1 Then responded Bildad the Shuhite, and said:—

2 How long wilt thou speak these things? Or, as a mighty wind, shall be the sayings of thy mouth?

3 Should, GOD, pervert justice? Or, the Almighty, pervert righteousness?

4 Though, thy children, sinned against him, and he delivered them into the hand of their transgression,

5 Yet, if, thou thyself, wilt diligently seek unto GOD,—and, unto the Almighty, wilt make supplication;

6 If, pure and upright, thou thyself, art, surely, now, will he answer thy prayer, and will prosper thy righteous habitation:

7 So shall thy beginning appear small,—when, thy latter end, he shall greatly increase!

8 For inquire, I pray thee, of a former generation, and prepare thyself for the research of their fathers;—

9 For, of yesterday, are, we, and cannot know, for, a shadow, are our days upon earth:

10 Shall, they, not teach thee—tell thee, and, out of their memory, bring forth words?

11 Can the paper-reed grow up, without a marsh? Or the rush grow up, without water?

12 Though while still, in its freshness, it be not plucked off, yet, before any kind of grass, it doth wither:

13 So, shall be the latter end of all who forget GOD, and, the hope of the impious, shall perish:

14 Whose trust shall be contemptible,—and, a spider’s web, his confidence:

15 He leaneth upon his house, and it will not stand, he holdeth it fast, and it will not remain erect.

16 Full of moisture he is, before the sun, and, over his garden, his shoot goeth forth:

17 Over a heap, his roots are entwined, a place of stones, he descrieth;

18 If one destroy him out of his place, then will it disown him [saying] —I have not seen thee.

19 Lo! that, is the joy of his way,—and, out of the dust, shall others spring up.

20 Lo! GOD, will not reject a blameless man, neither will he grasp the hand of evil-doers:

21 At length he shall fill with laughter thy mouth, and thy lips, with a shout of triumph:

22 They who hate thee, shall be clothed with shame, but, the tent of the lawless, shall not be!