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