Job 8
1 Then Bildad, from [the] Shuah [area], spoke to Job. He said,
Then Bildad the Shuhite answered, and said,
2 “Job, how much longer will you talk like this? What you say is [only] hot air.
How long will thou speak these things? And how long shall the words of thy mouth be like a mighty wind?
3 Almighty God certainly never does [RHQ] what is unfair/unjust. He always does [LIT] what is right/fair.
Does God pervert justice? Or does the Almighty pervert righteousness?
4 So, it is evident that your children have sinned against him, therefore he has caused them to be punished for evil things that they have done.
If thy sons have sinned against him, and he has delivered them into the hand of their transgression,
5 But, if you will [now] earnestly request [DOU] Almighty [God] to help you,
if thou would seek diligently to God, and make thy supplication to the Almighty,
6 and if you are pure and honest/righteous, he will surely do something good for you and reward you by giving your family back to you and enabling you to prosper.
if thou were pure and upright, surely now he would awake for thee, and make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous.
7 And even though you [think that you] were not very prosperous/wealthy before, during the last part of your life you will become very wealthy.
And though thy beginning was small, yet thy latter end would greatly increase.
8 “I request you to think about what happened long ago and consider what our ancestors found out.
For inquire, I pray thee, of the former age, and apply thyself to that which their fathers have searched out
9 [It seems as though] we were born only yesterday and we know very little [HYP]; our time here on the earth [disappears quickly, like] a shadow [MET].
(for we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, because our days upon earth are a shadow).
10 So, why do you not allow your ancestors to teach you and tell you something? Allow them to tell you from what they learned!
Shall they not teach thee, and tell thee, and utter words out of their heart?
11 Papyrus can certainly not [RHQ] grow in places where there is no marsh/swamp; reeds certainly cannot [RHQ] flourish/grow where there is no water.
Can the rush grow up without mire? Can a reed grow without water?
12 [If they do not have enough water], while they are still blossoming, they wither more quickly than other plants wither.
While it is yet in its greenness, and not cut down, it withers before any other herb.
13 Those who do not pay attention to what God says are like those [reeds]; godless people stop confidently expecting [that good things will happen to them].
So are the paths of all who forget God. And the hope of the profane man shall perish,
14 The things they confidently expect to happen do not happen; things they trust [will help them] are [as fragile as] [MET] a spider’s web.
whose confidence shall break apart, and whose trust is a spider's web.
15 If they lean against a house (OR, trust in their wealth; OR, lean on a spider web), it does not (endure/protect them) [LIT]; they cling to things [to be protected], but those things do not remain firm.
He shall lean upon his house, but it shall not stand. He shall hold fast thereby, but it shall not endure.
16 Godless people [are like plants] [MET] that are watered before the sun rises; their shoots spread all over the gardens.
He is green before the sun, and his shoots go forth over his garden.
17 The roots of those plants twist around piles of stones and cling tightly to rocks.
His roots are wrapped around the stone heap. He beholds the place of stones.
18 But if those plants are pulled out, [it is as though] the place where they were planted says ‘They were never here!’ [And that is what happens to wicked people who do not heed what God says].
If he is destroyed from his place, then it shall deny him, saying, I have not seen thee.
19 Truly, evil people [MET] are not joyful [IRO] for a long time; other people come and take their places.
Behold, this is the joy of his way, and out of the earth others shall spring.
20 :So, [I tell you, Job], God will not reject you if you are truly godly/righteous, but he does not help [IDM] evil people.
Behold, God will not cast away a perfect man, nor will he uphold the evildoers.
21 He will enable you [MTY] to continually laugh and to always shout [joyfully].
He will yet fill thy mouth with laughter, and thy lips with shouting.
22 But those who hate you will be very ashamed, and the homes of wicked people will disappear.”
Those who hate thee shall be clothed with shame, and the tent of the wicked shall be no more.
