Job 8
1 Then Bildad, from [the] Shuah [area], spoke to Job. He said,
Then Bildad the Shuhite answered,
2 “Job, how much longer will you talk like this? What you say is [only] hot air.
“How long will you speak these things? Shall the words of your mouth be 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 your children have sinned against him, he has delivered them into the hand of their disobedience.
5 But, if you will [now] earnestly request [DOU] Almighty [God] to help you,
If you want to seek God diligently, make your 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 you were pure and upright, surely now he would awaken for you, and make the habitation of your 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.
Though your beginning was small, yet your latter end would greatly increase.
8 “I request you to think about what happened long ago and consider what our ancestors found out.
“Please inquire of past generations. Find out about the learning of their fathers.
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 on 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 you, tell you, 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 papyrus grow up without mire? Can the rushes 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, not cut down, it withers before any other reed.
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. The hope of the godless man will 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 will break apart, 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 will lean on his house, but it will not stand. He will cling to it, but it will 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. His shoots go out along his garden.
17 The roots of those plants twist around piles of stones and cling tightly to rocks.
His roots are wrapped around the rock pile. He sees 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 will deny him, saying, ‘I have not seen you.’
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. Out of the earth, others will 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 blameless man, neither will he uphold the evildoers.
21 He will enable you [MTY] to continually laugh and to always shout [joyfully].
He will still fill your mouth with laughter, your lips with shouting.
22 But those who hate you will be very ashamed, and the homes of wicked people will disappear.”
Those who hate you will be clothed with shame. The tent of the wicked will be no more.”
