Job 8:2-19
New American Standard Bible
Chapter 8
2'How long will you say these things, And the words of your mouth be a mighty wind? 3Does God pervert justice? Or does the Almighty pervert what is right? 4If your sons sinned against Him, Then He turned them over to the power of their wrongdoing. 5If you will search for God And implore the compassion of the Almighty, 6If you are pure and upright, Surely now He will stir Himself for you And restore your righteous estate. 7Though your beginning was insignificant, Yet your end will increase greatly. 8'Please inquire of past generations, And consider the things searched out by their fathers. 9For we are only of yesterday and know nothing, Because our days on earth are as a shadow. 10Will they not teach you and tell you, And bring forth words from their minds? 11'Can papyrus grow tall without a marsh? Can the rushes grow without water? 12While it is still green and not cut down, Yet it withers before any other plant. 13So are the paths of all who forget God; And the hope of the godless will perish, 14His confidence is fragile, And his trust is a spider’s web. 15He depends on his house, but it does not stand; He holds on to it, but it does not endure. 16He flourishes before the sun, And his shoots spread out over his garden. 17His roots wrap around a rock pile, He grasps a house of stones. 18If he is removed from his place, Then it will deny him, saying, ‘I never saw you.’ 19Behold, this is the joy of His way; And out of the dust others will spring.King James Version
Chapter 8
2How long wilt thou speak these things? and how long shall the words of thy mouth be like a strong wind? 3Doth God pervert judgment? or doth the Almighty pervert justice? 4If thy children have sinned against him, and he have cast them away for their transgression; 5If thou wouldest seek unto God betimes, and make thy supplication to the Almighty; 6If thou wert pure and upright; surely now he would awake for thee, and make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous. 7Though thy beginning was small, yet thy latter end should greatly increase.
8For inquire, I pray thee, of the former age, and prepare thyself to the search of their fathers:
9(For we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, because our days upon earth are a shadow:)
10Shall not they teach thee, and tell thee, and utter words out of their heart?
11Can the rush grow up without mire? can the flag grow without water?
12Whilst it is yet in his greenness, and not cut down, it withereth before any other herb.
13So are the paths of all that forget God; and the hypocrite's hope shall perish:
14Whose hope shall be cut off, and whose trust shall be 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.
16He is green before the sun, and his branch shooteth forth in his garden.
17His roots are wrapped about the heap, and seeth the place of stones.
18If he destroy him from his place, then it shall deny him, saying, I have not seen thee.
19Behold, this is the joy of his way, and out of the earth shall others grow.
Christian Standard Bible
Chapter 8
2How long will you go on saying these things? Your words are a blast of wind. 3Does God pervert justice? Does the Almighty pervert what is right? 4Since your children sinned against him, he gave them over to their rebellion. 5But if you earnestly seek God and ask the Almighty for mercy, 6if you are pure and upright, then he will move even now on your behalf and restore the home where your righteousness dwells.
7Then, even if your beginnings were modest, your final days will be full of prosperity.
8For ask the previous generation, and pay attention to what their ancestors discovered,
9since we were born only yesterday and know nothing. Our days on earth are but a shadow.
10Will they not teach you and tell you and speak from their understanding?
11Does papyrus grow where there is no marsh? Do reeds flourish without water?
12While still uncut shoots, they would dry up quicker than any other plant.
13Such is the destiny of all who forget God; the hope of the godless will perish.
14His source of confidence is fragile; what he trusts in is a spider's web.
15He leans on his web, but it doesn't stand firm. He grabs it, but it does not hold up.
16He is a well-watered plant in the sunshine; his shoots spread out over his garden.
17His roots are intertwined around a pile of rocks. He looks for a home among the stones.
18If he is uprooted from his place, it will deny knowing him, saying, "I never saw you."
19Surely this is the joy of his way of life; yet others will sprout from the dust.
New Living Translation
Chapter 8
2'How long will you go on like this? You sound like a blustering wind. 3Does God twist justice? Does the Almighty twist what is right? 4Your children must have sinned against him, so their punishment was well deserved. 5But if you pray to God and seek the favor of the Almighty, 6and if you are pure and live with integrity, he will surely rise up and restore your happy home. 7And though you started with little, you will end with much.
8'Just ask the previous generation. Pay attention to the experience of our ancestors.
9For we were born but yesterday and know nothing. Our days on earth are as fleeting as a shadow.
10But those who came before us will teach you. They will teach you the wisdom of old.
11'Can papyrus reeds grow tall without a marsh? Can marsh grass flourish without water?
12While they are still flowering, not ready to be cut, they begin to wither more quickly than grass.
13The same happens to all who forget God. The hopes of the godless evaporate.
14Their confidence hangs by a thread. They are leaning on a spider’s web.
15They cling to their home for security, but it won’t last. They try to hold it tight, but it will not endure.
16The godless seem like a lush plant growing in the sunshine, its branches spreading across the garden.
17Its roots grow down through a pile of stones; it takes hold on a bed of rocks.
18But when it is uprooted, it’s as though it never existed!
19That’s the end of its life, and others spring up from the earth to replace it.
English Standard Version
Chapter 8
2“How long will you say these things, and the words of your mouth be a great wind? 3Does God pervert justice? Or does the Almighty pervert the right? 4If your children have sinned against him, he has delivered them into the hand of their transgression. 5If you will seek God and plead with the Almighty for mercy, 6if you are pure and upright, surely then he will rouse himself for you and restore your rightful habitation. 7And though your beginning was small, your latter days will be very great. 8“For inquire, please, of bygone ages, and consider what the fathers have searched out. 9For we are but of yesterday and know nothing, for our days on earth are a shadow. 10Will they not teach you and tell you and utter words out of their understanding? 11“Can papyrus grow where there is no marsh? Can reeds flourish where there is no water? 12While yet in flower and not cut down, they wither before any other plant. 13Such are the paths of all who forget God; the hope of the godless shall perish. 14His confidence is severed, and his trust is a spider’s web. 15He leans against his house, but it does not stand; he lays hold of it, but it does not endure. 16He is a lush plant before the sun, and his shoots spread over his garden. 17His roots entwine the stone heap; he looks upon a house of stones. 18If he is destroyed from his place, then it will deny him, saying, ‘I have never seen you.’ 19Behold, this is the joy of his way, and out of the soil others will spring.New International Version
Chapter 8
2How long will you say such things? Your words are a blustering wind. 3Does God pervert justice? Does the Almighty pervert what is right? 4When your children sinned against him, he gave them over to the penalty of their sin. 5But if you will seek God earnestly and plead with the Almighty, 6if you are pure and upright, even now he will rouse himself on your behalf and restore you to your prosperous state.
7Your beginnings will seem humble, so prosperous will your future be.
8Ask the former generation and find out what their ancestors learned,
9for we were born only yesterday and know nothing, and our days on earth are but a shadow.
10Will they not instruct you and tell you? Will they not bring forth words from their understanding?
11Can papyrus grow tall where there is no marsh? Can reeds thrive without water?
12While still growing and uncut, they wither more quickly than grass.
13Such is the destiny of all who forget God; so perishes the hope of the godless.
14What they trust in is fragile; what they rely on is a spider's web.
15They lean on the web, but it gives way; they cling to it, but it does not hold.
16They are like a well-watered plant in the sunshine, spreading its shoots over the garden;
17it entwines its roots around a pile of rocks and looks for a place among the stones.
18But when it is torn from its spot, that place disowns it and says, 'I never saw you.'
New King James Version
