Job 8

1 Then Bildad the Shuhite answered,

But Baldad the Suhite, responding, said:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

even so, you should arise early to God, so as to beseech 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 you approach with purity and honesty, he will quickly be attentive to you, and a peaceful life will repay your righteousness,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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