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Bildad's Second Speech

How Long Will You Talk?

18 Bildad from Shuah[a] said:
How long will you talk?
    Be sensible! Let us speak.
Or do you think that we
    are dumb animals?
You cut yourself in anger.
Will that shake the earth
    or even move the rocks?

* (A) The lamps of sinful people
soon are snuffed out,
    leaving their tents dark.
Their powerful legs become weak,
and they stumble on schemes
    of their own doing.
* Before they know it,
they are trapped in a net,
10     hidden along the path.
11 Terror strikes and pursues
    from every side.
12 Starving, they run,
    only to meet disaster,
13 then afterwards to be eaten alive
    by death itself.

14 Those sinners are dragged
from the safety of their tents
    to die a gruesome death.
15 Then their tents and possessions
    are burned to ashes,
16 and they are left like trees,
    dried up from the roots.
17 They are gone and forgotten,
18 thrown far from the light
    into a world of darkness,
19 without any children
    to carry on their name.
20 Everyone, from east to west,
    is overwhelmed with horror.
21 Such is the fate of sinners
and their families
    who don't know God.

Footnotes

  1. 18.1 Shuah: See the note at 2.11.

Bildad

18 Then Bildad the Shuhite(A) replied:

“When will you end these speeches?(B)
    Be sensible, and then we can talk.
Why are we regarded as cattle(C)
    and considered stupid in your sight?(D)
You who tear yourself(E) to pieces in your anger,(F)
    is the earth to be abandoned for your sake?
    Or must the rocks be moved from their place?(G)

“The lamp of a wicked man is snuffed out;(H)
    the flame of his fire stops burning.(I)
The light in his tent(J) becomes dark;(K)
    the lamp beside him goes out.(L)
The vigor(M) of his step is weakened;(N)
    his own schemes(O) throw him down.(P)
His feet thrust him into a net;(Q)
    he wanders into its mesh.
A trap seizes him by the heel;
    a snare(R) holds him fast.(S)
10 A noose(T) is hidden for him on the ground;
    a trap(U) lies in his path.(V)
11 Terrors(W) startle him on every side(X)
    and dog(Y) his every step.
12 Calamity(Z) is hungry(AA) for him;
    disaster(AB) is ready for him when he falls.(AC)
13 It eats away parts of his skin;(AD)
    death’s firstborn devours his limbs.(AE)
14 He is torn from the security of his tent(AF)
    and marched off to the king(AG) of terrors.(AH)
15 Fire resides[a] in his tent;(AI)
    burning sulfur(AJ) is scattered over his dwelling.
16 His roots dry up below(AK)
    and his branches wither above.(AL)
17 The memory of him perishes from the earth;(AM)
    he has no name(AN) in the land.(AO)
18 He is driven from light into the realm of darkness(AP)
    and is banished(AQ) from the world.(AR)
19 He has no offspring(AS) or descendants(AT) among his people,
    no survivor(AU) where once he lived.(AV)
20 People of the west are appalled(AW) at his fate;(AX)
    those of the east are seized with horror.
21 Surely such is the dwelling(AY) of an evil man;(AZ)
    such is the place(BA) of one who does not know God.”(BB)

Footnotes

  1. Job 18:15 Or Nothing he had remains