Job 8

¹Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and saide,

²Howe long wilt thou talke of these things? and howe long shall the wordes of thy mouth be as a mightie winde?

³Doeth God peruert iudgement? or doeth the Almightie subuert iustice?

⁴If thy sonnes haue sinned against him, and he hath sent them into the place of their iniquitie,

⁵Yet if thou wilt early seeke vnto God, and pray to the Almightie,

⁶If thou be pure and vpright, then surely hee will awake vp vnto thee, and he wil make the habitation of thy righteousnesse prosperous.

⁷And though thy beginning be small, yet thy latter ende shall greatly encrease.

⁸Inquire therefore, I pray thee, of the former age, and prepare thy selfe to search of their fathers.

⁹(For we are but of yesterday, and are ignorant: for our dayes vpon earth are but a shadowe)

¹⁰Shall not they teach thee and tell thee, and vtter the wordes of their heart?

¹¹Can a rush grow without myre? or can ye grasse growe without water?

¹²Though it were in greene and not cutte downe, yet shall it wither before any other herbe.

¹³So are the paths of al that forget God, and the hypocrites hope shall perish.

¹⁴His confidence also shalbe cut off, and his trust shalbe as the house of a spyder.

¹⁵He shall leane vpon his house, but it shall not stand: he shall holde him fast by it, yet shall it not endure.

¹⁶The tree is greene before the sunne, and the branches spread ouer the garden thereof.

¹⁷The rootes thereof are wrapped about the fountaine, and are folden about ye house of stones.

¹⁸If any plucke it from his place, and it denie, saying, I haue not seene thee,

¹⁹Beholde, it will reioyce by this meanes, that it may growe in another molde.

²⁰Behold, God will not cast away an vpright man, neither will he take the wicked by the hand,

²¹Till he haue filled thy mouth with laughter, and thy lippes with ioy.

²²They that hate thee, shall be clothed with shame, and the dwelling of the wicked shall not remaine.

¹Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said,

²How long wilt thou speak these things? and how long shall the words of thy mouth be like a strong wind?

³Doth God pervert judgment? or doth the Almighty pervert justice?

⁴If thy children have sinned against him, and he have cast them away for their transgression;

⁵If thou wouldest seek unto God betimes, and make thy supplication to the Almighty;

⁶If thou wert pure and upright; surely now he would awake for thee, and make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous.

⁷Though thy beginning was small, yet thy latter end should greatly increase.

⁸For enquire, I pray thee, of the former age, and prepare thyself to the search of their fathers:

⁹(For we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, because our days upon earth are a shadow:)

¹⁰Shall not they teach thee, and tell thee, and utter words out of their heart?

¹¹Can the rush grow up without mire? can the flag grow without water?

¹²Whilst it is yet in his greenness, and not cut down, it withereth before any other herb.

¹³So are the paths of all that forget God; and the hypocrite’s hope shall perish:

¹⁴Whose hope shall be cut off, and whose trust shall be a spider’s web.

¹⁵He shall lean upon his house, but it shall not stand: he shall hold it fast, but it shall not endure.

¹⁶He is green before the sun, and his branch shooteth forth in his garden.

¹⁷His roots are wrapped about the heap, and seeth the place of stones.

¹⁸If he destroy him from his place, then it shall deny him, saying, I have not seen thee.

¹⁹Behold, this is the joy of his way, and out of the earth shall others grow.

²⁰Behold, God will not cast away a perfect man, neither will he help the evil doers:

²¹Till he fill thy mouth with laughing, and thy lips with rejoicing.

²²They that hate thee shall be clothed with shame; and the dwelling place of the wicked shall come to nought.