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Bildad Speaks of the Downfall of the Wicked

18 Then Bildad the Shuhite answered and said,

“How long until you put an end to your words?
Show understanding and then we can talk.
Why are we (A)regarded as beasts,
As dense in your eyes?
O [a]you who tear yourself in your anger—
For your sake is the earth to be forsaken,
Or the rock to be moved from its place?

“Indeed, the (B)light of the wicked goes out,
And the [b]flame of his fire gives no light.
The light in his tent is (C)darkened,
And his lamp goes out above him.
His [c]vigorous stride is shortened,
And his (D)own counsel brings him down.
For he is (E)thrown into the net by his own feet,
And he steps on the netting.
A snare seizes him by the heel,
And a device snaps shut on him.
10 A rope for him is hidden in the ground,
And a trap for him on the path.
11 All around (F)terrors frighten him,
And (G)harass him at every step.
12 His vigor is (H)famished,
And disaster is ready at his side.
13 The firstborn of death eats parts of his skin;
It (I)eats parts of him.
14 He is (J)torn from [d]the security of his tent,
And [e]they march him in step before the king of (K)terrors.
15 [f]There dwells in his tent nothing of his;
(L)Brimstone is scattered on his abode.
16 His (M)roots are dried below,
And his (N)branch is cut off above.
17 (O)Memory of him perishes from the earth,
And he has no name abroad.
18 [g]He is driven from light (P)into darkness,
And (Q)chased from the inhabited world.
19 He has neither (R)offspring nor posterity among his people,
Nor any survivor where he sojourned.
20 Those [h]in the west are appalled at (S)his [i]fate,
And those [j]in the east are seized with horror.
21 Surely such are the (T)dwellings of the unjust,
And this is the place of him who does not know God.”

Footnotes

  1. Job 18:4 Lit he...tears himself...his
  2. Job 18:5 Lit spark
  3. Job 18:7 Lit steps of his strength
  4. Job 18:14 Lit his tent his trust
  5. Job 18:14 Or you or she shall march
  6. Job 18:15 Or Fire dwells in his tent
  7. Job 18:18 Lit They drive him...And chase him
  8. Job 18:20 Lit who come after
  9. Job 18:20 Lit day
  10. Job 18:20 Lit who have gone before

Bildad Speaks

18 Then Bildad the Shuhite(A) replied:

How long until you stop talking?
Show some sense, and then we can talk.
Why are we regarded as cattle,
as stupid in your sight?
You who tear yourself in anger[a]
should the earth be abandoned on your account,
or a rock be removed from its place?

Yes, the light(B) of the wicked(C) is extinguished;
the flame of his fire does not glow.
The light in his tent grows dark,(D)
and the lamp beside him is put out.

His powerful stride is shortened,
and his own schemes trip him up.(E)
For his own feet lead him into a net,
and he strays into its mesh.
A trap catches him by the heel;
a noose seizes him.
10 A rope lies hidden for him on the ground,
and a snare waits for him along the path.
11 Terrors frighten him on every side(F)
and harass him at every step.
12 His strength is depleted;
disaster lies ready for him to stumble.[b]

13 Parts of his skin are eaten away;
death’s firstborn consumes his limbs.
14 He is ripped from the security of his tent
and marched away to the king of terrors.
15 Nothing he owned remains in his tent.
Burning sulfur(G) is scattered over his home.
16 His roots below dry up,
and his branches above wither away.(H)
17 All memory(I) of him perishes from the earth;
he has no name anywhere.[c]
18 He is driven from light to darkness
and chased from the inhabited world.
19 He has no children or descendants among his people,
no survivor where he used to live.(J)
20 Those in the west are appalled(K) at his fate,
while those in the east tremble in horror.

21 Indeed, such is the dwelling of the unjust man,
and this is the place of the one who does not know God.(L)

Footnotes

  1. 18:4 Lit He who tears himself in his anger
  2. 18:12 Or disaster hungers for him
  3. 18:17 Or name in the streets