Bildad Talks

8 Then Bildad the Shuhite answered, ² “How long will you say these things, and the words of your mouth be a strong wind? ³ Does God make wrong what is fair? Does the All-powerful make wrong what is right? ⁴ If your children have sinned against Him, He has given them over to the power of their sin. ⁵ If you will look for God and pray to the All-powerful, ⁶ if you are pure and right and good, for sure He will help you. Because you are right and good He will put you back where you should be. ⁷ And even if your beginning was small, your end will be very great.

⁸ “Ask about those who have lived before. Think about what their fathers learned. ⁹ For we are only of yesterday and know nothing. Our days on earth are as a shadow. ¹⁰ Will they not teach you and tell you, and speak words of wisdom?

¹¹ “Can the tall river grass grow up from dry ground? Can the grass that grows in wet places grow without water? ¹² While it is still green and not cut, it becomes dry and dead before any other plant. ¹³ So are the ways of all who forget God. The hope of the man without God is destroyed. ¹⁴ What he trusts in is easy to break, like the home of a spider. ¹⁵ The spider trusts in his house, but it falls apart. He holds on to it, but it does not hold. ¹⁶ He is full of strength in the sunshine, and his branches spread out over his garden. ¹⁷ His roots grow around rocks and they work their way among the stones. ¹⁸ If he is taken from his place, then it will turn away from him, saying, ‘I have never seen you.’ ¹⁹ See, this is the joy of His way. And out of the dust others will come. ²⁰ See, God will not turn away from a man who is honest and faithful. And He will not help those who do wrong. ²¹ He will yet make you laugh and call out with joy. ²² Those who hate you will be dressed with shame. And the tent of the sinful will be no more.”