| New American Standard Bible 1995 | New International Version |
| 1Then Bildad the Shuhite answered, | 1Then Bildad the Shuhite replied: |
| 2"How long will you say these things, And the words of your mouth be a mighty wind? | 2"How long will you say such things? Your words are a blustering wind. |
| 3"Does God pervert justice? Or does the Almighty pervert what is right? | 3Does God pervert justice? Does the Almighty pervert what is right? |
| 4"If your sons sinned against Him, Then He delivered them into the power of their transgression. | 4When your children sinned against him, he gave them over to the penalty of their sin. |
| 5"If you would seek God And implore the compassion of the Almighty, | 5But if you will seek God earnestly and plead with the Almighty, |
| 6If you are pure and upright, Surely now He would rouse Himself for you And restore your righteous estate. | 6if you are pure and upright, even now he will rouse himself on your behalf and restore you to your prosperous state. |
| 7"Though your beginning was insignificant, Yet your end will increase greatly. | 7Your beginnings will seem humble, so prosperous will your future be. |
| 8"Please inquire of past generations, And consider the things searched out by their fathers. | 8"Ask the former generation and find out what their ancestors learned, |
| 9"For we are only of yesterday and know nothing, Because our days on earth are as a shadow. | 9for we were born only yesterday and know nothing, and our days on earth are but a shadow. |
| 10"Will they not teach you and tell you, And bring forth words from their minds? | 10Will they not instruct you and tell you? Will they not bring forth words from their understanding? |
| 11"Can the papyrus grow up without a marsh? Can the rushes grow without water? | 11Can papyrus grow tall where there is no marsh? Can reeds thrive without water? |
| 12"While it is still green and not cut down, Yet it withers before any other plant. | 12While still growing and uncut, they wither more quickly than grass. |
| 13"So are the paths of all who forget God; And the hope of the godless will perish, | 13Such is the destiny of all who forget God; so perishes the hope of the godless. |
| 14Whose confidence is fragile, And whose trust a spider's web. | 14What they trust in is fragile; what they rely on is 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. | 15They lean on the web, but it gives way; they cling to it, but it does not hold. |
| 16"He thrives before the sun, And his shoots spread out over his garden. | 16They are like a well-watered plant in the sunshine, spreading its shoots over the garden; |
| 17"His roots wrap around a rock pile, He grasps a house of stones. | 17it entwines its roots around a pile of rocks and looks for a place among the stones. |
| 18"If he is removed from his place, Then it will deny him, saying, 'I never saw you.' | 18But when it is torn from its spot, that place disowns it and says, 'I never saw you.' |
| 19"Behold, this is the joy of His way; And out of the dust others will spring. | 19Surely its life withers away, and from the soil other plants grow. |
| 20"Lo, God will not reject a man of integrity, Nor will He support the evildoers. | 20"Surely God does not reject one who is blameless or strengthen the hands of evildoers. |
| 21"He will yet fill your mouth with laughter And your lips with shouting. | 21He will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy. |
| 22"Those who hate you will be clothed with shame, And the tent of the wicked will be no longer." | 22Your enemies will be clothed in shame, and the tents of the wicked will be no more." |
| 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 | 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. |
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