Job 8

1 Then Bildad the Shuhite answered,

Then Bildad the Shuhite answered and said,

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

“How long will you say these things? How long will the words of your mouth be a mighty wind?

3 Does God pervert justice? Or does Shaddai pervert righteousness?

Does God pervert justice? Does the Almighty pervert righteousness?

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

Your children have sinned against him; we know this, for he gave them into the hand of their sins.

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

But suppose you diligently sought God and presented your request to the Almighty.

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

If you are pure and upright, then he would surely stir himself on your behalf and restore you to your rightful place.

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

Even though your beginning was small, still your final condition would be much greater.

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

Please ask the former generations, and give your attention to what our ancestors learned.

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

(We were only born yesterday and know nothing because our days on earth are a shadow).

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

Will they not teach you and tell you? Will they not speak words from their hearts?

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

Can papyrus grow without a marsh? Can reeds grow without water?

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

While they are still green and not cut down, they wither before any other plant.

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

So also are the paths of all who forget God; the hope of the godless will perish.

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

His confidence will break apart, and his trust is as weak as a spider's web.

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

He leans on his house, but it will not support him; he takes hold of it, but it does not stand.

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

Under the sun he is green, and his shoots go out over his entire garden.

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

His roots are wrapped about the heaps of stone; they look for good places among the rocks.

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

But if this person is destroyed out of his place, then that place will deny him and say, 'I never saw you.'

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

See, this is the “joy” of such a person's behavior; other plants will sprout out of the same soil in his place.

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

See, God will not cast away an innocent man; neither will he take the hand of evildoers.

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

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

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

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