1 Bildad showeth that Job is a sinner, because that God punisheth the wicked, and preserveth the good.

Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said,

How long wilt thou talk of these things? and how long shall the words of thy mouth [a]be as a mighty wind?

Doth God pervert judgment? or doth the Almighty subvert justice?

If thy sons have sinned against him, and he hath sent them into the place of their [b]iniquity,

Yet if thou [c]wilt early seek unto God, and pray to the Almighty,

If thou be pure and upright, then surely he will awake up unto thee, and he will make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous.

And though thy beginning [d]be small, yet thy latter end shall greatly increase.

[e]Inquire therefore, I pray thee, of the former age, and prepare thyself to search of their fathers.

(For we are but [f]of yesterday, and are ignorant: for our days upon earth are but a shadow)

10 Shall not they teach thee and tell thee, and utter the words of their heart?

11 Can a rush [g]grow without mire? or can the grass grow without water?

12 Though it were in green and not cut down, yet shall it wither before any other herb.

13 So are the paths of all that forget God, and the hypocrite’s hope shall perish.

14 His confidence also shall be cut off, and his trust shall be as the house of a [h]spider.

15 He shall lean upon his house, but it shall not stand: he shall hold him fast by it, yet shall it not endure.

16 The [i]tree is green before the Sun, and the branches spread over the garden thereof.

17 The roots thereof are wrapped about the fountain, and are folded about the house of stones.

18 If any pluck it from his place, and it [j]deny, saying, I have not seen thee,

19 Behold, it will rejoice [k]by this means, that it may grow in another mold.

20 Behold, God will not cast away an upright man, neither will he take the wicked by the hand,

21 Till he have filled thy mouth with [l]laughter, and thy lips with joy.

22 They that hate thee, shall be clothed with shame, and the dwelling of the wicked shall not remain.

Footnotes

  1. Job 8:2 He declareth that their words which would diminish anything from the justice of God, is but as a puff of wind that vanisheth away.
  2. Job 8:4 That is, hath rewarded them according to their iniquity: meaning, that Job ought to be warned by the example of his children, that he offend not God.
  3. Job 8:5 That is, if thou turn betime while God calleth thee to repentance.
  4. Job 8:7 Though the beginnings be not so pleasant as thou wouldest desire, yet in the end thou shalt have sufficient occasion to content thyself.
  5. Job 8:8 He willeth Job to examine all antiquity, and he shall find it true which he here saith.
  6. Job 8:9 Meaning, that it is not enough to have the experience of ourselves, but to be confirmed by the examples of them that went before us.
  7. Job 8:11 As a rush cannot grow without moistness, so cannot the hypocrite, because he hath not faith, which is moistened with God’s Spirit.
  8. Job 8:14 Which is today, and tomorrow swept away.
  9. Job 8:16 He compareth the just to a tree, which although it be removed out of one place unto another, yet flourisheth: so the affliction of the godly turneth to their profit.
  10. Job 8:18 That is, so that there remain nothing there to prove whether the tree had grown there or no.
  11. Job 8:19 To be planted in another place, where it may grow at pleasure.
  12. Job 8:21 If thou be godly, he will give thee occasion to rejoice, and if not, thine affliction shall increase.

Bildad

Then Bildad the Shuhite(A) replied:

“How long will you say such things?(B)
    Your words are a blustering wind.(C)
Does God pervert justice?(D)
    Does the Almighty pervert what is right?(E)
When your children sinned against him,
    he gave them over to the penalty of their sin.(F)
But if you will seek God earnestly
    and plead(G) with the Almighty,(H)
if you are pure and upright,
    even now he will rouse himself on your behalf(I)
    and restore you to your prosperous state.(J)
Your beginnings will seem humble,
    so prosperous(K) will your future be.(L)

“Ask the former generation(M)
    and find out what their ancestors learned,
for we were born only yesterday and know nothing,(N)
    and our days on earth are but a shadow.(O)
10 Will they not instruct(P) you and tell you?
    Will they not bring forth words from their understanding?(Q)
11 Can papyrus grow tall where there is no marsh?(R)
    Can reeds(S) thrive without water?
12 While still growing and uncut,
    they wither more quickly than grass.(T)
13 Such is the destiny(U) of all who forget God;(V)
    so perishes the hope of the godless.(W)
14 What they trust in is fragile[a];
    what they rely on is a spider’s web.(X)
15 They lean on the web,(Y) but it gives way;
    they cling to it, but it does not hold.(Z)
16 They are like a well-watered plant in the sunshine,
    spreading its shoots(AA) over the garden;(AB)
17 it entwines its roots around a pile of rocks
    and looks for a place among the stones.
18 But when it is torn from its spot,
    that place disowns(AC) it and says, ‘I never saw you.’(AD)
19 Surely its life withers(AE) away,
    and[b] from the soil other plants grow.(AF)

20 “Surely God does not reject one who is blameless(AG)
    or strengthen the hands of evildoers.(AH)
21 He will yet fill your mouth with laughter(AI)
    and your lips with shouts of joy.(AJ)
22 Your enemies will be clothed in shame,(AK)
    and the tents(AL) of the wicked will be no more.”(AM)

Footnotes

  1. Job 8:14 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
  2. Job 8:19 Or Surely all the joy it has / is that

Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said,

How long wilt thou speak these things? and how long shall the words of thy mouth be like a strong wind?

Doth God pervert judgment? or doth the Almighty pervert justice?

If thy children have sinned against him, and he have cast them away for their transgression;

If thou wouldest seek unto God betimes, and make thy supplication to the Almighty;

If thou wert pure and upright; surely now he would awake for thee, and make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous.

Though thy beginning was small, yet thy latter end should greatly increase.

For enquire, I pray thee, of the former age, and prepare thyself to the search of their fathers:

(For we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, because our days upon earth are a shadow:)

10 Shall not they teach thee, and tell thee, and utter words out of their heart?

11 Can the rush grow up without mire? can the flag grow without water?

12 Whilst it is yet in his greenness, and not cut down, it withereth before any other herb.

13 So are the paths of all that forget God; and the hypocrite's hope shall perish:

14 Whose hope shall be cut off, and whose trust shall be a spider's web.

15 He shall lean upon his house, but it shall not stand: he shall hold it fast, but it shall not endure.

16 He is green before the sun, and his branch shooteth forth in his garden.

17 His roots are wrapped about the heap, and seeth the place of stones.

18 If he destroy him from his place, then it shall deny him, saying, I have not seen thee.

19 Behold, this is the joy of his way, and out of the earth shall others grow.

20 Behold, God will not cast away a perfect man, neither will he help the evil doers:

21 Till he fill thy mouth with laughing, and thy lips with rejoicing.

22 They that hate thee shall be clothed with shame; and the dwelling place of the wicked shall come to nought.