^{1 Ref} Then Bildad the Shuhite answered,

^{2 Ref} "How long will you speak these things? Shall the words of your mouth be a mighty wind?

^{3 Ref} Does God pervert justice? Or does the Almighty pervert righteousness?

^{4 Ref} If your children have sinned against him, He has delivered them into the hand of their disobedience;

^{5 Ref} If you want to seek God diligently, Make your supplication to the Almighty.

^{6 Ref} If you were pure and upright, Surely now he would awaken for you, And make the habitation of your righteousness prosperous.

^{7 Ref} Though your beginning was small, Yet your latter end would greatly increase.

^{8 Ref} "Please inquire of past generations, Find out about the learning of their fathers.

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

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

^{11 Ref} "Can the papyrus grow up without mire? Can the rushes grow without water?

^{12 Ref} While it is yet in its greenness, not cut down, It withers before any other reed.

^{13 Ref} So are the paths of all who forget God. The hope of the godless man shall perish,

^{14 Ref} Whose confidence shall break apart, Whose trust is a spider's web.

^{15 Ref} He shall lean on his house, but it shall not stand. He shall cling to it, but it shall not endure.

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

^{17 Ref} His roots are wrapped around the rock pile, He sees the place of stones.

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

^{19 Ref} Behold, this is the joy of his way: Out of the earth shall others spring.

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

^{21 Ref} He will still fill your mouth with laughter, Your lips with shouting.

^{22 Ref} Those who hate you shall be clothed with shame. The tent of the wicked shall be no more."

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

^{2 Ref} How long will you say these things, and how long will the words of your mouth be like a strong wind?

^{3 Ref} Does God give wrong decisions? or is the Ruler of all not upright in his judging?

^{4 Ref} If your children have done evil against him, then their punishment is from his hand.

^{5 Ref} If you will make search for God with care, and put your request before the Ruler of all;

^{6 Ref} 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 Ref} And though your start was small, your end will be very great.

^{8 Ref} Put the question now to the past generations, and give attention to what has been searched out by their fathers:

^{9 Ref} (For we are but of yesterday, and have no knowledge, because our days on earth are gone like a shade:)

^{10 Ref} Will they not give you teaching, and say words of wisdom to you?

^{11 Ref} Will the river-plant come up in its pride without wet earth? will the grass get tall without water?

^{12 Ref} When it is still green, without being cut down, it becomes dry and dead before any other plant.

^{13 Ref} So is the end of all who do not keep God in mind; and the hope of the evil-doer comes to nothing:

^{14 Ref} Whose support is cut off, and whose hope is no stronger than a spider's thread.

^{15 Ref} 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 Ref} He is full of strength before the sun, and his branches go out over his garden.

^{17 Ref} His roots are twisted round the stones, forcing their way in between them.

^{18 Ref} If he is taken away from his place, then it will say, I have not seen you.

^{19 Ref} Such is the joy of his way, and out of the dust another comes up to take his place.

^{20 Ref} Truly, God will not give up him who is without sin, and will not take evil-doers by the hand.

^{21 Ref} The time will come when your mouth will be full of laughing, and cries of joy will come from your lips.

^{22 Ref} Your haters will be clothed with shame, and the tent of the sinner will not be seen again.

^{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!