Common English Bible CEB
New Revised Standard NRS
1 Bildad from Shuah responded:
1
Then Bildad the Shuhite answered:
2 How long will you mouth such things such that your utterances become a strong wind?
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"How long will you say these things, and the words of your mouth be a great wind?
3 Does God pervert justice, or does the Almighty distort what is right?
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Does God pervert justice? Or does the Almighty pervert the right?
4 If your children sinned against him, then he delivered them into the power of their rebellion.
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If your children sinned against him, he delivered them into the power of their transgression.
5 If you will search eagerly for God, plead with the Almighty.
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If you will seek God and make supplication to the Almighty,
6 If you are pure and do the right thing, then surely he will become active on your behalf and reward your innocent dwelling.
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if you are pure and upright, surely then he will rouse himself for you and restore to you your rightful place.
7 Although your former state was ordinary, your future will be extraordinary.
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Though your beginning was small, your latter days will be very great.
8 Ask a previous generation and verify the findings of your ancestors,
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"For inquire now of bygone generations, and consider what their ancestors have found;
9 for we are only recently here and don't know because our days on earth are a shadow.
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for we are but of yesterday, and we know nothing, for our days on earth are but a shadow.
10 Won't they instruct you and tell you; will words not proceed from their hearts?
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Will they not teach you and tell you and utter words out of their understanding?
11 Does papyrus grow apart from a marsh? Does a reed flourish without water?
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"Can papyrus grow where there is no marsh? Can reeds flourish where there is no water?
12 While still tender, uncut, it will wither before every other grass.
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While yet in flower and not cut down, they wither before any other plant.
13 So are the paths of all who forget God. Hope perishes for the godless,
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Such are the paths of all who forget God; the hope of the godless shall perish.
14 whose confidence is a fragile thing, their trust, a spider's web.
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Their confidence is gossamer, a spider's house their trust.
15 He leans on its web, and it doesn't stand; grasps it, and it can't remain in place.
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If one leans against its house, it will not stand; if one lays hold of it, it will not endure.
16 It's like a well-watered plant in the sun; its runners spread over its gardens.
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The wicked thrive before the sun, and their shoots spread over the garden.
17 Its roots are entwined over a pile of rocks, for it sees a home among stones.
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Their roots twine around the stoneheap; they live among the rocks.
18 If it's uprooted from its place, it lies, saying, "I can't see you."
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If they are destroyed from their place, then it will deny them, saying, "I have never seen you.'
19 Surely its way is a joy, for from the dust other plants sprout.
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See, these are their happy ways, and out of the earth still others will spring.
20 Surely God won't reject integrity, won't strengthen the hand of the wicked.
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"See, God will not reject a blameless person, nor take the hand of evildoers.
21 He will still fill your mouth with joy, your lips with a victorious shout.
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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, and the tent of the wicked will vanish.
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Those who hate you will be clothed with shame, and the tent of the wicked will be no more."
Copyright © 2011 Common English Bible
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.