Bildad Says God Rewards the Good

1Then Bildad the Shuhite responded,

2“How long will you say these things,

And the words of your mouth be a mighty wind?

3“Does God pervert justice?

Or does [a]the Almighty pervert what is right?

4“If your sons sinned against Him,

Then He turned them over to the [b]power of their wrongdoing.

5“If you will search for God

And implore the compassion of [c]the Almighty,

6If you are pure and upright,

Surely now He will stir Himself for you

And restore your righteous [d]estate.

7“Though your beginning was insignificant,

Yet your end will increase greatly.

8“Please inquire of past generations,

And consider the things searched out by their fathers.

9“For we are only of yesterday and know nothing,

Because our days on earth are as a shadow.

10“Will they not teach you and tell you,

And bring forth words from their minds?

11“Can papyrus grow tall without a marsh?

Can the rushes grow without water?

12“While it is still green and not cut down,

Yet it withers before any other [e]plant.

13“So are the paths of all who forget God;

And the hope of the godless will perish,

14His confidence is fragile,

And his trust is a spider’s [f]web.

15“He depends on his house, but it does not stand;

He holds on to it, but it does not endure.

16“He flourishes before the sun,

And his shoots spread out over his garden.

17“His roots wrap around a rock pile,

He [g]grasps a house of stones.

18“If he is [h]removed from his place,

Then it will deny him, saying, ‘I never saw you.’

19“Behold, this is the joy of His way;

And out of the dust others will spring.

20“Behold, God will not reject a person of integrity,

Nor will He [i]help evildoers.

21“He will yet fill your mouth with laughter,

And your lips with joyful shouting.

22“Those who hate you will be clothed with shame,

And the tent of the wicked will no longer exist.”