Job 8
Revised Geneva Translation
8 Then Bildad the Shuhite answered, and said,
2 “How long will you talk of these things? And how long shall the words of your mouth be as a mighty wind?
3 “Does God pervert judgment? Or does the Almighty subvert justice?
4 “If your sons have sinned against Him, and He has sent them into the place of their iniquity,
5 “if you will seek God early, and pray to the Almighty,
6 “if you are pure and upright, then surely He will be stirred up. And He will make the habitation of your righteousness peaceful.
7 “And though your beginning was small, your future shall greatly increase.
8 “Please inquire, therefore, of the previous age, and prepare yourself to search their fathers.
9 “(For we are but from yesterday and are ignorant. For our days upon Earth are but a shadow).
10 “Shall they not teach you and tell you and utter the words of their heart?
11 “Can a reed grow without a marsh? Or can the grass grow without water?
12 “Though it is green and not cut down, it shall still wither before any other herb.
13 “So are the paths of all who forget God. And the hypocrite’s hope shall perish.
14 “His confidence also shall be cut off. And his trust shall be as the web of a spider.
15 “He shall lean upon his house, but it shall not stand. He shall hold himself fast to it, yet it shall not endure.
16 “He is green before the Sun, and his branches spread over his garden.
17 “His roots are wrapped around the heap and are folded around the stones.
18 “If anyone pulls him from his place, it denies him, saying, ‘I have not seen you’.
19 “Behold, he will rejoice by this means, so that others may grow out of the earth.
20 “Behold, God will not cast away an upright man. Nor will He take the wicked by the hand
21 “until He has filled your mouth with laughter, and your lips with joy.
22 “Those who hate you shall be clothed with shame. And the dwelling of the wicked shall not remain.”
Job 8
Expanded Bible
Bildad Speaks to Job
8 Then Bildad the Shuhite answered:
2 “How long will you [L continue to] say such things?
Your words are ·no more than [L a strong] wind [C he accuses Job of passion without substance].
3 God does not ·twist [pervert] justice;
·the Almighty [Shaddai] does not ·make wrong [twist; pervert] ·what is right [righteousness].
4 [L If] Your children sinned against God,
and he ·punished them for their sins [L sent them into the power of their transgression].
5 ·But [L If] you ·should ask God for help [L look for God]
and ·pray [plead] to ·the Almighty [Shaddai] for ·mercy [grace].
6 If you are ·good [pure] and ·honest [virtuous; 1:1, 8; 2:3],
he will ·stand up [L immediately rouse himself] for you
and ·bring you back [restore you] ·where you belong [to your right/righteous pasture/place/home].
7 ·Where you began will seem unimportant [L Though your start was small],
·because your future will be so successful [L your end will be exalted].
8 “Ask ·old people [L the previous generation];
·find out [reflect on] what their ancestors learned,
9 because we were only born yesterday and know nothing.
Our days on earth are only a shadow.
10 Those people will teach you and tell you
and speak about what they know.
11 ·Papyrus plants cannot [L Do papyrus plants…?] grow where there is no swamp,
·and reeds cannot [L or reeds…?] grow tall without water.
12 While they are still growing and not yet cut,
they will dry up quicker than grass [Ps. 37:2; 102:4, 11; 129:6].
13 That is ·what will happen to [L the path of] those who forget God;
the hope of the ·wicked [godless] will ·be gone [perish].
14 ·What they hope in is easily broken [L Their confidence is gossamer thread];
what they trust is like a spider’s web [C without substance].
15 They lean on ·the spider’s web [L its house], but it ·breaks [L does not stand].
They grab it, but it does not hold up.
16 They are like well-watered plants in the sunshine
that spread their roots all through the garden.
17 They wrap their roots around a pile of rocks
and look for a place among the stones.
18 But if a plant is torn from its place,
then that place rejects it and says, ‘I never saw you.’
19 Now ·joy has gone away [or it (the plant) dissolves on the way];
other plants grow up from the same dirt.
20 “Surely God does not reject the innocent
or ·give strength to [or grasp the hand of] those who do evil.
21 God will yet fill your mouth with laughter
and your lips with shouts of joy.
22 ·Your enemies [L Those who hate you] will be covered with shame,
and the tents of the wicked will be gone.”
Job 8
King James Version
8 Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said,
2 How long wilt thou speak these things? and how long shall the words of thy mouth be like a strong wind?
3 Doth God pervert judgment? or doth the Almighty pervert justice?
4 If thy children have sinned against him, and he have cast them away for their transgression;
5 If thou wouldest seek unto God betimes, and make thy supplication to the Almighty;
6 If thou wert pure and upright; surely now he would awake for thee, and make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous.
7 Though thy beginning was small, yet thy latter end should greatly increase.
8 For enquire, I pray thee, of the former age, and prepare thyself to the search of their fathers:
9 (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.
Job 8
New King James Version
Bildad: Job Should Repent
8 Then Bildad the Shuhite answered and said:
2 “How long will you speak these things,
And the words of your mouth be like a strong wind?
3 (A)Does God subvert judgment?
Or does the Almighty pervert justice?
4 If (B)your sons have sinned against Him,
He has cast them away [a]for their transgression.
5 (C)If you would earnestly seek God
And make your supplication to the Almighty,
6 If you were pure and upright,
Surely now He would [b]awake for you,
And prosper your rightful dwelling place.
7 Though your beginning was small,
Yet your latter end would (D)increase abundantly.
8 “For(E) inquire, please, of the former age,
And consider the things discovered by their fathers;
9 For (F)we were born yesterday, and know [c]nothing,
Because our days on earth are a shadow.
10 Will they not teach you and tell you,
And utter words from their heart?
11 “Can the papyrus grow up without a marsh?
Can the reeds flourish without water?
12 (G)While it is yet green and not cut down,
It withers before any other plant.
13 So are the paths of all who (H)forget God;
And the hope of the (I)hypocrite shall perish,
14 Whose confidence shall be cut off,
And whose trust is [d]a spider’s web.
15 (J)He leans on his house, but it does not stand.
He holds it fast, but it does not endure.
16 He grows green in the sun,
And his branches spread out in his garden.
17 His roots wrap around the rock heap,
And look for a place in the stones.
18 (K)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,
And (L)out of the earth others will grow.
20 Behold, (M)God will not [e]cast away the blameless,
Nor will He uphold the evildoers.
21 He will yet fill your mouth with laughing,
And your lips with [f]rejoicing.
22 Those who hate you will be (N)clothed with shame,
And the dwelling place of the wicked [g]will come to nothing.”
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The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
