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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’s Second Speech

18 Then[a] Bildad the Shuhite answered and said,

How long[b] will you[c] hunt for words?[d]
Consider,[e] and afterward we shall speak.
Why are we considered as animals?
Why are we taken as[f] stupid in your[g] eyes?
You who are tearing yourself[h] in your[i] anger,
will the earth be forsaken because of you?[j]
Or[k] will the rock be removed from its place?
Furthermore,[l] the light of the wicked is put out,
and the flame of his fire will not shine.
The light becomes dark in his tent,
and his lamp above him is put out.
His strong steps[m] are shortened,
and his own schemes[n] throw him down,
for he is thrust into a net by his feet,
and he walks into a pitfall.
A trap seizes him by the heel;
a snare takes hold of him.
10 His rope is hidden in the ground,
and his trap on the path.
11 “Sudden terrors terrify him all around,
and they chase him at his heels.
12 His wealth will become hunger,
and disaster is ready for his stumbling.
13 It consumes parts of his skin;
the firstborn of death consumes his limbs.
14 He is torn from his tent in which he trusted,[o]
and it brought him to the king of terrors.
15 Nothing[p] remains for him in his tent;
sulfur is scattered upon his dwelling place.
16 His roots dry up below,[q]
and its branches[r] wither away above.[s]
17 His remembrance perishes from the earth,
and there is not a name for him on the street.
18 “They thrust him from light into darkness,
and they drive him out from the world.
19 There is no offspring for him nor[t] a descendant among his people,
and there is not a survivor in his abode.
20 Those of the west are appalled over his fate,[u]
and those of the east are seized with horror.[v]
21 Surely these are the dwellings of the godless,
and this is the dwelling place of him who knows not God.”

Footnotes

  1. Job 18:1 Hebrew “And”
  2. Job 18:2 Literally “Until when”
  3. Job 18:2 Plural
  4. Job 18:2 Literally “will you set a snare for words”
  5. Job 18:2 Or “you should consider”; plural second person
  6. Job 18:3 Or “considered”
  7. Job 18:3 Plural
  8. Job 18:4 Literally “his soul,” or “his individual self”
  9. Job 18:4 Hebrew “his”
  10. Job 18:4 Singular
  11. Job 18:4 Hebrew “And”
  12. Job 18:5 Or “Also”
  13. Job 18:7 Literally “The steps of his power”
  14. Job 18:7 Collective singular
  15. Job 18:14 Literally “his trust”
  16. Job 18:15 Literally “From not”
  17. Job 18:16 Literally “from under”
  18. Job 18:16 Singular collective
  19. Job 18:16 Hebrew “from above”
  20. Job 18:19 Hebrew “and not”
  21. Job 18:20 Literally “his day”
  22. Job 18:20 Literally “they seize horror”