1 T hen answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said,

¶ Then Bildad, the Shuhite, answered and said,

2 H ow long wilt thou speak these things? And how long shall the words of thy mouth be like a mighty wind?

How long wilt thou speak such things and how long shall the words of thy mouth be like a strong wind?

3 D oth God pervert justice? Or doth the Almighty pervert righteousness?

Shall God pervert that which is right or shall the Almighty pervert justice?

4 I f thy children have sinned against him, And he hath delivered them into the hand of their transgression;

Because thy sons sinned against him, he cast them away in the place of their rebellion;

5 I f thou wouldest seek diligently unto God, And make thy supplication to the Almighty;

if thou would seek God early and make thy supplication to the Almighty,

6 I f thou wert pure and upright: Surely now he would awake for thee, And make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous.

if thou wert pure and upright, surely now he would awake upon thee and make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous.

7 A nd though thy beginning was small, Yet thy latter end would greatly increase.

In such a way that thy beginning would have been small, in comparison to the great increase of thy latter.

8 F or inquire, I pray thee, of the former age, And apply thyself to that which their fathers have searched out:

¶ Ask, I pray thee, of the former age, and be willing to enquire of thy fathers regarding them;

9 ( For we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, Because our days upon earth are a shadow);

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

10 S hall not they teach thee, and tell thee, And utter words out of their heart?

Shall they not teach thee and tell thee and utter these words out of their heart?

11 C an the rush grow up without mire? Can the flag grow without water?

Can the rush grow up without mire? Can the meadow grow without water?

12 W hilst it is yet in its greenness, and not cut down, It withereth before any other herb.

Whilst it is yet in its greenness and not cut down, it withers before any other herb.

13 S o are the paths of all that forget God; And the hope of the godless man shall perish:

So are the paths of all that forget God, and the hypocrite’s hope shall perish.

14 W hose confidence shall break in sunder, And whose trust is a spider's web.

For his hope shall be cut off, and his trust is a spider’s web.

15 H e shall lean upon his house, but it shall not stand: He shall hold fast thereby, but it shall not endure.

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

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

Like a tree, he is green before the sun, and his branches go forth over his garden;

17 H is roots are wrapped about the stone -heap, He beholdeth the place of stones.

his roots weave themselves around a spring and secure themselves even in a stony place.

18 I f he be destroyed from his place, Then it shall deny him, saying, I have not seen thee.

If he is uprooted from his place, then it shall deny him, saying, I have not seen thee.

19 B ehold, this is the joy of his way; And out of the earth shall others spring.

Behold, this is the joy of his way, and out of the earth from where he was transplanted, others shall grow.

20 B ehold, God will not cast away a perfect man, Neither will he uphold the evil-doers.

¶ Behold, God will not cast away a perfect man; neither will he help the evil doers.

21 H e will yet fill thy mouth with laughter, And thy lips with shouting.

He will yet fill thy mouth with laughing and thy lips with shouts of joy.

22 T hey that hate thee shall be clothed with shame; And the tent of the wicked shall be no more.

Those that hate thee shall be clothed with shame, and the dwelling place of the wicked shall come to nought.