Chapter 8
Bildad: Job Should Repent
1
Then Bildad the Shuhite… replied:
𐤁𐤋𐤃𐤃 𐤄𐤔𐤅𐤇𐤉 𐤅𐤉𐤀𐤌𐤓 𐤅𐤉𐤏𐤍
בִּלְדַּ֥ד הַשּׁוּחִ֗י וַיֹאמַֽר׃ וַ֭יַּעַן bil·daḏ haš·šū·ḥî wa·yō·mar way·ya·‘an — WLC · 1
2
“How long… will you go on saying such things? The words of your mouth are a blustering wind.
𐤏𐤃 𐤀𐤍 𐤕𐤌𐤋𐤋 𐤀𐤋𐤄 𐤀𐤌𐤓𐤉 𐤐𐤉𐤊 𐤊𐤁𐤉𐤓 𐤅𐤓𐤅𐤇
עַד־ אָ֥ן תְּמַלֶּל־ אֵ֑לֶּה אִמְרֵי־ פִֽיךָ׃ כַּ֝בִּיר וְר֥וּחַ ‘aḏ- ’ān tə·mal·lel- ’êl·leh ’im·rê- p̄î·ḵā kab·bîr wə·rū·aḥ — WLC · 2
3
Does God pervert justice? Does the Almighty pervert what is right?
𐤄𐤀𐤋 𐤉𐤏𐤅𐤕 𐤌𐤔𐤐𐤈 𐤅𐤀𐤌 𐤔𐤃𐤉 𐤉𐤏𐤅𐤕 𐤑𐤃𐤒
הַ֭אֵל יְעַוֵּ֣ת מִשְׁפָּ֑ט וְאִם־ שַׁ֝דַּ֗י יְעַוֵּֽת־ צֶֽדֶק׃ ha·’êl yə·‘aw·wêṯ miš·pāṭ wə·’i·mō·ša- šad·dai yə·‘aw·wêṯ- ṣe·ḏeq — WLC · 3
4
When your children sinned against Him, He gave them over… to their rebellion.
𐤀𐤌 𐤁𐤍𐤉𐤊 𐤇𐤈𐤀𐤅 𐤋𐤅 𐤅𐤉𐤔𐤋𐤇𐤌 𐤁𐤉𐤃 𐤐𐤔𐤏𐤌
אִם־ בָּנֶ֥יךָ חָֽטְאוּ־ ל֑וֹ וַֽ֝יְשַׁלְּחֵ֗ם בְּיַד־ פִּשְׁעָֽם׃ ’im- bā·ne·ḵā ḥā·ṭə·’ū- lōw way·šal·lə·ḥêm bə·yaḏ- piš·‘ām — WLC · 4
5
But if you would earnestly seek… God… and ask the Almighty for mercy,
𐤀𐤌 𐤀𐤕𐤄 𐤕𐤔𐤇𐤓 𐤀𐤋 𐤀𐤋 𐤅𐤀𐤋 𐤔𐤃𐤉 𐤕𐤕𐤇𐤍𐤍
אִם־ אַ֭תָּה תְּשַׁחֵ֣ר אֶל־ אֵ֑ל וְאֶל־ שַׁ֝דַּ֗י תִּתְחַנָּֽן׃ ’im- ’at·tāh tə·ša·ḥêr ’el- ’êl wə·’e·lō·ša- šad·dai tiṯ·ḥan·nān — WLC · 5
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if you are pure and upright, even now He will rouse Himself on your behalf and restore your righteous estate.
