2. Bildad’s Argument

ch8 ¹hen 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? ³oth 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: ⁹For 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.

ch9 ¹hen Job answered and said, ²I know [it is] so of a truth: but how should man be just with God? ³If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one of a thousand. ⁴[He is] wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath hardened [himself] against him, and hath prospered? ⁵Which removeth the mountains, and they know not: which overturneth them in his anger. ⁶Which shaketh the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble. ⁷Which commandeth the sun, and it riseth not; and sealeth up the stars. ⁸Which alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the sea. ⁹Which maketh Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the chambers of the south. ¹⁰Which doeth great things past finding out; yea, and wonders without number. ¹¹Lo, he goeth by me, and I see [him] not: he passeth on also, but I perceive him not. ¹²Behold, he taketh away, who can hinder him? who will say unto him, What doest thou? ¹³If] God will not withdraw his anger, the proud helpers do stoop under him. ¹⁴How much less shall I answer him, [and] choose out my words [to reason] with him? ¹⁵Whom, though I were righteous, [yet] would I not answer, [but] I would make supplication to my judge. ¹⁶If I had called, and he had answered me; [yet] would I not believe that he had hearkened unto my voice. ¹⁷For he breaketh me with a tempest, and multiplieth my wounds without cause. ¹⁸He will not suffer me to take my breath, but filleth me with bitterness. ¹⁹If [I speak] of strength, lo, [he is] strong: and if of judgment, who shall set me a time [to plead]? ²⁰If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me: [if I say], I [am] perfect, it shall also prove me perverse. ²¹[Though] I [were] perfect, [yet] would I not know my soul: I would despise my life. ²²This [is] one [thing], therefore I said [it], He destroyeth the perfect and the wicked. ²³If the scourge slay suddenly, he will laugh at the trial of the innocent. ²⁴The earth is given into the hand of the wicked: he covereth the faces of the judges thereof; if not, where, [and] who [is] he?

²⁵Now my days are swifter than a post: they flee away, they see no good. ²⁶They are passed away as the swift ships: as the eagle [that] hasteth to the prey. ²⁷If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will leave off my heaviness, and comfort [myself]: ²⁸I am afraid of all my sorrows, I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent. ²⁹If] I be wicked, why then labour I in vain? ³⁰If I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands never so clean; ³¹Yet shalt thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes shall abhor me. ³²For [he is] not a man, as I [am, that] I should answer him, [and] we should come together in judgment. ³³Neither is there any daysman betwixt us, [that] might lay his hand upon us both. ³⁴Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his fear terrify me: ³⁵[Then] would I speak, and not fear him; but [it is] not so with me.

ch10 ¹My soul is weary of my life; I will leave my complaint upon myself; I will speak in the bitterness of my soul. ²I will say unto God, Do not condemn me; shew me wherefore thou contendest with me. ³Is it] good unto thee that thou shouldest oppress, that thou shouldest despise the work of thine hands, and shine upon the counsel of the wicked? ⁴Hast thou eyes of flesh? or seest thou as man seeth? ⁵Are] thy days as the days of man? [are] thy years as man's days, ⁶That thou enquirest after mine iniquity, and searchest after my sin? ⁷Thou knowest that I am not wicked; and [there is] none that can deliver out of thine hand. ⁸Thine hands have made me and fashioned me together round about; yet thou dost destroy me. ⁹Remember, I beseech thee, that thou hast made me as the clay; and wilt thou bring me into dust again? ¹⁰Hast thou not poured me out as milk, and curdled me like cheese? ¹¹Thou hast clothed me with skin and flesh, and hast fenced me with bones and sinews. ¹²Thou hast granted me life and favour, and thy visitation hath preserved my spirit. ¹³And these [things] hast thou hid in thine heart: I know that this [is] with thee. ¹⁴If I sin, then thou markest me, and thou wilt not acquit me from mine iniquity. ¹⁵If I be wicked, woe unto me; and [if] I be righteous, [yet] will I not lift up my head. [I am] full of confusion; therefore see thou mine affliction; ¹⁶For it increaseth. Thou huntest me as a fierce lion: and again thou shewest thyself marvellous upon me. ¹⁷Thou renewest thy witnesses against me, and increasest thine indignation upon me; changes and war [are] against me. ¹⁸Wherefore then hast thou brought me forth out of the womb? Oh that I had given up the ghost, and no eye had seen me! ¹⁹I should have been as though I had not been; I should have been carried from the womb to the grave. ²⁰Are] not my days few? cease [then, and] let me alone, that I may take comfort a little, ²¹Before I go [whence] I shall not return, [even] to the land of darkness and the shadow of death; ²²A land of darkness, as darkness [itself; and] of the shadow of death, without any order, and [where] the light [is] as darkness.