Job 8 (Contemporary English Version)

Job 8

Bildad's First Speech

How Long Will You Talk?

 ¹Bildad from Shuah ^[a] said: ²How long will you talk

   and keep saying nothing?

    ³Does God All-Powerful

   stand in the way of justice?

    ⁴He made your children pay

   for their sins.

    ⁵So why don't you turn to him

    ⁶and start living right?

   Then he will decide

   to rescue and restore you

   to your place of honor.

    ⁷Your future will be brighter

   by far than your past.

   

Our Ancestors Were Wise

 ⁸Our ancestors were wise,

   so learn from them.

    ⁹Our own time has been short,

   like a fading shadow,

   and we know very little.

    ¹⁰But they will instruct you

   with great understanding.

    ¹¹Papyrus reeds grow healthy

   only in a swamp,

    ¹²and if the water dries up,

   they die sooner than grass.

    ¹³Such is the hopeless future

   of all who turn from God

    ¹⁴and trust in something as frail

   as a spider's web--

    ¹⁵they take hold and fall

   because it's so flimsy.

    ¹⁶Sinful people are like plants

   with spreading roots

   and plenty

   of sun and water.

    ¹⁷They wrap their roots tightly

   around rocks. ^{[b] 18}But once they are pulled up,

   they have no more place;

    ¹⁹their life slips away, ^[c] and other plants grow there.

    ²⁰We know God doesn't reject

   an innocent person

   or help a sinner.

    ²¹And so, he will make you happy

   and give you something

   to smile about.

    ²²But your evil enemies

   will be put to shame

   and disappear forever.