𐤀𐤌 𐤀𐤕𐤄 𐤆𐤊 𐤅𐤉𐤔𐤓 𐤊𐤉 𐤏𐤕𐤄 𐤉𐤏𐤉𐤓 𐤏𐤋𐤉𐤊 𐤅𐤔𐤋𐤌 𐤑𐤃𐤒𐤊 𐤍𐤅𐤕
אִם־ אָ֥תָּה זַ֥ךְ וְיָשָׁ֗ר כִּי־ עַ֭תָּה יָעִ֣יר עָלֶ֑יךָ וְ֝שִׁלַּ֗ם צִדְקֶֽךָ׃ נְוַ֣ת ’im- ’āt·tāh zaḵ wə·yā·šār kî- ‘at·tāh yā·‘îr ‘ā·le·ḵā wə·šil·lam ṣiḏ·qe·ḵā nə·waṯ — WLC · 6
7
Though your beginnings were modest, your latter days will flourish…
𐤓𐤀𐤔𐤉𐤕𐤊 𐤅𐤄𐤉𐤄 𐤌𐤑𐤏𐤓 𐤅𐤀𐤇𐤓𐤉𐤕𐤊 𐤉𐤔𐤂𐤄 𐤌𐤀𐤃
רֵאשִׁיתְךָ֣ וְהָיָ֣ה מִצְעָ֑ר וְ֝אַחֲרִיתְךָ֗ יִשְׂגֶּ֥ה מְאֹֽד׃ rê·šî·ṯə·ḵā wə·hā·yāh miṣ·‘ār wə·’a·ḥă·rî·ṯə·ḵā yiś·geh mə·’ōḏ — WLC · 7
8
Please… inquire of past generations and consider the discoveries of their fathers.
𐤍𐤀 𐤊𐤉 𐤔𐤀𐤋 𐤓𐤉𐤔𐤅𐤍 𐤋𐤃𐤓 𐤅𐤊𐤅𐤍𐤍 𐤋𐤇𐤒𐤓 𐤀𐤁𐤅𐤕𐤌
נָ֭א כִּֽי־ שְׁאַל־ רִישׁ֑וֹן לְדֹ֣ר וְ֝כוֹנֵ֗ן לְחֵ֣קֶר אֲבוֹתָֽם׃ nā kî- šə·’al- rî·šō·wn lə·ḏōr wə·ḵō·w·nên lə·ḥê·qer ’ă·ḇō·w·ṯām — WLC · 8
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For we [were born] yesterday and know… nothing; our days on earth are but a shadow.
𐤊𐤉 𐤀𐤍𐤇𐤍𐤅 𐤕𐤌𐤅𐤋 𐤍𐤃𐤏 𐤊𐤉 𐤅𐤋𐤀 𐤉𐤌𐤉𐤍𐤅 𐤏𐤋𐤉 𐤀𐤓𐤑 𐤑𐤋
כִּֽי־ אֲ֭נַחְנוּ תְמ֣וֹל נֵדָ֑ע כִּ֤י וְלֹ֣א יָמֵ֣ינוּ עֲלֵי־ אָֽרֶץ׃ צֵ֖ל kî- ’ă·naḥ·nū ṯə·mō·wl nê·ḏā‘ kî wə·lō yā·mê·nū ‘ă·lê- ’ā·reṣ ṣêl — WLC · 9
10
Will they not teach you and tell you, and speak… from their understanding?
𐤄𐤌 𐤄𐤋𐤀 𐤉𐤅𐤓𐤅𐤊 𐤉𐤀𐤌𐤓𐤅 𐤋𐤊 𐤉𐤅𐤑𐤀𐤅 𐤌𐤋𐤉𐤌 𐤅𐤌𐤋𐤁𐤌
הֵ֣ם הֲלֹא־ י֭וֹרוּךָ יֹ֣אמְרוּ לָ֑ךְ יוֹצִ֥אוּ מִלִּֽים׃ וּ֝מִלִּבָּ֗ם hêm hă·lō- yō·w·rū·ḵā yō·mə·rū lāḵ yō·w·ṣi·’ū mil·lîm ū·mil·lib·bām — WLC · 10
11
Does papyrus grow where there is no marsh? Do reeds flourish without water?
𐤂𐤌𐤀 𐤄𐤉𐤂𐤀𐤄 𐤁𐤋𐤀 𐤁𐤑𐤄 𐤀𐤇𐤅 𐤉𐤔𐤂𐤄 𐤁𐤋𐤉 𐤌𐤉𐤌
גֹּ֭מֶא הֲיִֽגְאֶה־ בְּלֹ֣א בִצָּ֑ה אָ֥חוּ יִשְׂגֶּה־ בְלִי־ מָֽיִם׃ gō·me hă·yiḡ·’eh- bə·lō ḇiṣ·ṣāh ’ā·ḥū yiś·geh- ḇə·lî- mā·yim — WLC · 11
12
While the shoots are still uncut…, they dry up more quickly than vvv grass.
