New American Standard Bible 1995 | International Standard Version |
1Then Bildad the Shuhite answered, | 1Then in response, Bildad from Shuah said: |
2"How long will you say these things, And the words of your mouth be a mighty wind? | 2"How long will you keep talking like this? How long will you keep talking like a wind storm? |
3"Does God pervert justice? Or does the Almighty pervert what is right? | 3Does God pervert justice? Does the Almighty pervert what's right? |
4"If your sons sinned against Him, Then He delivered them into the power of their transgression. | 4"If your children sin against him, he'll make them a prisoner of their sins. |
5"If you would seek God And implore the compassion of the Almighty, | 5If you seek God, if you ask the Almighty for mercy, |
6If you are pure and upright, Surely now He would rouse Himself for you And restore your righteous estate. | 6if you are clean and upright, surely then, he'll act on your behalf and restore your rightful place. |
7"Though your beginning was insignificant, Yet your end will increase greatly. | 7Your beginning may be small, but later years will be very great. |
8"Please inquire of past generations, And consider the things searched out by their fathers. | 8"Inquire of the previous generation, won't you please? Consider what their forefathers searched out. |
9"For we are only of yesterday and know nothing, Because our days on earth are as a shadow. | 9Because we are of yesterday and we know nothing, for our time on earth is only a shadow. |
10"Will they not teach you and tell you, And bring forth words from their minds? | 10Won't they instruct you, and tell you, and bring out words from the heart? |
11"Can the papyrus grow up without a marsh? Can the rushes grow without water? | 11"Can papyrus grow where there's no marsh? Can reeds flourish without water? |
12"While it is still green and not cut down, Yet it withers before any other plant. | 12While they are still green and not yet ready to be harvested, they wither before any plant. |
13"So are the paths of all who forget God; And the hope of the godless will perish, | 13Such are the paths of everyone who forgets God— the hope of the godless will be destroyed: |
14Whose confidence is fragile, And whose trust a spider's web. | 14his confidence is shattered; his trust is in a spider's web. |
15"He trusts in his house, but it does not stand; He holds fast to it, but it does not endure. | 15He leans against his house, but it won't stand; he grabs hold of it firmly, but it doesn't last. |
16"He thrives before the sun, And his shoots spread out over his garden. | 16He is a fresh sapling planted in the sunlight, spreading out its branches over its garden. |
17"His roots wrap around a rock pile, He grasps a house of stones. | 17Its roots weave around a pile of stones, seeking to entrench itself among the rocks. |
18"If he is removed from his place, Then it will deny him, saying, 'I never saw you.' | 18If he is uprooted from his place, then it will deny him: 'I never saw you.' |
19"Behold, this is the joy of His way; And out of the dust others will spring. | 19"Indeed, this is the benefit of God's way: from the soil other plants will sprout. |
20"Lo, God will not reject a man of integrity, Nor will He support the evildoers. | 20Surely God won't reject those who are blameless or hold hands with those who practice evil. |
21"He will yet fill your mouth with laughter And your lips with shouting. | 21He will soon fill your mouth with laughter, and your lips will shout with joy. |
22"Those who hate you will be clothed with shame, And the tent of the wicked will be no longer." | 22Those who hate you will be clothed with shame, and the tent of the wicked will no longer exist. |
New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org | The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. |
|