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Job 8
New International Reader's Version
Job 8
New International Reader's Version
The First Speech of Bildad
8 Then Bildad the Shuhite replied,
2 “Job, how long will you talk like that?
Your words don’t have any meaning.
3 Does God ever treat people unfairly?
Does the Mighty One make what is wrong
appear to be right?
4 Your children sinned against him.
So he punished them for their sin.
5 But seek God with all your heart.
Make your appeal to the Mighty One.
6 Be pure and honest.
And he will rise up and help you now.
He’ll give you everything you had before.
7 In the past, things went well with you.
But in days to come, things will get even better.
8 “Find out what our parents taught.
Discover what those who lived before them learned.
9 After all, we were born only yesterday.
So we don’t know anything.
Our days on this earth are like a shadow that disappears.
10 Won’t your people of long ago teach you and tell you?
Won’t the things they said help you understand?
11 Can grass grow tall where there isn’t any swamp?
Can plants grow well where there isn’t any water?
12 While they are still growing and haven’t been cut,
they dry up faster than grass does.
13 The same thing happens to everyone who forgets God.
The hope of ungodly people dies out.
14 What they trust in is very weak.
What they depend on is like a spider’s web.
15 They lean on it, but it falls apart.
They hold on to it, but it gives way.
16 They are like a plant in the sunshine
that receives plenty of water.
It spreads its new growth all over the garden.
17 It wraps its roots around a pile of rocks.
It tries to find places to grow among the stones.
18 But when the plant is pulled up from its spot,
that place says, ‘I never saw you.’
19 The life of that plant is sure to dry up.
But from the same soil other plants will grow.
20 “I’m sure God doesn’t turn his back on anyone who is honest.
And he doesn’t help those who do what is evil.
21 He will fill your mouth with laughter.
Shouts of joy will come from your lips.
22 Your enemies will put on shame as if it were clothes.
The tents of sinful people will be gone.”
Job 8
New International Version
Job 8
New International Version
Bildad
8 Then Bildad the Shuhite(A) replied:
2 “How long will you say such things?(B)
Your words are a blustering wind.(C)
3 Does God pervert justice?(D)
Does the Almighty pervert what is right?(E)
4 When your children sinned against him,
he gave them over to the penalty of their sin.(F)
5 But if you will seek God earnestly
and plead(G) with the Almighty,(H)
6 if you are pure and upright,
even now he will rouse himself on your behalf(I)
and restore you to your prosperous state.(J)
7 Your beginnings will seem humble,
so prosperous(K) will your future be.(L)
8 “Ask the former generation(M)
and find out what their ancestors learned,
9 for we were born only yesterday and know nothing,(N)
and our days on earth are but a shadow.(O)
10 Will they not instruct(P) you and tell you?
Will they not bring forth words from their understanding?(Q)
11 Can papyrus grow tall where there is no marsh?(R)
Can reeds(S) thrive without water?
12 While still growing and uncut,
they wither more quickly than grass.(T)
13 Such is the destiny(U) of all who forget God;(V)
so perishes the hope of the godless.(W)
14 What they trust in is fragile[a];
what they rely on is a spider’s web.(X)
15 They lean on the web,(Y) but it gives way;
they cling to it, but it does not hold.(Z)
16 They are like a well-watered plant in the sunshine,
spreading its shoots(AA) over the garden;(AB)
17 it entwines its roots around a pile of rocks
and looks for a place among the stones.
18 But when it is torn from its spot,
that place disowns(AC) it and says, ‘I never saw you.’(AD)
19 Surely its life withers(AE) away,
and[b] from the soil other plants grow.(AF)
Job 8
King James Version
Job 8
King James Version
8 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 have cast them away for their transgression;
5 If thou wouldest seek unto 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 should greatly increase.
8 For enquire, 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 Shall not they teach thee, and tell thee, and utter words out of their heart?
11 Can the rush grow up without mire? can the flag grow without water?
12 Whilst it is yet in his 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 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 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 nought.
New International Reader's Version (NIRV) 
Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998, 2014 by Biblica, Inc.®. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.