^{1 Ref} Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said,

^{2 Ref} How long wilt thou speak these things? And `how long' shall the words of thy mouth be `like' a mighty wind?

^{3 Ref} Doth God pervert justice? Or doth the Almighty pervert righteousness?

^{4 Ref} If thy children have sinned against him, And he hath delivered them into the hand of their transgression;

^{5 Ref} If thou wouldest seek diligently unto God, And make thy supplication to the Almighty;

^{6 Ref} If thou wert pure and upright: Surely now he would awake for thee, And make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous.

^{7 Ref} And though thy beginning was small, Yet thy latter end would greatly increase.

^{8 Ref} For inquire, I pray thee, of the former age, And apply thyself to that which their fathers have searched out:

^{9 Ref} (For we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, Because our days upon earth are a shadow);

^{10 Ref} Shall not they teach thee, and tell thee, And utter words out of their heart?

^{11 Ref} Can the rush grow up without mire? Can the flag grow without water?

^{12 Ref} Whilst it is yet in its greenness, `and' not cut down, It withereth before any `other' herb.

^{13 Ref} So are the paths of all that forget God; And the hope of the godless man shall perish:

^{14 Ref} Whose confidence shall break in sunder, And whose trust is a spider's web.

^{15 Ref} He shall lean upon his house, but it shall not stand: He shall hold fast thereby, but it shall not endure.

^{16 Ref} He is green before the sun, And his shoots go forth over his garden.

^{17 Ref} His roots are wrapped about the `stone' -heap, He beholdeth the place of stones.

^{18 Ref} If he be destroyed from his place, Then it shall deny him, `saying', I have not seen thee.

^{19 Ref} Behold, this is the joy of his way; And out of the earth shall others spring.

^{20 Ref} Behold, God will not cast away a perfect man, Neither will he uphold the evil-doers.

^{21 Ref} He will yet fill thy mouth with laughter, And thy lips with shouting.

^{22 Ref} They that hate thee shall be clothed with shame; And the tent of the wicked shall be no more.

^{1 Ref} And Bildad the Shuhite answereth and saith: --

^{2 Ref} Till when dost thou speak these things? And a strong wind -- sayings of thy mouth?

^{3 Ref} Doth God pervert judgment? And doth the Mighty One pervert justice?

^{4 Ref} If thy sons have sinned before Him, And He doth send them away, By the hand of their transgression,

^{5 Ref} If thou dost seek early unto God, And unto the Mighty makest supplication,

^{6 Ref} If pure and upright thou `art', Surely now He waketh for thee, And hath completed The habitation of thy righteousness.

^{7 Ref} And thy beginning hath been small, And thy latter end is very great.

^{8 Ref} For, ask I pray thee of a former generation, And prepare to a search of their fathers,

^{9 Ref} (For of yesterday we `are', and we know not, For a shadow `are' our days on earth.)

^{10 Ref} Do they not shew thee -- speak to thee, And from their heart bring forth words?

^{11 Ref} `Doth a rush wise without mire? A reed increase without water?

^{12 Ref} While it `is' in its budding -- uncropt, Even before any herb it withereth.

^{13 Ref} So `are' the paths of all forgetting God, And the hope of the profane doth perish,

^{14 Ref} Whose confidence is loathsome, And the house of a spider his trust.

^{15 Ref} He leaneth on his house -- and it standeth not: He taketh hold on it -- and it abideth not.

^{16 Ref} Green he `is' before the sun, And over his garden his branch goeth out.

^{17 Ref} By a heap his roots are wrapped, A house of stones he looketh for.

^{18 Ref} If `one' doth destroy him from his place, Then it hath feigned concerning him, I have not seen thee!

^{19 Ref} Lo, this `is' the joy of his way, And from the dust others spring up.'

^{20 Ref} Lo, God doth not reject the perfect, Nor taketh hold on the hand of evil doers.

^{21 Ref} While he filleth with laughter thy mouth, And thy lips with shouting,

^{22 Ref} Those hating thee do put on shame, And the tent of the wicked is not!