איוב 8

1 וַיַּעַן בִּלְדַּד הַשּׁוּחִי וַיֹאמַֽר׃

Then Bildad the Shuhite answered,

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

“How long will you speak these things? Shall the words of your mouth be 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 your children have sinned against him, he has delivered them into the hand of their disobedience.

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

If you want to seek God diligently, make your supplication to the Almighty.

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

If you were pure and upright, surely now he would awaken for you, and make the habitation of your righteousness prosperous.

7 וְהָיָה רֵאשִׁיתְךָ מִצְעָר וְאַחֲרִיתְךָ יִשְׂגֶּה מְאֹֽד׃

Though your beginning was small, yet your latter end would greatly increase.

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

“Please enquire of past generations. Find out about the learning of their fathers.

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

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

10 הֲלֹא־הֵם יוֹרוּךָ יֹאמְרוּ לָךְ וּמִלִּבָּם יוֹצִאוּ מִלִּֽים׃

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

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

“Can the papyrus grow up without mire? Can the rushes grow without water?

12 עֹדֶנּוּ בְאִבּוֹ לֹא יִקָּטֵף וְלִפְנֵי כָל־חָצִיר יִיבָֽשׁ׃

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

13 כֵּן אָרְחוֹת כָּל־שֹׁכְחֵי אֵל וְתִקְוַת חָנֵף תֹּאבֵֽד׃

So are the paths of all who forget God. The hope of the godless man will perish,

14 אֲשֶׁר־יָקוֹט כִּסְלוֹ וּבֵית עַכָּבִישׁ מִבְטַחֽוֹ׃

whose confidence will break apart, whose trust is a spider’s web.

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

He will lean on his house, but it will not stand. He will cling to it, but it will not endure.

16 רָטֹב הוּא לִפְנֵי־שָׁמֶשׁ וְעַל גַּנָּתוֹ יֹֽנַקְתּוֹ תֵצֵֽא׃

He is green before the sun. His shoots go out along his garden.

17 עַל־גַּל שָֽׁרָשָׁיו יְסֻבָּכוּ בֵּית אֲבָנִים יֶחֱזֶֽה׃

His roots are wrapped around the rock pile. He sees the place of stones.

18 אִם־יְבַלְּעֶנּוּ מִמְּקוֹמוֹ וְכִחֶשׁ בּוֹ לֹא רְאִיתִֽיךָ׃

If he is destroyed from his place, then it will deny him, saying, ‘I have not seen you.’

19 הֶן־הוּא מְשׂוֹשׂ דַּרְכּוֹ וּמֵעָפָר אַחֵר יִצְמָֽחוּ׃

Behold, this is the joy of his way. Out of the earth, others will spring.

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

“Behold, God will not cast away a blameless man, neither will he uphold the evildoers.

21 עַד־יְמַלֵּה שְׂחוֹק פִּיךָ וּשְׂפָתֶיךָ תְרוּעָֽה׃

He will still fill your mouth with laughter, your lips with shouting.

22 שֹׂנְאֶיךָ יִלְבְּשׁוּ־בֹשֶׁת וְאֹהֶל רְשָׁעִים אֵינֶֽנּוּ׃

Those who hate you will be clothed with shame. The tent of the wicked will be no more.”