1 ¶ Then Bildad, the Shuhite, answered and said,

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

3 S hall God pervert that which is right or shall the Almighty pervert justice?

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

5 i f 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 upon thee and make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous.

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

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

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

10 S hall 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 meadow grow without water?

12 W hilst 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 hypocrite’s hope shall perish.

14 F or 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 it fast, but it shall not endure.

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

17 h is roots weave themselves around a spring and secure themselves even in a stony place.

18 I f 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 from where he was transplanted, others shall grow.

20 ¶ 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 laughing and thy lips with shouts of joy.

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