shall be contemptible, —and, a spider’s web, his confidence:
Their confidence is like holding on to a flimsy spider's web.
15 He leaneth upon his house, and it will not stand, he holdeth it fast, and it will not remain erect.
They look to their home to provide security, but it provides no support. They try to hang onto it, but it doesn't last.
16 Full of moisture he is, before the sun, and, over his garden, his shoot goeth forth:
Those who live without God are like a luxuriant plant growing in the sun, spreading its shoots all over the garden.
17 Over a heap, his roots are entwined, a place of stones, he descrieth;
It twists its roots down through the stones, and holds on to rock.
18 If one destroy him out of his place, then will it disown him [saying] —I have not seen thee.
But when it's cut down, the place where it was disowns it, saying, ‘I never even saw you.’
19 Lo! that, is the joy of his way, —and, out of the dust, shall others spring up.
Its life is over, and others spring up from the earth to take its place.
20 Lo! GOD, will not reject a blameless man, neither will he grasp the hand of evil-doers:
Look, God doesn't reject someone who is innocent, and he doesn't support those who are guilty.
21 At length he shall fill with laughter thy mouth, and thy lips, with a shout of triumph:
He can make you laugh with happiness again and shout for joy.
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 put to shame, and the place where the wicked live will be destroyed.”
