Job 8 - ESV Bible - Then Bildad the Shuhite answered and said: "How...

1 Then ¹Bildad the Shuhite answered and said:

2 "How long will you say these things, and the words of your mouth be a ²great wind?

3 ³Does God pervert justice? Or does the Almighty pervert the right?

4 If your ⁴children have sinned against him, he has delivered them into the hand of their transgression.

5 If you will seek God and ⁵plead with the Almighty for mercy,

6 if you are pure and upright, surely then he will ⁶rouse himself for you and ⁷restore your rightful habitation.

7 And though your beginning was small, ⁸your latter days will be very great.

8 "For ⁹inquire, please, of bygone ages, and consider what ¹⁰the fathers have searched out.

9 For we are but of yesterday and know nothing, for our days on earth are ¹¹a shadow.

10 Will they not teach you and tell you and utter words out of their understanding?

11 "Can papyrus grow where there is no marsh? Can reeds flourish where there is no water?

12 While yet in flower and not cut down, they ¹²wither before any other plant.

13 Such are the paths of all who ¹³forget God; ¹⁴the hope of ¹⁵the godless shall perish.

14 His confidence is severed, and his trust is ¹⁶a spider's web.^a

15 He leans against his ¹⁷house, but it does not stand; he lays hold of it, but it does not endure.

16 He is a lush plant before the sun, and his ¹⁸shoots spread over his garden.

17 His roots entwine the stone heap; he looks upon a house of stones.

18 If he is destroyed from his ¹⁹place, then it will deny him, saying, 'I have never ²⁰seen you.'

19 Behold, this is the joy of his way, and out of ²¹the soil others will spring.

20 "Behold, God will not reject a blameless man, nor take the hand of evildoers.

21 He will yet ²²fill your mouth with laughter, and your lips with shouting.

22 Those who hate you will be ²³clothed with shame, and the tent of the wicked will be no more."

Job 8 ESV