Jó 8

¹ 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 Does the Mighty God pervert justice? Or does the Almighty pervert righteousness?

⁴ If your sons have sinned against Him, He has cast them away for their transgression.

⁵ If you would earnestly seek the Mighty God and make your supplication to the Almighty,

⁶ if you were pure and upright, surely now He would awake for you, and would have restored your righteous abode.

⁷ Though your beginning was small, yet your latter end would increase abundantly.

⁸ For inquire now of the former generation, and prepare to search the fathers;

⁹ for we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, because our days on earth are a shadow.

¹⁰ Shall they not teach you and tell you, and utter words from their heart?

¹¹ Can the rush grow up without a marsh? Can the reeds grow without water?

¹² While it is yet green and not cut down, it dries up before any other plant.

¹³ So are the paths of all who forget the Mighty God; and the hope of the ungodly shall perish,

¹⁴ whose confidence shall be cut off, and whose trust as a spider’s house.

¹⁵ He leans on his house, but it does not stand. He holds it fast, but it does not endure.

¹⁶ He is moist before the sun, and his shoots spread out in his garden.

¹⁷ His roots are wrapped around a heap; he sees a house of stones.

¹⁸ If he is swallowed up from his place, then it will deny him, saying, I have not seen you.

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

²⁰ Behold, the Mighty God will not cast away the perfect, nor will His hand support evildoers.

²¹ He will yet fill your mouth with laughter, and your lips with rejoicing.

²² Those who hate you shall be clothed with shame, and the tent of the wicked will come to nothing.