Bildad Talks
8 Then Bildad the Shuhite answered, 2 “How long will you say these things, and the words of your mouth be a strong wind? 3 Does God make wrong what is fair? Does the All-powerful make wrong what is right? 4 If your children have sinned against Him, He has given them over to the power of their sin. 5 If you will look for God and pray to the All-powerful, 6 if you are pure and right and good, for sure He will help you. Because you are right and good He will put you back where you should be. 7 And even if your beginning was small, your end will be very great.
8 “Ask about those who have lived before. Think about what their fathers learned. 9 For we are only of yesterday and know nothing. Our days on earth are as a shadow. 10 Will they not teach you and tell you, and speak words of wisdom?
11 “Can the tall river grass grow up from dry ground? Can the grass that grows in wet places grow without water? 12 While it is still green and not cut, it becomes dry and dead before any other plant. 13 So are the ways of all who forget God. The hope of the man without God is destroyed. 14 What he trusts in is easy to break, like the home of a spider. 15 The spider trusts in his house, but it falls apart. He holds on to it, but it does not hold. 16 He is full of strength in the sunshine, and his branches spread out over his garden. 17 His roots grow around rocks and they work their way among the stones. 18 If he is taken from his place, then it will turn away from him, saying, ‘I have never seen you.’ 19 See, this is the joy of His way. And out of the dust others will come. 20 See, God will not turn away from a man who is honest and faithful. And He will not help those who do wrong. 21 He will yet make you laugh and call out with joy. 22 Those who hate you will be dressed with shame. And the tent of the sinful will be no more.”