Job 8

1 But Baldad the Suhite, responding, said:

Then Bildad the Shuhite answered and said,

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

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

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

Does God pervert justice? Does the Almighty pervert righteousness?

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

Your children have sinned against him; we know this, for he gave them into the hand of their sins.

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

But suppose you diligently sought God and presented your request to the Almighty.

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

If you are pure and upright, then he would surely stir himself on your behalf and restore you to your rightful place.

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

Even though your beginning was small, still your final condition would be much greater.

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

Please ask the former generations, and give your attention to what our ancestors learned.

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

(We were only born yesterday and know nothing because our days on earth are a shadow).

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

Will they not teach you and tell you? Will they not speak words from their hearts?

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

Can papyrus grow without a marsh? Can reeds grow without water?

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

While they are still green and not cut down, they wither before any other plant.

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

So also are the paths of all who forget God; the hope of the godless will perish.

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

His confidence will break apart, and his trust is as weak as a spider's web.

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

He leans on his house, but it will not support him; he takes hold of it, but it does not stand.

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

Under the sun he is green, and his shoots go out over his entire garden.

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

His roots are wrapped about the heaps of stone; they look for good places among the rocks.

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

But if this person is destroyed out of his place, then that place will deny him and say, 'I never saw you.'

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

See, this is the “joy” of such a person's behavior; other plants will sprout out of the same soil in his place.

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

See, God will not cast away an innocent man; neither will he take the hand of evildoers.

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

He will yet fill your mouth with laughter, your lips with shouting.

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

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