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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

whose confidence shall break apart, and whose trust is 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 shall lean upon his house, but it shall not stand. He shall hold fast thereby, but it shall not endure.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

He will yet fill thy mouth with laughter, and thy 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 thee shall be clothed with shame, and the tent of the wicked shall be no more.