Job 8
1 Then Bildad the Shuhite answered and said,
Then Bildad, from [the] Shuah [area], spoke to Job. He said,
2 “How long will you say these things? How long will the words of your mouth be a mighty wind?
“Job, how much longer will you talk like this? What you say is [only] hot air.
3 Does God pervert justice? Does the Almighty pervert righteousness?
Almighty God certainly never does [RHQ] what is unfair/unjust. He always does [LIT] what is right/fair.
4 Your children have sinned against him; we know this, for he gave them into the hand of their sins.
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.
5 But suppose you diligently sought God and presented your request to the Almighty.
But, if you will [now] earnestly request [DOU] Almighty [God] to help you,
6 If you are pure and upright, then he would surely stir himself on your behalf and restore you to your rightful place.
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.
7 Even though your beginning was small, still your final condition would be much greater.
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.
8 Please ask the former generations, and give your attention to what our ancestors learned.
“I request you to think about what happened long ago and consider what our ancestors found out.
9 (We were only born yesterday and know nothing because our days on earth are a shadow).
[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].
10 Will they not teach you and tell you? Will they not speak words from their hearts?
So, why do you not allow your ancestors to teach you and tell you something? Allow them to tell you from what they learned!
11 Can papyrus grow without a marsh? Can reeds grow without water?
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.
12 While they are still green and not cut down, they wither before any other plant.
[If they do not have enough water], while they are still blossoming, they wither more quickly than other plants wither.
13 So also are the paths of all who forget God; the hope of the godless will perish.
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].
14 His confidence will break apart, and his trust is as weak as a spider's web.
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.
15 He leans on his house, but it will not support him; he takes hold of it, but it does not stand.
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.
16 Under the sun he is green, and his shoots go out over his entire garden.
Godless people [are like plants] [MET] that are watered before the sun rises; their shoots spread all over the gardens.
17 His roots are wrapped about the heaps of stone; they look for good places among the rocks.
The roots of those plants twist around piles of stones and cling tightly to rocks.
18 But if this person is destroyed out of his place, then that place will deny him and say, 'I never saw you.'
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].
19 See, this is the “joy” of such a person's behavior; other plants will sprout out of the same soil in his place.
Truly, evil people [MET] are not joyful [IRO] for a long time; other people come and take their places.
20 See, God will not cast away an innocent man; neither will he take the hand of evildoers.
:So, [I tell you, Job], God will not reject you if you are truly godly/righteous, but he does not help [IDM] evil people.
21 He will yet fill your mouth with laughter, your lips with shouting.
He will enable you [MTY] to continually laugh and to always shout [joyfully].
22 Those who hate you will be clothed with shame; the tent of the wicked will be no more.”
But those who hate you will be very ashamed, and the homes of wicked people will disappear.”
