Job 8

Job 8 – New International Version (NIV)

Bildad

1. Then Bildad the Shuhite replied:
2. “How long will you say such things? Your words are a blustering wind.
3. Does God pervert justice? Does the Almighty pervert what is right?
4. When your children sinned against him, he gave them over to the penalty of their sin.
5. But if you will seek God earnestly and plead with the Almighty,
6. if you are pure and upright, even now he will rouse himself on your behalf and restore you to your prosperous state.
7. Your beginnings will seem humble, so prosperous will your future be.
8. “Ask the former generation and find out what their ancestors learned,
9. for we were born only yesterday and know nothing, and our days on earth are but a shadow.
10. Will they not instruct you and tell you? Will they not bring forth words from their understanding?
11. Can papyrus grow tall where there is no marsh? Can reeds thrive without water?
12. While still growing and uncut, they wither more quickly than grass.
13. Such is the destiny of all who forget God; so perishes the hope of the godless.
14. What they trust in is fragile^[a]; what they rely on is a spider’s web.
15. They lean on the web, but it gives way; they cling to it, but it does not hold.
16. They are like a well-watered plant in the sunshine, spreading its shoots over the garden;
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 it and says, ‘I never saw you.’
19. Surely its life withers away, and^[b] from the soil other plants grow.
20. “Surely God does not reject one who is blameless or strengthen the hands of evildoers.
21. He will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy.
22. Your enemies will be clothed in shame, and the tents of the wicked will be no more.”

Footnotes

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Job 8 – King James Version (KJV)

Bildad’s Speech

1. 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.