1 T hen answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said,

Then Bildad the Shuhite answered,

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 will you say these things, and the words of your mouth be a strong wind?

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

Does God make wrong what is fair? Does the All-powerful make wrong what is right?

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

If your children have sinned against Him, He has given them over to the power of their sin.

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

If you will look for God and pray to the All-powerful,

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

if you are pure and right and good, for sure He will help you. Because you are right and good He will put you back where you should be.

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

And even if your beginning was small, your end will be very great.

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

“Ask about those who have lived before. Think about what their fathers learned.

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

For we are only of yesterday and know nothing. Our days on earth are as a shadow.

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

Will they not teach you and tell you, and speak words of wisdom?

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

“Can the tall river grass grow up from dry ground? Can the grass that grows in wet places grow without water?

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

While it is still green and not cut, it becomes dry and dead before any other plant.

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

So are the ways of all who forget God. The hope of the man without God is destroyed.

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

What he trusts in is easy to break, like the home of a spider.

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

The spider trusts in his house, but it falls apart. He holds on to it, but it does not hold.

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

He is full of strength in the sunshine, and his branches spread out over his garden.

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

His roots grow around rocks and they work their way among the stones.

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

If he is taken from his place, then it will turn away from him, saying, ‘I have never seen you.’

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

See, this is the joy of His way. And out of the dust others will come.

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

See, God will not turn away from a man who is honest and faithful. And He will not help those who do wrong.

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

He will yet make you laugh and call out with joy.

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

Those who hate you will be dressed with shame. And the tent of the sinful will be no more.”