| 1 |
Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said,
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| 2 |
How long wilt thou speak these things? And how long shall the words of thy mouth be like a mighty wind?
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| 3 |
Doth God pervert justice? Or doth the Almighty pervert righteousness?
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| 4 |
If thy children have sinned against him, And he hath delivered them into the hand of their transgression;
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| 5 |
If thou wouldest seek diligently unto God, And make thy supplication to the Almighty;
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| 6 |
If thou wert pure and upright: Surely now he would awake for thee, And make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous.
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| 7 |
And though thy beginning was small, Yet thy latter end would greatly increase.
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| 8 |
For inquire, I pray thee, of the former age, And apply thyself to that which their fathers have searched out
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| 9 |
(For we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, Because our days upon earth are a shadow);
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| 10 |
Shall not they teach thee, and tell thee, And utter words out of their heart?
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| 11 |
Can the rush grow up without mire? Can the flag grow without water?
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| 12 |
Whilst it is yet in its greenness, and not cut down, It withereth before any other herb.
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| 13 |
So are the paths of all that forget God; And the hope of the godless man shall perish:
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| 14 |
Whose confidence shall break in sunder, And whose trust is a spider’s web.
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| 15 |
He shall lean upon his house, but it shall not stand: He shall hold fast thereby, but it shall not endure.
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| 16 |
He is green before the sun, And his shoots go forth over his garden.
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| 17 |
His roots are wrapped about the stone-heap, He beholdeth the place of stones.
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| 18 |
If he be destroyed from his place, Then it shall deny him, saying, I have not seen thee.
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| 19 |
Behold, this is the joy of his way; And out of the earth shall others spring.
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| 20 |
Behold, God will not cast away a perfect man, Neither will he uphold the evil-doers.
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| 21 |
He will yet fill thy mouth with laughter, And thy lips with shouting.
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| 22 |
They that hate thee shall be clothed with shame; And the tent of the wicked shall be no more.
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