1 T hen Bildad the Shuhite answered,

Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said,

2 “ How long will you say these things, And the words of your mouth be a mighty wind?

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

3 “ Does God pervert justice? Or does the Almighty pervert what is right?

Doth God pervert judgment? or doth the Almighty pervert justice?

4 “ If your sons sinned against Him, Then He delivered them into the power of their transgression.

If thy children have sinned against him, and he have cast them away for their transgression;

5 “ If you would seek God And implore the compassion of the Almighty,

if thou wouldest seek unto God betimes, and make thy supplication to the Almighty;

6 I f you are pure and upright, Surely now He would rouse Himself for you And restore your righteous estate.

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

7 “ Though your beginning was insignificant, Yet your end will increase greatly.

Though thy beginning was small, yet thy latter end should greatly increase.

8 “ Please inquire of past generations, And consider the things searched out by their fathers.

For enquire, I pray thee, of the former age, and prepare thyself to the search of their fathers:

9 “ For we are only of yesterday and know nothing, Because our days on earth are as a shadow.

(for we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, because our days upon earth are a shadow:)

10 “ Will they not teach you and tell you, And bring forth words from their minds?

shall not they teach thee, and tell thee, and utter words out of their heart?

11 “ Can the papyrus grow up without a marsh? Can the rushes grow without water?

Can the rush grow up without mire? can the flag grow without water?

12 “ While it is still green and not cut down, Yet it withers before any other plant.

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

13 “ So are the paths of all who forget God; And the hope of the godless will perish,

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

14 W hose confidence is fragile, And whose trust a spider’s web.

whose hope shall be cut off, and whose trust shall be a spider’s web.

15 “ He trusts in his house, but it does not stand; He holds fast to it, but it does not endure.

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

16 “ He thrives before the sun, And his shoots spread out over his garden.

He is green before the sun, and his branch shooteth forth in his garden.

17 “ His roots wrap around a rock pile, He grasps a house of stones.

His roots are wrapped about the heap, and seeth the place of stones.

18 “ If he is removed from his place, Then it will deny him, saying, ‘ I never saw you.’

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

19 “ Behold, this is the joy of His way; And out of the dust others will spring.

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

20 “ Lo, God will not reject a man of integrity, Nor will He support the evildoers.

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

21 “ He will yet fill your mouth with laughter And your lips with shouting.

till he fill thy mouth with laughing, and thy lips with rejoicing.

22 “ Those who hate you will be clothed with shame, And the tent of the wicked will be no longer.”

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