The Complete Jewish Bible CJB
The Bible in Basic English BBE
1 Bildad the Shuchi said,
1
Then Bildad the Shuhite made answer and said,
2 "When will you put an end to words? Think about it -then we'll talk!
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How long will it be before you have done talking? Get wisdom, and then we will say what is in our minds.
3 Why are we thought of as cattle, stupid in your view?
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Why do we seem as beasts in your eyes, and as completely without knowledge?
4 You can tear yourself to pieces in your anger, but the earth won't be abandoned just for your sake; not even a rock will be moved from its place.
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But come back, now, come: you who are wounding yourself in your passion, will the earth be given up because of you, or a rock be moved out of its place?
5 "The light of the wicked will flicker and die, not a spark from his fire will shine,
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For the light of the sinner is put out, and the flame of his fire is not shining.
6 the light in his tent is darkened, the lamp over him will be snuffed out.
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The light is dark in his tent, and the light shining over him is put out.
7 His vigorous stride is shortened, his own plans make him trip and fall.
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The steps of his strength become short, and by his design destruction overtakes him.
8 For his own feet plunge him into a net, he wanders into its meshes.
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His feet take him into the net, and he goes walking into the cords.
9 A trap grabs him by the heel, a snare catches hold of him.
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His foot is taken in the net; he comes into its grip.
10 A noose is hidden for him in the ground; pitfalls lie in his path.
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The twisted cord is put secretly in the earth to take him, and the cord is placed in his way.
11 Terrors overwhelm him on every side and scatter about his feet.
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He is overcome by fears on every side, they go after him at every step.
12 "Trouble is hungry for him, calamity ready for his fall;
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His strength is made feeble for need of food, and destruction is waiting for his falling footstep.
13 disease eats away at his skin; the first stages of death devour him gradually.
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His skin is wasted by disease, and his body is food for the worst of diseases.
14 What he relied on will be torn from his tent, and he will be marched before the king of terrors.
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He is pulled out of his tent where he was safe, and he is taken away to the king of fears.
15 "What isn't his at all will live in his tent; sulfur will be scattered on his home.
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In his tent will be seen that which is not his, burning stone is dropped on his house.
16 His roots beneath him will dry up; above him, his branch will wither.
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Under the earth his roots are dry, and over it his branch is cut off.
17 Memory of him will fade from the land, while abroad his name will be unknown.
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His memory is gone from the earth, and in the open country there is no knowledge of his name.
18 He will be pushed from light into darkness and driven out of the world.
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He is sent away from the light into the dark; he is forced out of the world.
19 "Without son or grandson among his people, no one will remain in his dwellings.
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He has no offspring or family among his people, and in his living-place there is no one of his name.
20 Those who come after will be appalled at his fate, just as those there before were struck with horror.
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At his fate those of the west are shocked, and those of the east are overcome with fear.
21 "This is how things are in the homes of the wicked, and this is the place of those who don't know God."
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Truly, these are the houses of the sinner, and this is the place of him who has no knowledge of God.
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.