Job 8

1 Then answered Bildad the Shuchite, and said,

Then Bildad the Shuhite answered,

2 How long wilt thou speak these things? and [let] like a mighty wind be the words of thy mouth?

"How long will you speak these things? Shall the words of your mouth be a mighty wind?

3 Should God pervert justice? or should the Almighty pervert righteousness?

Does God pervert justice? Or does Shaddai pervert righteousness?

4 If thy children have sinned against him, then did he send them off through the means of their transgression.

If your children have sinned against him, He has delivered them into the hand of their disobedience.

5 If thou wilt earnestly seek for God, and make thy supplication to the Almighty;

If you want to seek God diligently, make your petition to Shaddai.

6 If thou become pure and upright: surely then will he watch over thee, and restore thy righteous habitation.

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

7 And thy beginning will have been small; because thy latter end will grow up greatly.

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

8 For ask, I pray thee, of an earlier generation, and prepare thyself to [stand by] the research of their fathers; —

"Please inquire of past generations. Find out about the learning of their fathers.

9 For we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, because a [mere] shadow are our days upon earth; —

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

10 Behold, these will truly teach thee, they will speak unto thee, and out of their very heart will they bring forth words:

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

11 Can the bulrush shoot upward without mire? can the meadow-grass grow up without water?

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

12 It is yet in its greenness, not yet cut down, when it withereth before any other grass.

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

13 So are the paths of all that forget God; and the hope of the hypocrite will perish:

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

14 [It is he] whose trust will be cut off, and but a spider's web is that in which he confideth.

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

15 He leaneth against his house, but it shall not stand: he layeth fast hold on it, but it shall not remain erect.

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

16 He is in full vigor before the sun, and over his garden his shoots go forth.

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

17 His roots are twisted about a stoneheap, he selecteth [for himself] a place of stones.

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

18 But when men destroy him from his place, then will it deny him, saying, I have never seen thee.

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

19 Behold, this is the joy of his way, and out of the [same] dust others will grow up.

Look, this is the joy of his way: out of the earth, others shall spring.

20 Behold, God will not reject a perfect man, and will not hold fast by their hand the evil-doers:

"Look, God will not cast away a blameless man, neither will he uphold the evildoers.

21 Till he fill thy mouth with laughing, and thy lips with joyful shouting.

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

22 They that hate thee shall be clothed with shame; and the tent of the wicked shall be no more.

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