| King James Bible | New International Version |
| 1Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said, | 1Then Bildad the Shuhite replied: |
| 2How long wilt thou speak these things? and how long shall the words of thy mouth be like a strong wind? | 2"How long will you say such things? Your words are a blustering wind. |
| 3Doth God pervert judgment? or doth the Almighty pervert justice? | 3Does God pervert justice? Does the Almighty pervert what is right? |
| 4If thy children have sinned against him, and he have cast them away for their transgression; | 4When your children sinned against him, he gave them over to the penalty of their sin. |
| 5If thou wouldest seek unto God betimes, and make thy supplication to the Almighty; | 5But if you will seek God earnestly and plead with the Almighty, |
| 6If thou wert pure and upright; surely now he would awake for thee, and make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous. | 6if you are pure and upright, even now he will rouse himself on your behalf and restore you to your prosperous state. |
| 7Though thy beginning was small, yet thy latter end should greatly increase. | 7Your beginnings will seem humble, so prosperous will your future be. |
| 8For inquire, I pray thee, of the former age, and prepare thyself to the search of their fathers: | 8"Ask the former generation and find out what their ancestors learned, |
| 9(For we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, because our days upon earth are a shadow:) | 9for we were born only yesterday and know nothing, and our days on earth are but a shadow. |
| 10Shall not they teach thee, and tell thee, and utter words out of their heart? | 10Will they not instruct you and tell you? Will they not bring forth words from their understanding? |
| 11Can the rush grow up without mire? can the flag grow without water? | 11Can papyrus grow tall where there is no marsh? Can reeds thrive without water? |
| 12Whilst it is yet in his greenness, and not cut down, it withereth before any other herb. | 12While still growing and uncut, they wither more quickly than grass. |
| 13So are the paths of all that forget God; and the hypocrite's hope shall perish: | 13Such is the destiny of all who forget God; so perishes the hope of the godless. |
| 14Whose hope shall be cut off, and whose trust shall be a spider's web. | 14What they trust in is fragile; what they rely on is a spider's web. |
| 15He shall lean upon his house, but it shall not stand: he shall hold it fast, but it shall not endure. | 15They lean on the web, but it gives way; they cling to it, but it does not hold. |
| 16He is green before the sun, and his branch shooteth forth in his garden. | 16They are like a well-watered plant in the sunshine, spreading its shoots over the garden; |
| 17His roots are wrapped about the heap, and seeth the place of stones. | 17it entwines its roots around a pile of rocks and looks for a place among the stones. |
| 18If he destroy him from his place, then it shall deny him, saying, I have not seen thee. | 18But when it is torn from its spot, that place disowns it and says, 'I never saw you.' |
| 19Behold, this is the joy of his way, and out of the earth shall others grow. | 19Surely its life withers away, and from the soil other plants grow. |
| 20Behold, God will not cast away a perfect man, neither will he help the evil doers: | 20"Surely God does not reject one who is blameless or strengthen the hands of evildoers. |
| 21Till he fill thy mouth with laughing, and thy lips with rejoicing. | 21He will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy. |
| 22They that hate thee shall be clothed with shame; and the dwelling place of the wicked shall come to nought. | 22Your enemies will be clothed in shame, and the tents of the wicked will be no more." |
|
