| 1 | Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said, |
| 2 | How long wilt thou speak these things? and how long shall the words of thy mouth be like a strong wind? |
| 3 | Doth God pervert judgment; or doth the Almighty pervert justice? |
| 4 | If thy children have sinned against him, and he hath cast them away for their transgression; |
| 5 | If thou wouldst seek to God betimes, and make thy supplication to the Almighty; |
| 6 | If thou wert pure and upright; surely now he would awake for thee, and make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous. |
| 7 | Though thy beginning was small, yet thy latter end would greatly increase. |
| 8 | For inquire, I pray thee, of the former age, and prepare thyself to the search of their fathers: |
| 9 | (For we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, because our days upon earth are a shadow:) |
| 10 | Will they not teach thee, and tell thee, and utter words out of their heart? |
| 11 | Can the rush grow without mire? can the flag grow without water? |
| 12 | Whilst it is yet in its greenness, and not cut down, it withereth before any other herb. |
| 13 | So are the paths of all that forget God; and the hypocrite's hope shall perish: |
| 14 | Whose hope shall be cut off, and whose trust shall be a spider's web. |
| 15 | He shall lean upon his house, but it shall not stand: he shall hold it fast, but it shall not endure. |
| 16 | He is green before the sun, and his branch shooteth forth in his garden. |
| 17 | His roots are wrapped about the heap, and seeth the place of stones. |
| 18 | If he shall destroy him from his place, then it shall deny him, saying, I have not seen thee. |
| 19 | Behold, this is the joy of his way, and out of the earth shall others grow. |
| 20 | Behold, God will not cast away a perfect man, neither will he help the evil doers: |
| 21 | Till he shall fill thy mouth with laughing, and thy lips with rejoicing. |
| 22 | They that hate thee shall be clothed with shame; and the dwelling place of the wicked shall come to naught. |