| New King James Version | English Standard Version |
| 1Then Bildad the Shuhite answered and said: | 1Then Bildad the Shuhite answered and said: |
| 2“How long will you speak these things, And the words of your mouth be like a strong wind? | 2“How long will you say these things, and the words of your mouth be a great wind? |
| 3Does God subvert judgment? Or does the Almighty pervert justice? | 3Does God pervert justice? Or does the Almighty pervert the right? |
| 4If your sons have sinned against Him, He has cast them away for their transgression. | 4If your children have sinned against him, he has delivered them into the hand of their transgression. |
| 5If you would earnestly seek God And make your supplication to the Almighty, | 5If you will seek God and plead with the Almighty for mercy, |
| 6If you were pure and upright, Surely now He would awake for you, And prosper your rightful dwelling place. | 6if you are pure and upright, surely then he will rouse himself for you and restore your rightful habitation. |
| 7Though your beginning was small, Yet your latter end would increase abundantly. | 7And though your beginning was small, your latter days will be very great. |
| 8“For inquire, please, of the former age, And consider the things discovered by their fathers; | 8“For inquire, please, of bygone ages, and consider what the fathers have searched out. |
| 9For we were born yesterday, and know nothing, Because our days on earth are a shadow. | 9For we are but of yesterday and know nothing, for our days on earth are a shadow. |
| 10Will they not teach you and tell you, And utter words from their heart? | 10Will they not teach you and tell you and utter words out of their understanding? |
| 11“Can the papyrus grow up without a marsh? Can the reeds flourish without water? | 11“Can papyrus grow where there is no marsh? Can reeds flourish where there is no water? |
| 12While it is yet green and not cut down, It withers before any other plant. | 12While yet in flower and not cut down, they wither before any other plant. |
| 13So are the paths of all who forget God; And the hope of the hypocrite shall perish, | 13Such are the paths of all who forget God; the hope of the godless shall perish. |
| 14Whose confidence shall be cut off, And whose trust is a spider’s web. | 14His confidence is severed, and his trust is a spider’s web. |
| 15He leans on his house, but it does not stand. He holds it fast, but it does not endure. | 15He leans against his house, but it does not stand; he lays hold of it, but it does not endure. |
| 16He grows green in the sun, And his branches spread out in his garden. | 16He is a lush plant before the sun, and his shoots spread over his garden. |
| 17His roots wrap around the rock heap, And look for a place in the stones. | 17His roots entwine the stone heap; he looks upon a house of stones. |
| 18If he is destroyed from his place, Then it will deny him, saying, ‘I have not seen you.’ | 18If he is destroyed from his place, then it will deny him, saying, ‘I have never seen you.’ |
| 19“Behold, this is the joy of His way, And out of the earth others will grow. | 19Behold, this is the joy of his way, and out of the soil others will spring. |
| 20Behold, God will not cast away the blameless, Nor will He uphold the evildoers. | 20“Behold, God will not reject a blameless man, nor take the hand of evildoers. |
| 21He will yet fill your mouth with laughing, And your lips with rejoicing. | 21He will yet fill your mouth with laughter, and your lips with shouting. |
| 22Those who hate you will be clothed with shame, And the dwelling place of the wicked will come to nothing.” | 22Those who hate you will be clothed with shame, and the tent of the wicked will be no more.” |
| The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. | ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. |
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