1 And Bildad the Shuhite answers and says: 2 “Until when do you speak these things? And a strong wind—sayings of your mouth? 3 Does God pervert judgment? And does the Mighty One pervert justice? 4 If your sons have sinned before Him, || And He sends them away, || By the hand of their transgression, 5 If you seek for God early, || And make supplication to the Mighty, 6 If you are pure and upright, || Surely now He wakes for you, || And has completed || The habitation of your righteousness. 7 And your beginning has been small, || And your latter end is very great. 8 For inquire, please, of a former generation, || And prepare for a search of their fathers, 9 For we are of yesterday, and we do not know, || For our days are a shadow on earth. 10 Do they not show you—speak to you, || And from their heart bring out words? 11 Does a rush rise without a marsh? A reed increase without water? 12 While it is in its budding—uncropped, || Even before any herb it withers. 13 So are the paths of all forgetting God, || And the hope of the profane perishes, 14 Whose confidence is loathsome, || And the house of a spider his trust. 15 He leans on his house—and it does not stand, || He takes hold on it—and it does not abide. 16 He is green before the sun, || And over his garden his branch goes out. 17 His roots are wrapped by a heap, || He looks for a house of stones. 18 If one destroys him from his place, || Then it has feigned concerning him, || I have not seen you! 19 Behold, this is the joy of His way, || And from the dust others spring up. 20 Behold, God does not reject the perfect, || Nor takes hold on the hand of evildoers. 21 While He fills your mouth with laughter, || And your lips with shouting, 22 Those hating you put on shame, || And the tent of the wicked is not!”