Job 8

1 Then Bildad the Shuhite answered,

Then answered Bildad the Shuchite, and said,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 a [mere] shadow are our days upon earth; —

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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