1 Thencch. 2:11 Bildad the Shuhite answered and said:
2 “How long will you say these things,
and the words of your mouth be ad1 Kgs. 19:11; [ch. 15:2] great wind?
3 ech. 34:12; [Gen. 18:25; Deut. 32:4; 2 Chr. 19:7; Ezra 9:15; Dan. 9:14; Rom. 3:5] Does God pervert justice?
Or does the Almighty pervert the right?
4 If yourfch. 1:5, 18, 19 children have sinned against him,
he has delivered them into the hand of their transgression.
5 If you will seek God
andgch. 9:15 plead with the Almighty for mercy,
6 if you are pure and upright,
surely then he willhSee Ps. 7:6 rouse himself for you
andi[Prov. 3:33] restore your rightful habitation.
7 And though your beginning was small,
j[ch. 42:12; James 5:11] your latter days will be very great.
8 ForkDeut. 4:32; 32:7; [ch. 15:18] inquire, please, of bygone ages,
and consider whatlch. 15:18 the fathers have searched out.
9 For we are but of yesterday and know nothing,
for our days on earth aremch. 14:2; 17:7; 1 Chr. 29:15; Ps. 102:11; 109:23; 144:4; Eccles. 6:12 a shadow.
10 Will they not teach you and tell you
and utter words out of their understanding?
11 Can papyrus grow where there is no marsh?
Can reeds flourish where there is no water?
12 While yet in flower and not cut down,
theyn[Ps. 37:2; 129:6] wither before any other plant.
13 Such are the paths of all whooSee Ps. 9:17 forget God;
pProv. 10:28; 11:7 the hope ofqch. 13:16; 15:34; 27:8 the godless shall perish.
14 His confidence is severed,
and his trust isr[Isa. 59:5, 6] a spider's web.
15 He leans against hissch. 27:18 house, but it does not stand;
he lays hold of it, but it does not endure.
16 He is a lush plant before the sun,
and histPs. 80:11 shoots spread over his garden.
17 His roots entwine the stone heap;
he looks upon a house of stones.
18 If he is destroyed from hisuSee ch. 7:10 place,
then it will deny him, saying, ‘I have nevervch. 7:8 seen you. ’
19 Behold, this is the joy of his way,
and out ofw[1 Sam. 2:7, 8; Ps. 103:16; 113:7] the soil others will spring.
20 Behold, God will not reject a blameless man,
nor take the hand of evildoers.
21 He will yetxPs. 126:2 fill your mouth with laughter,
and your lips with shouting.
22 Those who hate you will beyPs. 35:26; 132:18; [Ps. 109:29] clothed with shame,
and the tent of the wicked will be no more. ”