King James Version KJV
The Complete Jewish Bible CJB
1 Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said,
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Bildad the Shuchi spoke next:
2 How long wilt thou speak these things? and how long shall the words of thy mouth be like a strong wind?
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"How long will you go on talking like this? What you are saying is raging wind!
3 Doth God pervert judgment? or doth the Almighty pervert justice?
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Does God distort judgment? Does Shaddai pervert justice?
4 If thy children have sinned against him, and he have cast them away for their transgression;
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If your children sinned against him, he left them to be victims of their own offense.
5 If thou wouldest seek unto God betimes, and make thy supplication to the Almighty;
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"If you will earnestly seek God and plead for Shaddai's favor,
6 If thou wert pure and upright; surely now he would awake for thee, and make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous.
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if you are pure and upright; then he will rouse himself for you and fulfill your needs.
7 Though thy beginning was small, yet thy latter end should greatly increase.
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Then, although your beginnings were small, your future will be very great indeed.
8 For enquire, I pray thee, of the former age, and prepare thyself to the search of their fathers:
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"Ask the older generation, and consider what their ancestors found out;
9 (For we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, because our days upon earth are a shadow:)
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for we who were born yesterday know nothing, our days on earth are but a shadow.
10 Shall not they teach thee, and tell thee, and utter words out of their heart?
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They will teach you, they will tell you, they will say what is in their hearts:
11 Can the rush grow up without mire? can the flag grow without water?
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'Can papyrus grow except in a marsh? Can swamp grass flourish without water?
12 Whilst it is yet in his greenness, and not cut down, it withereth before any other herb.
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While still green, before being cut down, it dries up faster than any other plant.
13 So are the paths of all that forget God; and the hypocrite's hope shall perish:
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Such are the paths of all who forget God; the hope of a hypocrite will perish -
14 Whose hope shall be cut off, and whose trust shall be a spider's web.
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his confidence is mere gossamer, his trust a spider's web.
15 He shall lean upon his house, but it shall not stand: he shall hold it fast, but it shall not endure.
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He can lean on his house, but it won't stand; he can hold on to it, but it won't last;
16 He is green before the sun, and his branch shooteth forth in his garden.
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[for its destruction will come] like the lush growth of a plant in the sun, its shoots may spread out all over its garden,
17 His roots are wrapped about the heap, and seeth the place of stones.
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but meanwhile its roots cause the stone house to collapse, as it seizes hold of the rocks;
18 If he destroy him from his place, then it shall deny him, saying, I have not seen thee.
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someone who tears it away from its place denies he has ever seen it.
19 Behold, this is the joy of his way, and out of the earth shall others grow.
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Yes, this is the "joy" of the way [of the godless], and out of the dust will spring up others [like him].'
20 Behold, God will not cast away a perfect man, neither will he help the evil doers:
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"Look, God will not reject a blameless man; nor will he uphold wrongdoers.
21 Till he fill thy mouth with laughing, and thy lips with rejoicing.
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He will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy.
22 They that hate thee shall be clothed with shame; and the dwelling place of the wicked shall come to nought.
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Those who hate you will be clothed with shame, and the tent of the wicked will cease to exist."