Job 8

וַ֭יַּעַן בִּלְדַּ֥ד הַשּׁוּחִ֗י וַיֹאמַֽר׃

Then Bildad the Shuhite replied:

Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said,

עַד־אָ֥ן תְּמַלֶּל־אֵ֑לֶּה וְר֥וּחַ כַּ֝בִּיר אִמְרֵי־פִֽיךָ׃

“How long will you go on saying such things? The words of your mouth are a blustering wind.

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

הַ֭אֵל יְעַוֵּ֣ת מִשְׁפָּ֑ט וְאִם־שַׁ֝דַּ֗י יְעַוֵּֽת־צֶֽדֶק׃

Does God pervert justice? Does the Almighty pervert what is right?

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

אִם־בָּנֶ֥יךָ חָֽטְאוּ־ל֑וֹ וַֽ֝יְשַׁלְּחֵ֗ם בְּיַד־פִּשְׁעָֽם׃

When your children sinned against Him, He gave them over to their rebellion.

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

אִם־אַ֭תָּה תְּשַׁחֵ֣ר אֶל־אֵ֑ל וְאֶל־שַׁ֝דַּ֗י תִּתְחַנָּֽן׃

But if you would earnestly seek God and ask the Almighty for mercy,

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

אִם־זַ֥ךְ וְיָשָׁ֗ר אָ֥תָּה כִּי־עַ֭תָּה יָעִ֣יר עָלֶ֑יךָ וְ֝שִׁלַּ֗ם נְוַ֣ת צִדְקֶֽךָ׃

if you are pure and upright, even now He will rouse Himself on your behalf and restore your righteous estate.

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

וְהָיָ֣ה רֵאשִׁיתְךָ֣ מִצְעָ֑ר וְ֝אַחֲרִיתְךָ֗ יִשְׂגֶּ֥ה מְאֹֽד׃

Though your beginnings were modest, your latter days will flourish.

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

כִּֽי־שְׁאַל־נָ֭א לְדֹ֣ר רִישׁ֑וֹן וְ֝כוֹנֵ֗ן לְחֵ֣קֶר אֲבוֹתָֽם׃

Please inquire of past generations and consider the discoveries of their fathers.

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

כִּֽי־תְמ֣וֹל אֲ֭נַחְנוּ וְלֹ֣א נֵדָ֑ע כִּ֤י צֵ֖ל יָמֵ֣ינוּ עֲלֵי־אָֽרֶץ׃

For we were born yesterday and know nothing; our days on earth are but a shadow.

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

הֲלֹא־הֵ֣ם י֭וֹרוּךָ יֹ֣אמְרוּ לָ֑ךְ וּ֝מִלִּבָּ֗ם יוֹצִ֥אוּ מִלִּֽים׃

Will they not teach you and tell you, and speak from their understanding?

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

הֲיִֽגְאֶה־גֹּ֭מֶא בְּלֹ֣א בִצָּ֑ה יִשְׂגֶּה־אָ֥חוּ בְלִי־מָֽיִם׃

Does papyrus grow where there is no marsh? Do reeds flourish without water?

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

עֹדֶ֣נּוּ בְ֭אִבּוֹ לֹ֣א יִקָּטֵ֑ף וְלִפְנֵ֖י כָל־חָצִ֣יר יִיבָֽשׁ׃

While the shoots are still uncut, they dry up more quickly than grass.

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

כֵּ֗ן אָ֭רְחוֹת כָּל־שֹׁ֣כְחֵי אֵ֑ל וְתִקְוַ֖ת חָנֵ֣ף תֹּאבֵֽד׃

Such is the destiny of all who forget God; so the hope of the godless will perish.

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

אֲשֶׁר־יָק֥וֹט כִּסְל֑וֹ וּבֵ֥ית עַ֝כָּבִ֗ישׁ מִבְטַחֽוֹ׃

His confidence is fragile; his security is in a spider’s web.

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

יִשָּׁעֵ֣ן עַל־בֵּ֭יתוֹ וְלֹ֣א יַעֲמֹ֑ד יַחֲזִ֥יק בּ֝֗וֹ וְלֹ֣א יָקֽוּם׃

He leans on his web, but it gives way; he holds fast, but it does not endure.

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

רָטֹ֣ב ה֭וּא לִפְנֵי־שָׁ֑מֶשׁ וְעַ֥ל גַּ֝נָּת֗וֹ יֹֽנַקְתּ֥וֹ תֵצֵֽא׃

He is a well-watered plant in the sunshine, spreading its shoots over the garden.

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

עַל־גַּ֭ל שָֽׁרָשָׁ֣יו יְסֻבָּ֑כוּ בֵּ֖ית אֲבָנִ֣ים יֶחֱזֶֽה׃

His roots wrap around the rock heap; he looks for a home among the stones.

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

אִם־יְבַלְּעֶ֥נּוּ מִמְּקוֹמ֑וֹ וְכִ֥חֶשׁ בּ֝֗וֹ לֹ֣א רְאִיתִֽיךָ׃

If he is uprooted from his place, it will disown him, saying, ‘I never saw you.’

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

הֶן־ה֭וּא מְשׂ֣וֹשׂ דַּרְכּ֑וֹ וּ֝מֵעָפָ֗ר אַחֵ֥ר יִצְמָֽחוּ׃

Surely this is the joy of his way; yet others will spring from the dust.

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

הֶן־אֵ֭ל לֹ֣א יִמְאַס־תָּ֑ם וְלֹֽא־יַ֝חֲזִ֗יק בְּיַד־מְרֵעִֽים׃

Behold, God does not reject the blameless, nor will He strengthen the hand of evildoers.

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

עַד־יְמַלֵּ֣ה שְׂח֣וֹק פִּ֑יךָ וּשְׂפָתֶ֥יךָ תְרוּעָֽה׃

He will yet fill your mouth with laughter, and your lips with a shout of joy.

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

שֹׂנְאֶ֥יךָ יִלְבְּשׁוּ־בֹ֑שֶׁת וְאֹ֖הֶל רְשָׁעִ֣ים אֵינֶֽנּוּ׃

Your enemies will be clothed in shame, and the tent of the wicked will be no more.”

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