1: Then Bildad the Shuhite made answer and said, 2: How long will you say these things, and how long will the words of your mouth be like a strong wind? 3: Does God give wrong decisions? or is the Ruler of all not upright in his judging? 4: If your children have done evil against him, then their punishment is from his hand. 5: If you will make search for God with care, and put your request before the Ruler of all; 6: 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: And though your start was small, your end will be very great. 8: Put the question now to the past generations, and give attention to what has been searched out by their fathers: 9: (For we are but of yesterday, and have no knowledge, because our days on earth are gone like a shade:) 10: Will they not give you teaching, and say words of wisdom to you? 11: Will the river-plant come up in its pride without wet earth? will the grass get tall without water? 12: When it is still green, without being cut down, it becomes dry and dead before any other plant. 13: So is the end of all who do not keep God in mind; and the hope of the evil-doer comes to nothing: 14: Whose support is cut off, and whose hope is no stronger than a spider's thread. 15: 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: He is full of strength before the sun, and his branches go out over his garden. 17: His roots are twisted round the stones, forcing their way in between them. 18: If he is taken away from his place, then it will say, I have not seen you. 19: Such is the joy of his way, and out of the dust another comes up to take his place. 20: Truly, God will not give up him who is without sin, and will not take evil-doers by the hand. 21: The time will come when your mouth will be full of laughing, and cries of joy will come from your lips. 22: Your haters will be clothed with shame, and the tent of the sinner will not be seen again.
