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Bildad: God Restores the Righteous

Then Bildad the Shuhite answered and said:

“How long will you say these things?
    The words of your mouth are like a mighty wind.
Does God pervert justice?
    Does Shaddai pervert justice?
If your children sinned against Him,
    He handed them over to their rebellion.
If you would seek God
    and plead with Shaddai,
if you are pure and upright,
    even now He will awaken for you
    and restore your righteous abode.
And though your beginning was small,
    your future would flourish.

Now ask the previous generation;
    consider the findings of their fathers;
for we were born yesterday
    and know nothing,
    and our days on earth are but a shadow.
10 Will they not teach you and tell you?
    Will they not bring forth words from their hearts?

11 “Can papyrus grow tall without a marsh?
    Can reeds flourish without water?
12 When still in bloom and uncut,
    it withers more quickly than other grass.
13 Such are the ways of all who forget God;
    the hope of the godless perishes—
14 whose confidence is snapped off,
    his trust is a spider’s web.
15 He leans against his house but it does not stand,
He holds fast to it, but it does not hold up.
16 He is a well-watered plant in the sun,
spreading his shoots over his garden;
17 he entwines his roots around a heap of stones,
and looks for a place between the rocks.
18 If he is uprooted from his place,
    it denies him saying, ‘I never saw you.’
19 Such is his joyous course,
    and from the earth others spring up.
20 Surely God does not spurn the blameless
    or strengthen the hand of evildoers.
21 He will yet fill your mouth with laughter
    and your lips with shouts of joy.
22 Those who hate you will be clothed with shame.
The tent of the wicked will be no more!”

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