Job 8
1 But Baldad the Suhite, responding, said:
Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said:
2 How long will you speak this way, so that the words of your mouth are like a changeable wind?
How long wilt thou speak such things? How long shall the words of thy mouth be like a strong wind?
3 Does God supplant judgment, or does the Almighty subvert that which is just?
Will God pervert judgment? Or will the Almighty pervert justice?
4 And if now your children have sinned against him, and he has dismissed them into the power of their iniquity,
As thy children sinned against him, He hath given them up to their transgression.
5 even so, you should arise early to God, so as to beseech the Almighty.
But if thou wilt seek early to God, And make thy supplication to the Almighty, —
6 If you approach with purity and honesty, he will quickly be attentive to you, and a peaceful life will repay your righteousness,
If thou wilt be pure and upright, Surely he will yet arise for thee, And prosper thy righteous habitation;
7 so much so that, if your former things were small, your latter things would be multiplied greatly.
So that thy beginning shall be small, And thy latter end very great.
8 For inquire of the earliest generation, and investigate diligently the history of the fathers,
For inquire, I pray thee, of the former age, And mark what hath been searched out by their fathers;
9 (of course, we are but of yesterday and are ignorant that our days on earth are like a shadow, )
(For we are of yesterday and know nothing, Since our days upon the earth are but a shadow; )
10 and they will teach you; they will speak with you and will offer you the eloquence of their hearts.
Will not they instruct thee, and tell thee, And utter words from their understanding?
11 Can the marsh plant live without moisture? Or can sedges grow without water?
“Can the paper-reed grow up without mire? Can the bulrush grow without water?
12 When it is still in flower, and has not been pulled up by hand, it withers before all other plants.
While it is yet in its greenness, and is not cut down, It withereth before any other herb.
13 Just so are the ways of all who forget God, and the hope of the hypocrite will perish.
Such is the fate of all who forget God; So perisheth the hope of the ungodly.
14 His frenzy will not please him, and his faith will be like a spider’s web.
His confidence shall come to nought, And his trust shall prove a spider's web.
15 He will lean on his house, and it will not stand; he will prop it up, but it will not rise.
He shall lean upon his house, and it shall not stand; He shall lay fast hold on it, but it shall not endure.
16 He seems to have moisture before the sun arrives; and at sunrise, his sprout shoots forth.
He is in full green before the sun, And his branches shoot forth over his garden;
17 His roots will crowd together over a heap of stones, and among the stones he will remain.
His roots are entwined about the heap, And he seeth the place of stones;
18 If someone is devoured right beside him, he will deny him and will say: “I do not know you.”
When he shall be destroyed from his place, It shall deny him, saying, 'I never saw thee.'
19 For this is the benefit of his way, that others in turn may spring up from the earth.
Lo! such is the joy of his course! And others shall spring up from his place”
20 God will not discard the simple, nor will he extend his hand to the spiteful,
Behold, God will not cast away an upright man; Nor will he help the evil-doers.
21 even until your mouth is filled with laughter and your lips with rejoicing.
While he filleth thy mouth with laughter, And thy lips with gladness,
22 Those who hate you, will be clothed with confusion, and the tabernacle of the impious will not continue.
They that hate thee shall be clothed with shame, And the dwelling-place of the wicked shall come to nought.
