| New King James Version | International Standard Version |
| 1Then Bildad the Shuhite answered and said: | 1Then in response, Bildad from Shuah said: |
| 2“How long will you speak these things, And the words of your mouth be like a strong wind? | 2"How long will you keep talking like this? How long will you keep talking like a wind storm? |
| 3Does God subvert judgment? Or does the Almighty pervert justice? | 3Does God pervert justice? Does the Almighty pervert what's right? |
| 4If your sons have sinned against Him, He has cast them away for their transgression. | 4"If your children sin against him, he'll make them a prisoner of their sins. |
| 5If you would earnestly seek God And make your supplication to the Almighty, | 5If you seek God, if you ask the Almighty for mercy, |
| 6If you were pure and upright, Surely now He would awake for you, And prosper your rightful dwelling place. | 6if you are clean and upright, surely then, he'll act on your behalf and restore your rightful place. |
| 7Though your beginning was small, Yet your latter end would increase abundantly. | 7Your beginning may be small, but later years will be very great. |
| 8“For inquire, please, of the former age, And consider the things discovered by their fathers; | 8"Inquire of the previous generation, won't you please? Consider what their forefathers searched out. |
| 9For we were born yesterday, and know nothing, Because our days on earth are a shadow. | 9Because we are of yesterday and we know nothing, for our time on earth is only a shadow. |
| 10Will they not teach you and tell you, And utter words from their heart? | 10Won't they instruct you, and tell you, and bring out words from the heart? |
| 11“Can the papyrus grow up without a marsh? Can the reeds flourish without water? | 11"Can papyrus grow where there's no marsh? Can reeds flourish without water? |
| 12While it is yet green and not cut down, It withers before any other plant. | 12While they are still green and not yet ready to be harvested, they wither before any plant. |
| 13So are the paths of all who forget God; And the hope of the hypocrite shall perish, | 13Such are the paths of everyone who forgets God— the hope of the godless will be destroyed: |
| 14Whose confidence shall be cut off, And whose trust is a spider’s web. | 14his confidence is shattered; his trust is in a spider's web. |
| 15He leans on his house, but it does not stand. He holds it fast, but it does not endure. | 15He leans against his house, but it won't stand; he grabs hold of it firmly, but it doesn't last. |
| 16He grows green in the sun, And his branches spread out in his garden. | 16He is a fresh sapling planted in the sunlight, spreading out its branches over its garden. |
| 17His roots wrap around the rock heap, And look for a place in the stones. | 17Its roots weave around a pile of stones, seeking to entrench itself among the rocks. |
| 18If he is destroyed from his place, Then it will deny him, saying, ‘I have not seen you.’ | 18If he is uprooted from his place, then it will deny him: 'I never saw you.' |
| 19“Behold, this is the joy of His way, And out of the earth others will grow. | 19"Indeed, this is the benefit of God's way: from the soil other plants will sprout. |
| 20Behold, God will not cast away the blameless, Nor will He uphold the evildoers. | 20Surely God won't reject those who are blameless or hold hands with those who practice evil. |
| 21He will yet fill your mouth with laughing, And your lips with rejoicing. | 21He will soon fill your mouth with laughter, and your lips will shout with joy. |
| 22Those who hate you will be clothed with shame, And the dwelling place of the wicked will come to nothing.” | 22Those who hate you will be clothed with shame, and the tent of the wicked will no longer exist. |
| The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. | The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. |
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