Job 8

1 Then Bildad the Shuhite answered,

And Bildad the Shuhite answered 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 the words of thy mouth be a strong wind?

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

Doth God pervert judgment, and the Almighty pervert justice?

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, he hath also given them over into the hand of their transgression.

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

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

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

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

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

For inquire, I pray thee, of the former generation, and attend to the researches 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, for our days upon earth are a shadow.

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

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

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

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

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

Whilst it is yet in its greenness [and] not cut down, 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 profane man's hope shall perish,

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

Whose confidence shall be cut off, and his reliance is 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 shall lean upon his house, and it shall not stand; he shall lay hold on it, but it shall not endure.

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

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

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

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

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

If he destroy him from his place, then it shall deny him: I have not 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 dust shall others grow.

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

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

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

Whilst he would fill thy mouth with laughing and thy lips with 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 be no more.