Job 8

1 Then Bildad, from [the] Shuah [area], spoke to Job. He said,

But Baldad the Suhite, responding, said:

2 “Job, how much longer will you talk like this? What you say is [only] hot air.

How long will you speak this way, so that the words of your mouth are like a changeable wind?

3 Almighty God certainly never does [RHQ] what is unfair/unjust. He always does [LIT] what is right/fair.

Does God supplant judgment, or does the Almighty subvert that which is just?

4 So, it is evident that your children have sinned against him, therefore he has caused them to be punished for evil things that they have done.

And if now your children have sinned against him, and he has dismissed them into the power of their iniquity,

5 But, if you will [now] earnestly request [DOU] Almighty [God] to help you,

even so, you should arise early to God, so as to beseech the Almighty.

6 and if you are pure and honest/righteous, he will surely do something good for you and reward you by giving your family back to you and enabling you to prosper.

If you approach with purity and honesty, he will quickly be attentive to you, and a peaceful life will repay your righteousness,

7 And even though you [think that you] were not very prosperous/wealthy before, during the last part of your life you will become very wealthy.

so much so that, if your former things were small, your latter things would be multiplied greatly.

8 “I request you to think about what happened long ago and consider what our ancestors found out.

For inquire of the earliest generation, and investigate diligently the history of the fathers,

9 [It seems as though] we were born only yesterday and we know very little [HYP]; our time here on the earth [disappears quickly, like] a shadow [MET].

(of course, we are but of yesterday and are ignorant that our days on earth are like a shadow, )

10 So, why do you not allow your ancestors to teach you and tell you something? Allow them to tell you from what they learned!

and they will teach you; they will speak with you and will offer you the eloquence of their hearts.

11 Papyrus can certainly not [RHQ] grow in places where there is no marsh/swamp; reeds certainly cannot [RHQ] flourish/grow where there is no water.

Can the marsh plant live without moisture? Or can sedges grow without water?

12 [If they do not have enough water], while they are still blossoming, they wither more quickly than other plants wither.

When it is still in flower, and has not been pulled up by hand, it withers before all other plants.

13 Those who do not pay attention to what God says are like those [reeds]; godless people stop confidently expecting [that good things will happen to them].

Just so are the ways of all who forget God, and the hope of the hypocrite will perish.

14 The things they confidently expect to happen do not happen; things they trust [will help them] are [as fragile as] [MET] a spider’s web.

His frenzy will not please him, and his faith will be like a spider’s web.

15 If they lean against a house (OR, trust in their wealth; OR, lean on a spider web), it does not (endure/protect them) [LIT]; they cling to things [to be protected], but those things do not remain firm.

He will lean on his house, and it will not stand; he will prop it up, but it will not rise.

16 Godless people [are like plants] [MET] that are watered before the sun rises; their shoots spread all over the gardens.

He seems to have moisture before the sun arrives; and at sunrise, his sprout shoots forth.

17 The roots of those plants twist around piles of stones and cling tightly to rocks.

His roots will crowd together over a heap of stones, and among the stones he will remain.

18 But if those plants are pulled out, [it is as though] the place where they were planted says ‘They were never here!’ [And that is what happens to wicked people who do not heed what God says].

If someone is devoured right beside him, he will deny him and will say: “I do not know you.”

19 Truly, evil people [MET] are not joyful [IRO] for a long time; other people come and take their places.

For this is the benefit of his way, that others in turn may spring up from the earth.

20 :So, [I tell you, Job], God will not reject you if you are truly godly/righteous, but he does not help [IDM] evil people.

God will not discard the simple, nor will he extend his hand to the spiteful,

21 He will enable you [MTY] to continually laugh and to always shout [joyfully].

even until your mouth is filled with laughter and your lips with rejoicing.

22 But those who hate you will be very ashamed, and the homes of wicked people will disappear.”

Those who hate you, will be clothed with confusion, and the tabernacle of the impious will not continue.