Job 8

1 And Bildad the Shuhite answered and said,

Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said:

2 How long wilt thou speak these things? and the words of thy mouth be a strong wind?

How long wilt thou speak such things? How long shall the words of thy mouth be like a strong wind?

3 Doth God pervert judgment, and the Almighty pervert justice?

Will God pervert judgment? Or will the Almighty pervert justice?

4 If thy children have sinned against him, he hath also given them over into the hand of their transgression.

As thy children sinned against him, He hath given them up to their transgression.

5 If thou seek earnestly unto God, and make thy supplication to the Almighty,

But if thou wilt seek early to God, And make thy supplication to the Almighty, —

6 If thou be pure and upright, surely now he will awake for thee, and make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous;

If thou wilt be pure and upright, Surely he will yet arise for thee, And prosper thy righteous habitation;

7 And though thy beginning was small, yet thine end shall be very great.

So that thy beginning shall be small, And thy latter end very great.

8 For inquire, I pray thee, of the former generation, and attend to the researches of their fathers;

For inquire, I pray thee, of the former age, And mark what hath been searched out by their fathers;

9 For we are [but] of yesterday, and know nothing, for our days upon earth are a shadow.

(For we are of yesterday and know nothing, Since our days upon the earth are but a shadow; )

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

Will not they instruct thee, and tell thee, And utter words from their understanding?

11 Doth the papyrus shoot up without mire? doth the reed-grass grow without water?

“Can the paper-reed grow up without mire? Can the bulrush grow without water?

12 Whilst it is yet in its greenness [and] not cut down, it withereth before any [other] grass.

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

13 So are the paths of all that forget God; and the profane man's hope shall perish,

Such is the fate of all who forget God; So perisheth the hope of the ungodly.

14 Whose confidence shall be cut off, and his reliance is a spider's web.

His confidence shall come to nought, And his trust shall prove a spider's web.

15 He shall lean upon his house, and it shall not stand; he shall lay hold on it, but it shall not endure.

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 is full of sap before the sun, and his sprout shooteth forth over his garden;

He is in full green before the sun, And his branches shoot forth over his garden;

17 His roots are entwined about the stoneheap; he seeth the place of stones.

His roots are entwined about the heap, And he seeth the place of stones;

18 If he destroy him from his place, then it shall deny him: I have not seen thee!

When he shall be destroyed from his place, It shall deny him, saying, 'I never saw thee.'

19 Behold, this is the joy of his way, and out of the dust shall others grow.

Lo! such is the joy of his course! And others shall spring up from his place”

20 Behold, God will not cast off a perfect man, neither will he take evil-doers by the hand.

Behold, God will not cast away an upright man; Nor will he help the evil-doers.

21 Whilst he would fill thy mouth with laughing and thy lips with shouting,

While he filleth thy mouth with laughter, And thy lips with gladness,

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

They that hate thee shall be clothed with shame, And the dwelling-place of the wicked shall come to nought.