1. |
Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said, |
2. |
How long wilt thou speak these things? And `how long' shall the words of thy mouth be `like' a mighty wind? |
3. |
Doth God pervert justice? Or doth the Almighty pervert righteousness? |
4. |
If thy children have sinned against him, And he hath delivered them into the hand of their transgression; |
5. |
If thou wouldest seek diligently unto God, And make thy supplication to the Almighty; |
6. |
If thou wert pure and upright: Surely now he would awake for thee, And make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous. |
7. |
And though thy beginning was small, Yet thy latter end would greatly increase. |
8. |
For inquire, I pray thee, of the former age, And apply thyself to that which their fathers have searched out: |
9. |
(For we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, Because our days upon earth are a shadow); |
10. |
Shall not they teach thee, and tell thee, And utter words out of their heart? |
11. |
Can the rush grow up without mire? Can the flag grow without water? |
12. |
Whilst it is yet in its greenness, `and' not cut down, It withereth before any `other' herb. |
13. |
So are the paths of all that forget God; And the hope of the godless man shall perish: |
14. |
Whose confidence shall break in sunder, And whose trust is a spider's web. |
15. |
He shall lean upon his house, but it shall not stand: He shall hold fast thereby, but it shall not endure. |
16. |
He is green before the sun, And his shoots go forth over his garden. |
17. |
His roots are wrapped about the `stone' -heap, He beholdeth the place of stones. |
18. |
If he be destroyed 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 earth shall others spring. |
20. |
Behold, God will not cast away a perfect man, Neither will he uphold the evil-doers. |
21. |
He will yet fill thy mouth with laughter, And thy lips with shouting. |
22. |
They that hate thee shall be clothed with shame; And the tent of the wicked shall be no more. |