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Bildad Speaks: Job Should Repent

Then Bildad the Shuhite answered:

“How long will you speak these things,
    and the words of your mouth be like a strong wind?
Does God pervert judgment?
    Or does the Almighty pervert justice?
If your children sinned against Him,
    He cast them away for their transgression.
If you yourself would seek God earnestly,
    and seek favor from the Almighty,
if you were pure and upright,
    surely now He would rouse Himself on your behalf,
    and He would prosper your righteous dwelling.
Though your beginning was small,
    your end will increase greatly.

“Please, ask the former generation,
    and prepare yourself for what their fathers searched out;
for we were born but yesterday and know nothing,
    because our days on earth are a shadow.
10 Will they not teach you, and tell you,
    and bring forth words out of their heart?
11 Can the papyrus grow up without a marsh?
    Can the reed grow without water?
12 While it is yet green and not cut down,
    it withers before any other plant.
13 So are the paths of all who forget God;
    and the hypocrite’s hope will perish,
14 whose confidence will be cut off,
    and whose trust will be a spider’s web.
15 He will lean upon his house, but it will not stand;
    he will hold it fast, but it will not endure.
16 He is green before the sun,
    and his branch shoots forth in his garden.
17 His roots are wrapped around the rock heap,
    and he sees the place of stones.
18 If he is uprooted from his place,
    then it will deny him, saying, ‘I have not seen you.’
19 See, this is the joy of his way,
    and out of the ground others will grow.

20 “Surely, God will not cast away a perfect man,
    nor will He strengthen the evildoers,
21 until He fills your mouth with laughing,
    and your lips with rejoicing.
22 Those who hate you will be clothed with shame,
    and the dwelling place of the wicked will come to nothing.”

Bildad

Then Bildad the Shuhite(A) replied:

“How long will you say such things?(B)
    Your words are a blustering wind.(C)
Does God pervert justice?(D)
    Does the Almighty pervert what is right?(E)
When your children sinned against him,
    he gave them over to the penalty of their sin.(F)
But if you will seek God earnestly
    and plead(G) with the Almighty,(H)
if you are pure and upright,
    even now he will rouse himself on your behalf(I)
    and restore you to your prosperous state.(J)
Your beginnings will seem humble,
    so prosperous(K) will your future be.(L)

“Ask the former generation(M)
    and find out what their ancestors learned,
for we were born only yesterday and know nothing,(N)
    and our days on earth are but a shadow.(O)
10 Will they not instruct(P) you and tell you?
    Will they not bring forth words from their understanding?(Q)
11 Can papyrus grow tall where there is no marsh?(R)
    Can reeds(S) thrive without water?
12 While still growing and uncut,
    they wither more quickly than grass.(T)
13 Such is the destiny(U) of all who forget God;(V)
    so perishes the hope of the godless.(W)
14 What they trust in is fragile[a];
    what they rely on is a spider’s web.(X)
15 They lean on the web,(Y) but it gives way;
    they cling to it, but it does not hold.(Z)
16 They are like a well-watered plant in the sunshine,
    spreading its shoots(AA) over the garden;(AB)
17 it entwines its roots around a pile of rocks
    and looks for a place among the stones.
18 But when it is torn from its spot,
    that place disowns(AC) it and says, ‘I never saw you.’(AD)
19 Surely its life withers(AE) away,
    and[b] from the soil other plants grow.(AF)

20 “Surely God does not reject one who is blameless(AG)
    or strengthen the hands of evildoers.(AH)
21 He will yet fill your mouth with laughter(AI)
    and your lips with shouts of joy.(AJ)
22 Your enemies will be clothed in shame,(AK)
    and the tents(AL) of the wicked will be no more.”(AM)

Footnotes

  1. Job 8:14 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
  2. Job 8:19 Or Surely all the joy it has / is that