Job, 8

1. Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said,

1. Bildad the Shuhite spoke:

2. How long wilt thou speak these [things]? and [how long shall] the words of thy mouth [be like] a strong wind?

2. How long will you say such things? Your words are long-winded blusterings.

3. Doth God pervert judgment? or doth the Almighty pervert justice?

3. Does God pervert judgment? Does the Almighty distort justice?

4. If thy children have sinned against him, and he have cast them away for their transgression;

4. If your children did him wrong, he has made them pay for their sins.

5. If thou wouldest seek unto God betimes, and make thy supplication to the Almighty;

5. But if you will have recourse to God and plead with the Almighty,

6. If thou [wert] pure and upright; surely now he would awake for thee, and make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous.

6. if you are faultless and righteous, even now he will care for you and restore you to your rightful place.

7. Though thy beginning was small, yet thy latter end should greatly increase.

7. And your prosperity will be such as to make you forget former times.

8. For enquire, I pray thee, of the former age, and prepare thyself to the search of their fathers:

8. Inquire of the past generations and learn from their fathers' experience;

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

9. for born but yesterday, we know nothing and our days on earth are but a shadow.

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

10. They will correct and teach you with words that come from the heart.

11. Can the rush grow up without mire? can the flag grow without water?

11. Can papyrus thrive without marsh? Can reeds flourish without water?

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

12. Even if still growing and uncut, they wither more quickly than any plant.

13. So [are] the paths of all that forget God; and the hypocrite's hope shall perish:

13. Such is the end of him who forgets God; the hope of the godless man perishes.

14. Whose hope shall be cut off, and whose trust [shall be] a spider's web.

14. His trust is hanging by a thread; a spider's web is what he relies on.

15. He shall lean upon his house, but it shall not stand: he shall hold it fast, but it shall not endure.

15. He leans on his house, but it does not stand; he clings to it, but it crumbles.

16. He [is] green before the sun, and his branch shooteth forth in his garden.

16. He is sturdy under the sun, spreading its shoots in the garden,

17. His roots are wrapped about the heap, [and] seeth the place of stones.

17. its roots entwined around the rocks, holding fast to each stone.

18. If he destroy him from his place, then [it] shall deny him, [saying], I have not seen thee.

18. But when uprooted, the place rejects it: "I have never known you."

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

19. And there it lies rotting by the road, while other plants grow in its place.

20. Behold, God will not cast away a perfect [man], neither will he help the evil doers:

20. Indeed God does not reject the blameless, nor lend his hand to the evildoer.

21. Till he fill thy mouth with laughing, and thy lips with rejoicing.

21. He will again fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with joyful shouts.

22. They that hate thee shall be clothed with shame; and the dwelling place of the wicked shall come to nought.

22. Your enemies will be confused, and the tent of the wicked will disappear.