Job 8
1 Then Bildad the Shuhite answered and said,
Then Baldad the Sauchite answered, and said,
2 “How long will you say these things? How long will the words of your mouth be a mighty wind?
How long will you speak these things, [how long shall] the breath of your mouth [be] abundant in words?
3 Does God pervert justice? Does the Almighty pervert righteousness?
Will the Lord be unjust when he judges; or will he that has made all things pervert justice?
4 Your children have sinned against him; we know this, for he gave them into the hand of their sins.
If your sons have sinned before him, he has cast them away because of their transgression.
5 But suppose you diligently sought God and presented your request to the Almighty.
But be you early in prayer to the Lord Almighty.
6 If you are pure and upright, then he would surely stir himself on your behalf and restore you to your rightful place.
If you are pure and true, he will listen to your supplication, and will restore to you the habitation of righteousness.
7 Even though your beginning was small, still your final condition would be much greater.
Though then your beginning should be small, yet your end should be unspeakably great.
8 Please ask the former generations, and give your attention to what our ancestors learned.
For ask of the former generation, and search diligently among the race of [our] fathers:
9 (We were only born yesterday and know nothing because our days on earth are a shadow).
(for we are of yesterday, and know nothing; for our life upon the earth is a shadow: )
10 Will they not teach you and tell you? Will they not speak words from their hearts?
shall not these teach you, and report [to you], and bring out words from [their] heart?
11 Can papyrus grow without a marsh? Can reeds grow without water?
Does the rush flourish without water, or shall the flag grow up without moisture?
12 While they are still green and not cut down, they wither before any other plant.
When it is yet on the root, and [though] it has not been cut down, does not any herb wither before it has received moisture?
13 So also are the paths of all who forget God; the hope of the godless will perish.
Thus then shall be the end of all that forget the Lord: for the hope of the ungodly shall perish.
14 His confidence will break apart, and his trust is as weak as a spider's web.
For his house shall be without inhabitants, and his tent shall prove a spider's web.
15 He leans on his house, but it will not support him; he takes hold of it, but it does not stand.
If he should prop up his house, it shall not stand: and when he has taken hold of it, it shall not remain.
16 Under the sun he is green, and his shoots go out over his entire garden.
For it is moist under the sun, and his branch shall come forth out of his dung-heap.
17 His roots are wrapped about the heaps of stone; they look for good places among the rocks.
He lies down upon a gathering of stones, and shall live in the mist of flints.
18 But if this person is destroyed out of his place, then that place will deny him and say, 'I never saw you.'
If [God] should destroy [him], his place shall deny him. Hast you not seen such things,
19 See, this is the “joy” of such a person's behavior; other plants will sprout out of the same soil in his place.
that such is the overthrow of the ungodly? and out of the earth another shall grow.
20 See, God will not cast away an innocent man; neither will he take the hand of evildoers.
For the Lord will by no means reject the harmless man; but he will not receive any gift of the ungodly.
21 He will yet fill your mouth with laughter, your lips with shouting.
But he will fill with laughter the mouth of the sincere, and their lips with thanksgiving.
22 Those who hate you will be clothed with shame; the tent of the wicked will be no more.”
But their adversaries shall clothe themselves with shame; and the habitation of the ungodly shall perish.
