Job 8

1Then Bildad the Shuhite answered and said:

2How long will you keep saying these things, and the words of your mouth be a mighty wind?

3Does God pervert justice, or does the Almighty pervert righteousness?

4If your sons sinned against him, he gave them over to the power of their transgression.

5But if you seek God earnestly, and plead for favor from the Almighty,

6If you are pure and upright, surely even now he will rouse himself for you and restore your righteous dwelling.

7Though your beginning was small, your future will become very great.

8For inquire, please, of a former generation, and consider what their fathers discovered.

9For we are only yesterday’s people and do not know, for our days on the earth are a shadow.

10Will they not teach you and tell you, and bring forth words from their heart?

11Can papyrus grow without a marsh? Can marsh grass flourish without water?

12While it is still green and uncut, it dries up before any other grass.

13Such are the paths of all who forget God, and the hope of the godless will perish.

14Whose confidence is cut off, and whose trust is a spider’s web.

15He leans on his house, but it does not stand; he holds fast to it, but it does not endure.

16He is lush in the sun, and his shoots spread over his garden.

17His roots are intertwined over a stone heap; he sees a house of stones.

18If he is destroyed from his place, then it will deny him, saying, “I have not seen you.”

19See, this is the joy of his way, and others will sprout from the dust.

20See, God does not reject the blameless or take evildoers by the hand.

21He will yet fill your mouth with laughter, and your lips with a shout of joy.

22Those who hate you will be clothed in shame, and the tent of the wicked will be no more.