Job 8

1 Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said,

2 How long wilt thou speak these things? And how long shall the words of thy mouth be like a mighty wind?

3 Doth God pervert justice? Or doth the Almighty pervert righteousness?

4 If thy children have sinned against him, And he hath delivered them into the hand of their transgression;

5 If thou wouldest seek diligently unto God, And make thy supplication to the Almighty;

6 If thou wert pure and upright: Surely now he would awake for thee, And make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous.

7 And though thy beginning was small, Yet thy latter end would greatly increase.

8 For inquire, I pray thee, of the former age, And apply thyself to that which their fathers have searched out:

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

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

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

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

13 So are the paths of all that forget God; And the hope of the godless man shall perish:

14 Whose confidence shall break in sunder, And whose trust is a spider’s web.

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

16 He is green before the sun, And his shoots go forth over his garden.

17 His roots are wrapped about the stone -heap, He beholdeth the place of stones.

18 If he be destroyed from his place, Then it shall deny him, saying, I have not seen thee.

19 Behold, this is the joy of his way; And out of the earth shall others spring.

20 Behold, God will not cast away a perfect man, Neither will he uphold the evil-doers.

21 He will yet fill thy mouth with laughter, And thy lips with shouting.

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

JOB 8

Bildad's First Speech

How Long Will You Talk?

1 Bildad from Shuaht said:

2 How long will you talk
and keep saying nothing?

3 Does God All-Powerful
stand in the way of justice?

4 He made your children pay
for their sins.

5 So why don't you turn to him

6 and start living right?
Then he will decide
to rescue and restore you
to your place of honor.

7 Your future will be brighter
by far than your past.

Our Ancestors Were Wise

8  t Our ancestors were wise,
so learn from them.

9 Our own time has been short,
like a fading shadow,
and we know very little.

10 But they will instruct you
with great understanding.

11 Papyrus reeds grow healthy
only in a swamp,

12 and if the water dries up,
they die sooner than grass.

13 Such is the hopeless future
of all who turn from God

14 and trust in something as frail
as a spider's web—

15 they take hold and fall
because it's so flimsy.

16 Sinful people are like plants
with spreading roots and plenty
of sun and water.

17 They wrap their roots tightly
around rocks.t

18 But once they are pulled up,
they have no more place;

19 their life slips away, t
and other plants grow there.

20 We know God doesn't reject
an innocent person
or help a sinner.

21 And so, he will make you happy
and give you something
to smile about.

22 But your evil enemies
will be put to shame
and disappear forever.