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Then Bildad the Shuhite answered,

“How long will you speak these things?
    Shall the words of your mouth be a mighty wind?
Does God pervert justice?
    Or does the Almighty pervert righteousness?
If your children have sinned against him,
    he has delivered them into the hand of their disobedience.
If you want to seek God diligently,
    make your supplication to the Almighty.
If you were pure and upright,
    surely now he would awaken for you,
and make the habitation of your righteousness prosperous.
    Though your beginning was small,
yet your latter end would greatly increase.

“Please inquire of past generations.
    Find out about the learning of their fathers.
(For we are but of yesterday, and know nothing,
    because our days on earth are a shadow.)
10 Shall they not teach you, tell you,
    and utter words out of their heart?

11 “Can the papyrus grow up without mire?
    Can the rushes grow without water?
12 While it is yet in its greenness, not cut down,
    it withers before any other reed.
13 So are the paths of all who forget God.
    The hope of the godless man will perish,
14 Whose confidence will break apart,
    Whose trust is a spider’s web.
15 He will lean on his house, but it will not stand.
    He will cling to it, but it will not endure.
16 He is green before the sun.
    His shoots go out along his garden.
17 His roots are wrapped around the rock pile.
    He sees the place of stones.
18 If he is destroyed from his place,
    then it will deny him, saying, ‘I have not seen you.’
19 Behold, this is the joy of his way:
    out of the earth, others will spring.

20 “Behold, God will not cast away a blameless man,
    neither will he uphold the evildoers.
21 He will still fill your mouth with laughter,
    your lips with shouting.
22 Those who hate you will be clothed with shame.
    The tent of the wicked will be no more.”

Then answered Bildad the Shuhite,

How long will you say these things [Job]? And how long shall the words of your mouth be as a mighty wind?

Does God pervert justice? Or does the Almighty pervert righteousness?

If your children have sinned against Him, then He has delivered them into the power of their transgression.

If you will seek God diligently and make your supplication to the Almighty,

Then, if you are pure and upright, surely He will bestir Himself for you and make your righteous dwelling prosperous again.

And though your beginning was small, yet your latter end would greatly increase.

For inquire, I pray you, of the former age and apply yourself to that which their fathers have searched out,

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

10 Shall not [the forefathers] teach you and tell you and utter words out of their hearts (the deepest part of their nature)?

11 Can the rush or papyrus grow up without marsh? Can the flag or reed grass grow without water?

12 While it is yet green, in flower, and not cut down, it withers before any other herb [when without water].

13 So are the ways of all who forget God; and the hope of the godless shall perish.

14 For his confidence breaks, and [the object of] his trust is a spider’s web.

15 He shall lean upon his house, but it shall not stand; he shall hold fast to it, but it shall not last.

16 He is green before the sun, and his shoots go forth over his garden.

17 [Godless] his roots are wrapped about the [stone] heap, and see their way [promisingly] among the rocks.

18 But if [God] snatches him from his property, [then having passed into the hands of others] it [his property] will forget and deny him, [saying,] I have never seen you [before, as if ashamed of him—like his former friends].

19 See, this is the joy of going the way [of the ungodly]! And from the dust others will spring up [to take his place].

20 Behold, as surely as God will never uphold wrongdoers, He will never cast away a blameless man.

21 He will yet fill your mouth with laughter [Job] and your lips with joyful shouting.

22 Those who hate you will be clothed with shame, and the tents of the wicked shall be no more.