New Revised Standard NRS
The Bible in Basic English BBE
1 Then Bildad the Shuhite answered:
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Then Bildad the Shuhite made answer and said,
2 "How long will you say these things, and the words of your mouth be a great wind?
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How long will you say these things, and how long will the words of your mouth be like a strong wind?
3 Does God pervert justice? Or does the Almighty pervert the right?
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Does God give wrong decisions? or is the Ruler of all not upright in his judging?
4 If your children sinned against him, he delivered them into the power of their transgression.
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If your children have done evil against him, then their punishment is from his hand.
5 If you will seek God and make supplication to the Almighty,
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If you will make search for God with care, and put your request before the Ruler of all;
6 if you are pure and upright, surely then he will rouse himself for you and restore to you your rightful place.
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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.
7 Though your beginning was small, your latter days will be very great.
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And though your start was small, your end will be very great.
8 "For inquire now of bygone generations, and consider what their ancestors have found;
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Put the question now to the past generations, and give attention to what has been searched out by their fathers:
9 for we are but of yesterday, and we know nothing, for our days on earth are but a shadow.
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(For we are but of yesterday, and have no knowledge, because our days on earth are gone like a shade:)
10 Will they not teach you and tell you and utter words out of their understanding?
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Will they not give you teaching, and say words of wisdom to you?
11 "Can papyrus grow where there is no marsh? Can reeds flourish where there is no water?
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Will the river-plant come up in its pride without wet earth? will the grass get tall without water?
12 While yet in flower and not cut down, they wither before any other plant.
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When it is still green, without being cut down, it becomes dry and dead before any other plant.
13 Such are the paths of all who forget God; the hope of the godless shall perish.
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So is the end of all who do not keep God in mind; and the hope of the evil-doer comes to nothing:
14 Their confidence is gossamer, a spider's house their trust.
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Whose support is cut off, and whose hope is no stronger than a spider's thread.
15 If one leans against its house, it will not stand; if one lays hold of it, it will not endure.
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He is looking to his family for support, but it is not there; he puts his hope in it, but it comes to nothing.
16 The wicked thrive before the sun, and their shoots spread over the garden.
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He is full of strength before the sun, and his branches go out over his garden.
17 Their roots twine around the stoneheap; they live among the rocks.
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His roots are twisted round the stones, forcing their way in between them.
18 If they are destroyed from their place, then it will deny them, saying, "I have never seen you.'
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If he is taken away from his place, then it will say, I have not seen you.
19 See, these are their happy ways, and out of the earth still others will spring.
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Such is the joy of his way, and out of the dust another comes up to take his place.
20 "See, God will not reject a blameless person, nor take the hand of evildoers.
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Truly, God will not give up him who is without sin, and will not take evil-doers by the hand.
21 He will yet fill your mouth with laughter, and your lips with shouts of joy.
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The time will come when your mouth will be full of laughing, and cries of joy will come from your lips.
22 Those who hate you will be clothed with shame, and the tent of the wicked will be no more."
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Your haters will be clothed with shame, and the tent of the sinner will not be seen again.
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.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.