¹ Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said, ² How long will you speak these things? and how long will the words of your mouth be like a strong wind? ³ Does God pervert judgment? or does the Almighty pervert justice? ⁴ If your children have sinned against him, and he have cast them away for their transgression; ⁵ If you would seek God quickly, and make your supplication to the Almighty; ⁶ If you wert pure and upright; surely now he would awake for you, and make the habitation of your righteousness prosperous. ⁷ though your beginning was small, yet your latter end should greatly increase. ⁸ For enquire, I pray you, of the former age, and prepare yourself to the search of their fathers ⁹ (For we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, because our days on earth are a shadow :) ¹⁰ will not they teach you, and tell you, and utter words out of their heart? ¹¹ Can the rush grow up without mire? can the flag grow without water? ¹² Whilst it is yet in his greenness, and not cut down, it withers before any other herb. ¹³ So are the paths of all that forget God and the hypocrite's hope will perish ¹⁴ Whose hope will be cut off, and whose trust will be a spider's web. ¹⁵ He will lean on his house, but it will not stand: he will hold it fast, but it will not endure. ¹⁶ He is green before the sun, and his branch shoots forward in his garden. ¹⁷ His roots are wrapped about the heap, and sees the place of stones. ¹⁸ If he destroy him from his place, then it will deny him, saying, I have not seen you. ¹⁹ See, this is the joy of his way, and out of the earth will others grow. ²⁰ See, God will not cast away a perfect man, neither will he help the evil doers ²¹ Till he fill your mouth with laughing, and your lips with rejoicing. ²² Those hate you will be clothed with shame and the dwelling place of the wicked will come to nothing.