Bildad: Job Should Repent

1  וַ֭יַּעַן (And answered) בִּלְדַּ֥ד (Bildad) הַשּׁוּחִ֗י (the Shuhite) וַיֹאמַֽר׃ (and said):

2  עַד־ (Until) אָ֥ן (when) תְּמַלֶּל־ (will you speak) אֵ֑לֶּה (these things),

וְר֥וּחַ (and be a wind) כַּ֝בִּיר (mighty) אִמְרֵי־ (the words) פִֽיךָ׃ (of your mouth)?

3  הַ֭אֵל (Does God) יְעַוֵּ֣ת (pervert) מִשְׁפָּ֑ט (judgment)?

וְאִם־ (Or does) שַׁ֝דַּ֗י (Shaddai) יְעַוֵּֽת־ (pervert) צֶֽדֶק׃ (justice)?

4  אִם־ (If) בָּנֶ֥יךָ (your sons) חָֽטְאוּ־ (have sinned) ל֑וֹ (against Him)

וַֽ֝יְשַׁלְּחֵ֗ם (and He has sent them) בְּיַד־ (into the hand) פִּשְׁעָֽם׃ (of their transgression),

5  אִם־ (if) אַ֭תָּה (you) תְּשַׁחֵ֣ר (seek diligently) אֶל־ (for) אֵ֑ל (God)

וְאֶל־ (and to) שַׁ֝דַּ֗י (Shaddai) תִּתְחַנָּֽן׃ (ask for favor),

6  אִם־ (if) זַ֥ךְ (pure) וְיָשָׁ֗ר (and upright) אָ֥תָּה (you are),

כִּי־ (surely) עַ֭תָּה (now) יָעִ֣יר (He will rouse Himself) עָלֶ֑יךָ (over you)

וְ֝שִׁלַּ֗ם (and restore) נְוַ֣ת (the abode) צִדְקֶֽךָ׃ (of your righteousness).

7  וְהָיָ֣ה (And was) רֵאשִׁיתְךָ֣ (your beginning) מִצְעָ֑ר (small),

וְ֝אַחֲרִיתְךָ֗ (and your end) יִשְׂגֶּ֥ה (will increase) מְאֹֽד׃ (greatly).

8  כִּֽי־ (For) שְׁאַל־ (inquire), נָ֭א (please), לְדֹ֣ר (of the generation) רִישׁ֑וֹן (former),

וְ֝כוֹנֵ֗ן (and consider) לְחֵ֣קֶר (the finding) אֲבוֹתָֽם׃ (of their fathers).

9  כִּֽי־ (For) תְמ֣וֹל (of yesterday) אֲ֭נַחְנוּ (we are), וְלֹ֣א (and not) נֵדָ֑ע (do we know),

כִּ֤י (for) צֵ֖ל (a shadow) יָמֵ֣ינוּ (our days are) עֲלֵי־ (upon) אָֽרֶץ׃ (the earth).

10  הֲלֹא־ (Will not) הֵ֣ם (they) י֭וֹרוּךָ (instruct you) יֹ֣אמְרוּ (and speak) לָ֑ךְ (to you),

וּ֝מִלִּבָּ֗ם (and from their heart) יוֹצִ֥אוּ (bring forth) מִלִּֽים׃ (words)?

11  הֲיִֽגְאֶה־ (Can rise up) גֹּ֭מֶא (the papyrus) בְּלֹ֣א (without) בִצָּ֑ה (a marsh)?

יִשְׂגֶּה־ (Can grow) אָ֥חוּ (the reed) בְלִי־ (without) מָֽיִם׃ (waters)?

12  עֹדֶ֣נּוּ (It is still) בְ֭אִבּוֹ (in its greenness) לֹ֣א (not) יִקָּטֵ֑ף (it is cut down),

וְלִפְנֵ֖י (and before) כָל־ (all) חָצִ֣יר (grass) יִיבָֽשׁ׃ (it withers).

13  כֵּ֗ן (So) אָ֭רְחוֹת (are the paths) כָּל־ (of all) שֹׁ֣כְחֵי (those forgetting) אֵ֑ל (God),

וְתִקְוַ֖ת (and the hope) חָנֵ֣ף (of the godless) תֹּאבֵֽד׃ (will perish),

14  אֲשֶׁר־ (for whom) יָק֥וֹט (shall be cut off) כִּסְל֑וֹ (his confidence),

וּבֵ֥ית (and the house) עַ֝כָּבִ֗ישׁ (of spider) מִבְטַחֽוֹ׃ (his trust).

15  יִשָּׁעֵ֣ן (He leans) עַל־ (upon) בֵּ֭יתוֹ (his house), וְלֹ֣א (and not) יַעֲמֹ֑ד (does it stand);

יַחֲזִ֥יק (he takes firm hold) בּ֝֗וֹ (on it), וְלֹ֣א (and not) יָקֽוּם׃ (it does arise).

16  רָטֹ֣ב (Lush) ה֭וּא (he is) לִפְנֵי־ (in the face) שָׁ֑מֶשׁ (of the sun),

וְעַ֥ל (and over) גַּ֝נָּת֗וֹ (his garden) יֹֽנַקְתּ֥וֹ (his shoot) תֵצֵֽא׃ (goes forth).

17  עַל־ (Over) גַּ֭ל (a rock-pile) שָֽׁרָשָׁ֣יו (his roots) יְסֻבָּ֑כוּ (are wrapped),

בֵּ֖ית (a house) אֲבָנִ֣ים (of stones) יֶחֱזֶֽה׃ (he looks for).

18  אִם־ (If) יְבַלְּעֶ֥נּוּ (one destroys him) מִמְּקוֹמ֑וֹ (from his place),

וְכִ֥חֶשׁ (and it will disown) בּ֝֗וֹ (him) לֹ֣א (Not) רְאִיתִֽיךָ׃ (have I seen you).

19  הֶן־ (Behold), ה֭וּא (this is) מְשׂ֣וֹשׂ (the joy) דַּרְכּ֑וֹ (of his way),

וּ֝מֵעָפָ֗ר (and from the dust) אַחֵ֥ר (another) יִצְמָֽחוּ׃ (sprouts up).

20  הֶן־ (Behold), אֵ֭ל (God) לֹ֣א (not) יִמְאַס־ (will reject) תָּ֑ם (the blameless)

וְלֹֽא־ (and not) יַ֝חֲזִ֗יק (He will strengthen) בְּיַד־ (the hand) מְרֵעִֽים׃ (of those doing evil).

21  עַד־ (Yet) יְמַלֵּ֣ה (He will fill) שְׂח֣וֹק (with laughter) פִּ֑יךָ (your mouth),

וּשְׂפָתֶ֥יךָ (and your lips) תְרוּעָֽה׃ (with a shout of joy).

22  שֹׂנְאֶ֥יךָ (Those hating you) יִלְבְּשׁוּ־ (will be clothed) בֹ֑שֶׁת (in shame),

וְאֹ֖הֶל (and the tent) רְשָׁעִ֣ים (of the wicked) אֵינֶֽנּוּ׃פ (will be no more).