1 Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said,

1 וַ֭יַּעַן בִּלְדַּ֥ד הַשּׁוּחִ֗י וַיֹאמַֽר¹׃

2 How long wilt thou speak these things? And `how long' shall the words of thy mouth be `like' a mighty wind?

2 עַד־אָ֥ן תְּמַלֶּל־אֵ֑לֶּה וְר֥וּחַ כַּ֝בִּיר אִמְרֵי־פִֽיךָ׃

3 Doth God pervert justice? Or doth the Almighty pervert righteousness?

3 הַ֭אֵל יְעַוֵּ֣ת מִשְׁפָּ֑ט וְאִםשַ֝־דַּ֗י יְעַוֵּֽת־צֶֽדֶק׃

4 If thy children have sinned against him, And he hath delivered them into the hand of their transgression;

4 אִם־בָּנֶ֥יךָ חָֽטְאוּ־לֹ֑ו וַֽ֝יְשַׁלְּחֵ֗ם בְּיַד־פִּשְׁעָֽם׃

5 If thou wouldest seek diligently unto God, And make thy supplication to the Almighty;

5 אִם־אַ֭תָּה תְּשַׁחֵ֣ר אֶל־אֵ֑ל וְאֶלשַ֝־דַּ֗י תִּתְחַנָּֽן׃

6 If thou wert pure and upright: Surely now he would awake for thee, And make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous.

6 אִם־זַ֥ךְ וְיָשָׁ֗ר אָ֥תָּה כִּי־עַ֭תָּה יָעִ֣יר עָלֶ֑יךָ וְ֝שִׁלַּ֗ם נְוַ֣ת צִדְקֶֽךָ׃

7 And though thy beginning was small, Yet thy latter end would greatly increase.

7 וְהָיָ֣ה רֵאשִׁיתְךָ֣ מִצְעָ֑ר וְ֝אַחֲרִיתְךָ֗ יִשְׂגֶּ֥ה מְאֹֽד׃

8 For inquire, I pray thee, of the former age, And apply thyself to that which their fathers have searched out:

8 כִּֽי־שְׁאַל־נָ֭א לְדֹ֣ר רִישֹׁ֑ון וְ֝כֹונֵ֗ן לְחֵ֣קֶר אֲבֹותָֽם׃

9 (For we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, Because our days upon earth are a shadow);

9 כִּֽי־תְמֹ֣ול אֲ֭נַחְנוּ וְלֹ֣א נֵדָ֑ע כִּ֤י צֵ֖ל יָמֵ֣ינוּ עֲלֵי־אָֽרֶץ׃

10 Shall not they teach thee, and tell thee, And utter words out of their heart?

10 הֲלֹא־הֵ֣ם יֹ֭ורוּךָ יֹ֣אמְרוּ לָ֑ךְ וּ֝מִלִּבָּ֗ם יֹוצִ֥אוּ מִלִּֽים׃

11 Can the rush grow up without mire? Can the flag grow without water?

11 הֲיִֽגְאֶה־גֹּ֭מֶא בְּלֹ֣א בִצָּ֑ה יִשְׂגֶּה־אָ֥חוּ בְלִי־מָֽיִם׃

12 Whilst it is yet in its greenness, `and' not cut down, It withereth before any `other' herb.

12 עֹדֶ֣נּוּ בְ֭אִבֹּו לֹ֣א יִקָּטֵ֑ף וְלִפְנֵ֖י כָל־חָצִ֣יר יִיבָֽשׁ׃

13 So are the paths of all that forget God; And the hope of the godless man shall perish:

13 כֵּ֗ן אָ֭רְחֹות כָּל־שֹׁ֣כְחֵי אֵ֑ל וְתִקְוַ֖ת חָנֵ֣ף תֹּאבֵֽד׃

14 Whose confidence shall break in sunder, And whose trust is a spider's web.

14 אֲשֶׁר־יָקֹ֥וט כִּסְלֹ֑ו וּבֵ֥ית עַ֝כָּבִ֗ישׁ מִבְטַחֹֽו׃

15 He shall lean upon his house, but it shall not stand: He shall hold fast thereby, but it shall not endure.

15 יִשָּׁעֵ֣ן עַל־בֵּ֭יתֹו וְלֹ֣א יַעֲמֹ֑ד יַחֲזִ֥יק בֹּ֝֗ו וְלֹ֣א יָקֽוּם׃

16 He is green before the sun, And his shoots go forth over his garden.

16 רָטֹ֣ב ה֖וּא לִפְנֵי־שָׁ֑מֶשׁ וְעַ֥ל³ גַּ֝נָּתֹ֗ו יֹֽנַקְתֹּ֥ו³ תֵצֵֽא׃

17 His roots are wrapped about the `stone' -heap, He beholdeth the place of stones.

17 עַל־גַּ֭ל שָֽׁרָשָׁ֣יו יְסֻבָּ֑כוּ בֵּ֖ית אֲבָנִ֣ים יֶחֱזֶֽה׃

18 If he be destroyed from his place, Then it shall deny him, `saying', I have not seen thee.

18 אִם־יְבַלְּעֶ֥נּוּ מִמְּקֹומֹ֑ו וְכִ֥חֶשׁ בֹּ֝֗ו לֹ֣א רְאִיתִֽיךָ׃

19 Behold, this is the joy of his way; And out of the earth shall others spring.

19 הֶן־ה֭וּא מְשֹׂ֣ושׂ דַּרְכֹּ֑ו וּ֝מֵעָפָ֗ר אַחֵ֥ר יִצְמָֽחוּ׃

20 Behold, God will not cast away a perfect man, Neither will he uphold the evil-doers.

20 הֶן־אֵ֭ל לֹ֣א יִמְאַס־תָּ֑ם וְלֹֽא־יַ֝חֲזִ֗יק בְּיַד־מְרֵעִֽים׃

21 He will yet fill thy mouth with laughter, And thy lips with shouting.

21 עַד־יְמַלֵּ֣ה שְׂחֹ֣וק פִּ֑יךָ וּשְׂפָתֶ֥יךָ תְרוּעָֽה׃

22 They that hate thee shall be clothed with shame; And the tent of the wicked shall be no more.

22 שֹׂנְאֶ֥יךָ יִלְבְּשׁוּ־בֹ֑שֶׁת וְאֹ֖הֶל רְשָׁעִ֣ים אֵינֶֽנּוּ׃