New International Version NIV
Third Millennium Bible TMB
1 Then Bildad the Shuhite replied:
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Then answered Bildad the Shuhite and said:
2 “How long will you say such things? Your words are a blustering wind.
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"How long wilt thou speak these things? And how long shall the words of thy mouth be like a strong wind?
3 Does God pervert justice? Does the Almighty pervert what is right?
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Doth God pervert judgment? Or doth the Almighty pervert justice?
4 When your children sinned against him, he gave them over to the penalty of their sin.
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If thy children have sinned against Him and He have cast them away for their transgression,
5 But if you will seek God earnestly and plead with the Almighty,
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if thou wouldest seek unto God speedily and make thy supplication to the Almighty,
6 if you are pure and upright, even now he will rouse himself on your behalf and restore you to your prosperous state.
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if thou wert pure and upright, surely now He would awake for thee and make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous.
7 Your beginnings will seem humble, so prosperous will your future be.
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Though thy beginning was small, yet thy latter end should greatly increase.
8 “Ask the former generation and find out what their ancestors learned,
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"For inquire, I pray thee, of the former age, and prepare thyself for the searching of their fathers;
9 for we were born only yesterday and know nothing, and our days on earth are but a shadow.
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for we are but of yesterday and know nothing, because our days upon earth are a shadow.
10 Will they not instruct you and tell you? Will they not bring forth words from their understanding?
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Shall not they teach thee and tell thee, and utter words out of their heart?
11 Can papyrus grow tall where there is no marsh? Can reeds thrive without water?
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Can the rush grow up without mire? Can the reed grow without water?
12 While still growing and uncut, they wither more quickly than grass.
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Whilst it is yet in his greenness and not cut down, it withereth before any other herb.
13 Such is the destiny of all who forget God; so perishes the hope of the godless.
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So are the paths of all that forget God; and the hypocrite's hope shall perish,
14 What they trust in is fragile ; what they rely on is a spider’s web.
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whose hope shall be cut off and whose trust shall be a spider's web.
15 They lean on the web, but it gives way; they cling to it, but it does not hold.
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He shall lean upon his house, but it shall not stand; he shall hold it fast, but it shall not endure.
16 They are like a well-watered plant in the sunshine, spreading its shoots over the garden;
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He is green before the sun, and his branch shooteth forth in his garden.
17 it entwines its roots around a pile of rocks and looks for a place among the stones.
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His roots are wrapped about the heap, and seeth the place of stones.
18 But when it is torn from its spot, that place disowns it and says, ‘I never saw you.’
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If he destroy him from his place, then it shall deny him, saying, `I have not seen thee.'
19 Surely its life withers away, and from the soil other plants grow.
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Behold, this is the joy of His way, and out of the earth shall others grow.
20 “Surely God does not reject one who is blameless or strengthen the hands of evildoers.
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"Behold, God will not cast away a perfect man, neither will He help the evildoers,
21 He will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy.
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till He fill thy mouth with laughing and thy lips with rejoicing.
22 Your enemies will be clothed in shame, and the tents of the wicked will be no more.”
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They that hate thee shall be clothed with shame, and the dwelling place of the wicked shall come to nought."
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.
Third Millennium Bible (TMB), New Authorized Version, Copyright 1998 by Deuel Enterprises, Inc., Gary, SD 57237. All rights reserved.