איוב 8

1 וַיַּעַן בִּלְדַּד הַשּׁוּחִי וַיֹאמַֽר׃

Then Bildad the Shuhite answered, and said,

2 עַד־אָן תְּמַלֶּל־אֵלֶּה וְרוּחַ כַּבִּיר אִמְרֵי־פִֽיךָ׃

How long will thou speak these things? And how long shall the words of thy mouth be like a mighty wind?

3 הַאֵל יְעַוֵּת מִשְׁפָּט וְאִם־שַׁדַּי יְעַוֵּֽת־צֶֽדֶק׃

Does God pervert justice? Or does the Almighty pervert righteousness?

4 אִם־בָּנֶיךָ חָֽטְאוּ־לוֹ וַֽיְשַׁלְּחֵם בְּיַד־פִּשְׁעָֽם׃

If thy sons have sinned against him, and he has delivered them into the hand of their transgression,

5 אִם־אַתָּה תְּשַׁחֵר אֶל־אֵל וְאֶל־שַׁדַּי תִּתְחַנָּֽן׃

if thou would seek diligently to God, and make thy supplication to the Almighty,

6 אִם־זַךְ וְיָשָׁר אָתָּה כִּי־עַתָּה יָעִיר עָלֶיךָ וְשִׁלַּם נְוַת צִדְקֶֽךָ׃

if thou were pure and upright, surely now he would awake for thee, and make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous.

7 וְהָיָה רֵאשִׁיתְךָ מִצְעָר וְאַחֲרִיתְךָ יִשְׂגֶּה מְאֹֽד׃

And though thy beginning was small, yet thy latter end would greatly increase.

8 כִּֽי־שְׁאַל־נָא לְדֹר רִישׁוֹן וְכוֹנֵן לְחֵקֶר אֲבוֹתָֽם׃

For inquire, I pray thee, of the former age, and apply thyself to that which their fathers have searched out

9 כִּֽי־תְמוֹל אֲנַחְנוּ וְלֹא נֵדָע כִּי צֵל יָמֵינוּ עֲלֵי־אָֽרֶץ׃

(for we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, because our days upon earth are a shadow).

10 הֲלֹא־הֵם יוֹרוּךָ יֹאמְרוּ לָךְ וּמִלִּבָּם יוֹצִאוּ מִלִּֽים׃

Shall they not teach thee, and tell thee, and utter words out of their heart?

11 הֲיִֽגְאֶה־גֹּמֶא בְּלֹא בִצָּה יִשְׂגֶּה־אָחוּ בְלִי־מָֽיִם׃

Can the rush grow up without mire? Can a reed grow without water?

12 עֹדֶנּוּ בְאִבּוֹ לֹא יִקָּטֵף וְלִפְנֵי כָל־חָצִיר יִיבָֽשׁ׃

While it is yet in its greenness, and not cut down, it withers before any other herb.

13 כֵּן אָרְחוֹת כָּל־שֹׁכְחֵי אֵל וְתִקְוַת חָנֵף תֹּאבֵֽד׃

So are the paths of all who forget God. And the hope of the profane man shall perish,

14 אֲשֶׁר־יָקוֹט כִּסְלוֹ וּבֵית עַכָּבִישׁ מִבְטַחֽוֹ׃

whose confidence shall break apart, and whose trust is a spider's web.

15 יִשָּׁעֵן עַל־בֵּיתוֹ וְלֹא יַעֲמֹד יַחֲזִיק בּוֹ וְלֹא יָקֽוּם׃

He shall lean upon his house, but it shall not stand. He shall hold fast thereby, but it shall not endure.

16 רָטֹב הוּא לִפְנֵי־שָׁמֶשׁ וְעַל גַּנָּתוֹ יֹֽנַקְתּוֹ תֵצֵֽא׃

He is green before the sun, and his shoots go forth over his garden.

17 עַל־גַּל שָֽׁרָשָׁיו יְסֻבָּכוּ בֵּית אֲבָנִים יֶחֱזֶֽה׃

His roots are wrapped around the stone heap. He beholds the place of stones.

18 אִם־יְבַלְּעֶנּוּ מִמְּקוֹמוֹ וְכִחֶשׁ בּוֹ לֹא רְאִיתִֽיךָ׃

If he is destroyed from his place, then it shall deny him, saying, I have not seen thee.

19 הֶן־הוּא מְשׂוֹשׂ דַּרְכּוֹ וּמֵעָפָר אַחֵר יִצְמָֽחוּ׃

Behold, this is the joy of his way, and out of the earth others shall spring.

20 הֶן־אֵל לֹא יִמְאַס־תָּם וְלֹֽא־יַחֲזִיק בְּיַד־מְרֵעִֽים׃

Behold, God will not cast away a perfect man, nor will he uphold the evildoers.

21 עַד־יְמַלֵּה שְׂחוֹק פִּיךָ וּשְׂפָתֶיךָ תְרוּעָֽה׃

He will yet fill thy mouth with laughter, and thy lips with shouting.

22 שֹׂנְאֶיךָ יִלְבְּשׁוּ־בֹשֶׁת וְאֹהֶל רְשָׁעִים אֵינֶֽנּוּ׃

Those who hate thee shall be clothed with shame, and the tent of the wicked shall be no more.