Jó 8
Så tog Sjuhiten Bildad til Orde og sagde:
Mon Gud vel bøjer Retten, bøjer den Almægtige Retfærd?
Har dine Sønner syndet imod ham, og gav han dem deres Brøde i Vold,
så søg du nu hen til Gud og bed hans Almagt om Nåde!
Såfremt du er ren og oprigtig, ja, da vil han våge over dig, genrejse din Retfærds Bolig;
din fordums Lykke vil synes ringe, såre stor skal din Fremtid blive.
Thi spørg dog den befarne Slægt, læg Mærke til Fædrenes Granskning!
Vi er fra i Går, og intet ved vi, en Skygge er vore Dage på Jord.
Mon ej de kan lære dig, sige dig det og give dig Svar af Hjertet:
Vokser der Siv, hvor der ikke er Sump, gror Nilgræs frem, hvor der ikke er Vand?
Endnu i Grøde, uden at høstes, visner det før alt andet Græs.
Så går det enhver, der glemmer Gud, en vanhelliges Håb slår fejl:
som Sommerspind er hans Tilflugt, hans Tillid er Spindelvæv;
han støtter sig til sit Hus, det falder, han klynger sig til det, ej står det fast.
I Solskinnet vokser han frodigt, hans Ranker breder sig Haven over,
i Stendynger fletter hans Rødder sig ind, han hager sig fast mellem Sten;
Se, det er Glæden, han har af sin Vej, og af Jorden fremspirer en anden!
Se, Gud agter ej den uskyldige ringe, han holder ej fast ved de ondes Hånd.
End skal han fylde din Mund med Latter og dine Læber med Jubel;
dine Avindsmænd skal klædes i Skam og gudløses Telt ej findes mer!
Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said,
How long wilt thou speak these {things}? and {how long shall} the words of thy mouth {be like} a strong wind?
Doth God pervert judgment? or doth the Almighty pervert justice?
If thy children have sinned against him, and he have cast them away for their transgression; {for...: Heb. in the hand of their transgression}
If thou wouldest seek unto God betimes, and make thy supplication to the Almighty;
If thou {wert} pure and upright; surely now he would awake for thee, and make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous.
Though thy beginning was small, yet thy latter end should greatly increase.
For enquire, I pray thee, of the former age, and prepare thyself to the search of their fathers:
(For we {are but of} yesterday, and know nothing, because our days upon earth {are} a shadow:) {nothing: Heb. not}
Shall not they teach thee, {and} tell thee, and utter words out of their heart?
Can the rush grow up without mire? can the flag grow without water?
Whilst it {is} yet in his greenness, {and} not cut down, it withereth before any {other} herb.
So {are} the paths of all that forget God; and the hypocrite's hope shall perish:
Whose hope shall be cut off, and whose trust {shall be} a spider's web. {web: Heb. house}
He shall lean upon his house, but it shall not stand: he shall hold it fast, but it shall not endure.
He {is} green before the sun, and his branch shooteth forth in his garden.
His roots are wrapped about the heap, {and} seeth the place of stones.
If he destroy him from his place, then {it} shall deny him, {saying}, I have not seen thee.
Behold, this {is} the joy of his way, and out of the earth shall others grow.
Behold, God will not cast away a perfect {man}, neither will he help the evil doers: {help...: Heb. take the ungodly by the hand} {come: Heb. shall not be}
Till he fill thy mouth with laughing, and thy lips with rejoicing. {rejoicing: Heb. shouting for joy}
They that hate thee shall be clothed with shame; and the dwelling place of the wicked shall come to nought. {shall come...: Heb. shall not be}