1 T hen answered Bildad the Shuhite,

فَأجابَ بِلْدَدُ الشُّوحِيُّ:

2 H ow long will you say these things ? And how long shall the words of your mouth be as a mighty wind?

«حَتَّى مَتَى تَتَفَوَّهُ بِهَذا الكَلامِ؟ ما كَلِماتُكَ سِوَى هَواءٍ!

3 D oes God pervert justice? Or does the Almighty pervert righteousness?

فَهَلْ يَعوِّجُ اللهُ عَدلَهُ؟ أمْ يُغَيِّرُ القَدِيرُ الصَّوابَ وَيَظلِمُ؟

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

إنْ أخطَأ أبناؤُكَ ضِدَّ اللهِ، فَقَدْ عاقَبَهُمْ عَلَى شَرِّهِمْ.

5 I f you will seek God diligently and make your supplication to the Almighty,

فَإنْ سَعَيْتَ إلَى اللهِ، وَطَلَبْتَ رَحمَةَ القَدِيرِ،

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

إنْ كُنتَ نَقِيّاً وَمُستَقِيماً، فَسَيُصلِحُ اللهُ حالَكَ حالاً، وَيَرُدُّ إلَيكَ عَائِلَتَكْ.

7 A nd though your beginning was small, yet your latter end would greatly increase.

فَيَكُونُ لَكَ فِي المُستَقبَلِ أكثَرُ مِمّا كانَ لَكَ فِي الماضِي.

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

«سَلِ الأجْيالَ الماضِيَةَ، وَتَعَلَّمْ ما تَستَطِيعُ مِنْ آبائِهِمْ.

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

فَما نَحْنُ سِوَى أولادِ الأمْسِ، وَلا نَعْرِفُ شَيئاً. حَياتُنا عَلَى الأرْضِ قَصِيرَةٌ كَالظِّلِّ.

10 S hall not teach you and tell you and utter words out of their hearts (the deepest part of their nature)?

ألا يُعَلِّمُكَ الآباءُ؟ ألا يُكَلِّمُونَكَ؟ ألا يُخرِجُونَ أقوالاً صادِقَةً مِنْ فَمِهِمْ؟

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

«هَلْ يَنمُو نَباتُ البَرْدِيِّ حَيْثُ لا مُستَنقَعٌ؟ أمْ هَلْ ينمُو القَصَبُ حَيثُ لا ماءٌ؟

12 W hile it is yet green, in flower, and not cut down, it withers before any other herb.

بَلْ تَذوِي وَهِيَ بَعْدُ فِي نَضارَتِها، وَتَجِفُّ قَبلَ أنْ تَكُونَ صالِحَةً لِلقَطعِ.

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

هَذا هُوَ مَصِيرُ كُلِّ الَّذِينَ يَنْسَونَ اللهَ. إذْ يَخِيبُ رَجاءُ الشِّرِّيرِ.

14 F or his confidence breaks, and his trust is a spider’s web.

يَخِيبُ ما يَتَكِّلُ عَلَيهِ، لِأنَّهُ كَمَنْ يَثِقُ بِخُيُوطِ عَنكَبُوتٍ.

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

إذا اتَّكَأ عَلَيها لا تَصْمُدُ، وَإذا مَدَّ يَدَهُ إلَيها لا تَتَحَمَّلُ.

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

فَيَكُونُ كَنَبتَةٍ رَطِبَةٍ أمامَ الشَّمسِ، تَنشُرُ أغْصانَها فَوقَ بُستانٍ.

17 h is roots are wrapped about the heap, and see their way among the rocks.

جُذُورُها مُتَشابِكَةٌ حَولَ كَومَةٍ مِنَ الحِجارَةِ. تَنمُو بَينَ الصُّخُورِ.

18 B ut if snatches him from his property, it will forget and deny him, I have never seen you.

وَإذا اقتُلِعَتْ، يُنكِرُها مَكانُها وَيَقُولُ ما رَأيْتُكِ مِنْ قَبلُ.

19 S ee, this is the joy of going the way! And from the dust others will spring up.

هَكَذا تَذوِي حَياةُ النَّبْتَةِ، وَمِنَ الأرْضِ تَنمُو أُخْرَى غَيرُها.

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

لا يَرفُضُ اللهُ الرَّجُلَ الكامِلَ، وَلا يَأخُذُ بِيَدِ الأشرارِ.

21 H e will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with joyful shouting.

سَيَملأُ فَمَكَ ضَحِكاً وَشَفَتَيكَ أغانِيَ فَرَحٍ.

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

سَيَلبَسُ مُبغِضُوكَ الخِزيَ، وَسَتَختَفِي بُيُوتُ الأشرارِ.»