The Bible in Basic English BBE
Good News Translation GNT
1 Then Bildad the Shuhite made answer and said,
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Are you finally through with your windy speech?
2 How long will you say these things, and how long will the words of your mouth be like a strong wind?
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3 Does God give wrong decisions? or is the Ruler of all not upright in his judging?
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God never twists justice; he never fails to do what is right.
4 If your children have done evil against him, then their punishment is from his hand.
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Your children must have sinned against God, and so he punished them as they deserved.
5 If you will make search for God with care, and put your request before the Ruler of all;
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But turn now and plead with Almighty God;
6 If you are clean and upright; then he will certainly be moved to take up your cause, and will make clear your righteousness by building up your house again.
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if you are so honest and pure, then God will come and help you and restore your household as your reward.
7 And though your start was small, your end will be very great.
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All the wealth you lost will be nothing compared with what God will give you then.
8 Put the question now to the past generations, and give attention to what has been searched out by their fathers:
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Look for a moment at ancient wisdom; consider the truths our ancestors learned.
9 (For we are but of yesterday, and have no knowledge, because our days on earth are gone like a shade:)
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Our life is short, we know nothing at all; we pass like shadows across the earth.
10 Will they not give you teaching, and say words of wisdom to you?
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But let the ancient wise people teach you; listen to what they had to say:
11 Will the river-plant come up in its pride without wet earth? will the grass get tall without water?
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"Reeds can't grow where there is no water; they are never found outside a swamp.
12 When it is still green, without being cut down, it becomes dry and dead before any other plant.
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If the water dries up, they are the first to wither, while still too small to be cut and used.
13 So is the end of all who do not keep God in mind; and the hope of the evil-doer comes to nothing:
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Godless people are like those reeds; their hope is gone, once God is forgotten.
14 Whose support is cut off, and whose hope is no stronger than a spider's thread.
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They trust a thread - a spider's web.
15 He is looking to his family for support, but it is not there; he puts his hope in it, but it comes to nothing.
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If they lean on a web, will it hold them up? If they grab for a thread, will it help them stand?"
16 He is full of strength before the sun, and his branches go out over his garden.
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Evil people sprout like weeds in the sun, like weeds that spread all through the garden.
17 His roots are twisted round the stones, forcing their way in between them.
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Their roots wrap around the stones and hold fast to every rock.
18 If he is taken away from his place, then it will say, I have not seen you.
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But then pull them up - no one will ever know they were there.
19 Such is the joy of his way, and out of the dust another comes up to take his place.
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Yes, that's all the joy evil people have; others now come and take their places.
20 Truly, God will not give up him who is without sin, and will not take evil-doers by the hand.
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But God will never abandon the faithful or ever give help to evil people.
21 The time will come when your mouth will be full of laughing, and cries of joy will come from your lips.
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He will let you laugh and shout again,
22 Your haters will be clothed with shame, and the tent of the sinner will not be seen again.
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but he will bring disgrace on those who hate you, and the homes of the wicked will vanish.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.