𐤏𐤃𐤍𐤅 𐤁𐤀𐤁𐤅 𐤋𐤀 𐤉𐤒𐤈𐤐 𐤉𐤉𐤁𐤔 𐤅𐤋𐤐𐤍𐤉 𐤊𐤋 𐤇𐤑𐤉𐤓
עֹדֶ֣נּוּ בְ֭אִבּוֹ לֹ֣א יִקָּטֵ֑ף יִיבָֽשׁ׃ וְלִפְנֵ֖י כָל־ חָצִ֣יר ‘ō·ḏen·nū ḇə·’ib·bōw lō yiq·qā·ṭêp̄ yî·ḇāš wə·lip̄·nê ḵāl ḥā·ṣîr — WLC · 12
13
Such is the destiny of all who forget God; so the hope of the godless will perish.
𐤊𐤍 𐤀𐤓𐤇𐤅𐤕 𐤊𐤋 𐤔𐤊𐤇𐤉 𐤀𐤋 𐤅𐤕𐤒𐤅𐤕 𐤇𐤍𐤐 𐤕𐤀𐤁𐤃
כֵּ֗ן אָ֭רְחוֹת כָּל־ שֹׁ֣כְחֵי אֵ֑ל וְתִקְוַ֖ת חָנֵ֣ף תֹּאבֵֽד׃ kên ’ā·rə·ḥō·wṯ kāl- šō·ḵə·ḥê ’êl wə·ṯiq·waṯ ḥā·nêp̄ tō·ḇêḏ — WLC · 13
14
His confidence is fragile; his security is in a spider’s web.
𐤀𐤔𐤓 𐤊𐤎𐤋𐤅 𐤉𐤒𐤅𐤈 𐤌𐤁𐤈𐤇𐤅 𐤏𐤊𐤁𐤉𐤔 𐤅𐤁𐤉𐤕
אֲשֶׁר־ כִּסְל֑וֹ יָק֥וֹט מִבְטַחֽוֹ׃ עַ֝כָּבִ֗ישׁ וּבֵ֥ית ’ă·šer- kis·lōw yā·qō·wṭ miḇ·ṭa·ḥōw ‘ak·kā·ḇîš ū·ḇêṯ — WLC · 14
15
He leans on his web, vvv but it gives way; he holds fast but it does not endure.
𐤉𐤔𐤏𐤍 𐤏𐤋 𐤁𐤉𐤕𐤅 𐤅𐤋𐤀 𐤉𐤏𐤌𐤃 𐤉𐤇𐤆𐤉𐤒 𐤁𐤅 𐤅𐤋𐤀 𐤉𐤒𐤅𐤌
יִשָּׁעֵ֣ן עַל־ בֵּ֭יתוֹ וְלֹ֣א יַעֲמֹ֑ד יַחֲזִ֥יק בּ֝֗וֹ וְלֹ֣א יָקֽוּם׃ yiš·šā·‘ên ‘al- bê·ṯōw wə·lō ya·‘ă·mōḏ ya·ḥă·zîq bōw wə·lō yā·qūm — WLC · 15
16
He is a well-watered plant in the sunshine, spreading its shoots over the garden.
𐤄𐤅𐤀 𐤓𐤈𐤁 𐤋𐤐𐤍𐤉 𐤔𐤌𐤔 𐤕𐤑𐤀 𐤉𐤍𐤒𐤕𐤅 𐤅𐤏𐤋 𐤂𐤍𐤕𐤅
ה֭וּא רָטֹ֣ב לִפְנֵי־ שָׁ֑מֶשׁ תֵצֵֽא׃ יֹֽנַקְתּ֥וֹ וְעַ֥ל גַּ֝נָּת֗וֹ hū rā·ṭōḇ lip̄·nê- šā·meš ṯê·ṣê yō·naq·tōw wə·‘al gan·nā·ṯōw — WLC · 16
17
His roots wrap around the rock heap; he looks for a home among the stones.
𐤔𐤓𐤔𐤉𐤅 𐤉𐤎𐤁𐤊𐤅 𐤏𐤋 𐤂𐤋 𐤉𐤇𐤆𐤄 𐤁𐤉𐤕 𐤀𐤁𐤍𐤉𐤌
שָֽׁרָשָׁ֣יו יְסֻבָּ֑כוּ עַל־ גַּ֭ל יֶחֱזֶֽה׃ בֵּ֖ית אֲבָנִ֣ים šā·rā·šāw yə·sub·bā·ḵū ‘al- gal ye·ḥĕ·zeh bêṯ ’ă·ḇā·nîm — WLC · 17
18
If he is uprooted from his place, it will disown him, saying, ‘I never saw you.’
𐤀𐤌 𐤉𐤁𐤋𐤏𐤍𐤅 𐤌𐤌𐤒𐤅𐤌𐤅 𐤅𐤊𐤇𐤔 𐤁𐤅 𐤋𐤀 𐤓𐤀𐤉𐤕𐤉𐤊
אִם־ יְבַלְּעֶ֥נּוּ מִמְּקוֹמ֑וֹ וְכִ֥חֶשׁ בּ֝֗וֹ לֹ֣א רְאִיתִֽיךָ׃ ’im- yə·ḇal·lə·‘en·nū mim·mə·qō·w·mōw wə·ḵi·ḥeš bōw lō rə·’î·ṯî·ḵā — WLC · 18
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Surely this is the joy of his way; yet others will spring from the dust.
𐤄𐤍 𐤄𐤅𐤀 𐤌𐤔𐤅𐤔 𐤃𐤓𐤊𐤅 𐤀𐤇𐤓 𐤉𐤑𐤌𐤇𐤅 𐤅𐤌𐤏𐤐𐤓
הֶן־ ה֭וּא מְשׂ֣וֹשׂ דַּרְכּ֑וֹ אַחֵ֥ר יִצְמָֽחוּ׃ וּ֝מֵעָפָ֗ר hen- hū mə·śō·wś dar·kōw ’a·ḥêr yiṣ·mā·ḥū ū·mê·‘ā·p̄ār — WLC · 19
20
Behold, God does not reject the blameless, nor will He strengthen the hand of evildoers.
𐤄𐤍 𐤀𐤋 𐤋𐤀 𐤉𐤌𐤀𐤎 𐤕𐤌 𐤅𐤋𐤀 𐤉𐤇𐤆𐤉𐤒 𐤁𐤉𐤃 𐤌𐤓𐤏𐤉𐤌
הֶן־ אֵ֭ל לֹ֣א יִמְאַס־ תָּ֑ם וְלֹֽא־ יַ֝חֲזִ֗יק בְּיַד־ מְרֵעִֽים׃ hen- ’êl lō yim·’as- tām wə·lō- ya·ḥă·zîq bə·yaḏ- mə·rê·‘îm — WLC · 20
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He will yet fill your mouth with laughter, and your lips with a shout of joy.
𐤏𐤃 𐤐𐤉𐤊 𐤉𐤌𐤋𐤄 𐤔𐤇𐤅𐤒 𐤅𐤔𐤐𐤕𐤉𐤊 𐤕𐤓𐤅𐤏𐤄
עַד־ פִּ֑יךָ יְמַלֵּ֣ה שְׂח֣וֹק וּשְׂפָתֶ֥יךָ תְרוּעָֽה׃ ‘aḏ- pî·ḵā yə·mal·lêh śə·ḥō·wq ū·śə·p̄ā·ṯe·ḵā ṯə·rū·‘āh — WLC · 21
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Your enemies will be clothed in shame, and the tent of the wicked will be no more.”
𐤔𐤍𐤀𐤉𐤊 𐤉𐤋𐤁𐤔𐤅 𐤁𐤔𐤕 𐤅𐤀𐤄𐤋 𐤓𐤔𐤏𐤉𐤌 𐤀𐤉𐤍𐤍𐤅𐤐
שֹׂנְאֶ֥יךָ יִלְבְּשׁוּ־ בֹ֑שֶׁת וְאֹ֖הֶל רְשָׁעִ֣ים אֵינֶֽנּוּ׃פ śō·nə·’e·ḵā yil·bə·šū- ḇō·šeṯ wə·’ō·hel rə·šā·‘îm ’ê·nen·nū — WLC · 22