The Listener’s Bible®: NIV® EditionAudio Copyright ℗ 2011 by Max McLeanUsed by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.®All rights reserved worldwide. 

The Listener’s Bible®: NIV Edition

New International Version™  (Anglicised), Audio Edition

Holy Bible, New International Version™ (Anglicised), South Asian Audio Edition

<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
    <div class="book bkJOB">
        <div class="chapter ch8" data-usfm="JOB.8">
            <div class="label">8</div><div class="s1"><span class="heading">Bildad</span></div><div class="p"><span class="content">  </span><span class="verse v1" data-usfm="JOB.8.1"><span class="label">1</span><span class="content">Then Bildad the Shuhite replied:</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v1" data-usfm="JOB.8.1"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v2" data-usfm="JOB.8.2"><span class="label">2</span><span class="content">&#8220;How long will you say such things?</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v2" data-usfm="JOB.8.2"><span class="content">Your words are a blustering wind.</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v2" data-usfm="JOB.8.2"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v3" data-usfm="JOB.8.3"><span class="label">3</span><span class="content">Does God pervert justice?</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v3" data-usfm="JOB.8.3"><span class="content">Does the Almighty pervert what is right?</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v3" data-usfm="JOB.8.3"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v4" data-usfm="JOB.8.4"><span class="label">4</span><span class="content">When your children sinned against him,</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v4" data-usfm="JOB.8.4"><span class="content">he gave them over to the penalty of their sin.</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v4" data-usfm="JOB.8.4"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v5" data-usfm="JOB.8.5"><span class="label">5</span><span class="content">But if you will seek God earnestly</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v5" data-usfm="JOB.8.5"><span class="content">and plead with the Almighty,</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v5" data-usfm="JOB.8.5"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v6" data-usfm="JOB.8.6"><span class="label">6</span><span class="content">if you are pure and upright,</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v6" data-usfm="JOB.8.6"><span class="content">even now he will rouse himself on your behalf</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v6" data-usfm="JOB.8.6"><span class="content">and restore you to your prosperous state.</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v6" data-usfm="JOB.8.6"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v7" data-usfm="JOB.8.7"><span class="label">7</span><span class="content">Your beginnings will seem humble,</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v7" data-usfm="JOB.8.7"><span class="content">so prosperous will your future be.</span></span></div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v7" data-usfm="JOB.8.7"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v8" data-usfm="JOB.8.8"><span class="label">8</span><span class="content">&#8220;Ask the former generation</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v8" data-usfm="JOB.8.8"><span class="content">and find out what their ancestors learned,</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v8" data-usfm="JOB.8.8"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v9" data-usfm="JOB.8.9"><span class="label">9</span><span class="content">for we were born only yesterday and know nothing,</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v9" data-usfm="JOB.8.9"><span class="content">and our days on earth are but a shadow.</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v9" data-usfm="JOB.8.9"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v10" data-usfm="JOB.8.10"><span class="label">10</span><span class="content">Will they not instruct you and tell you?</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v10" data-usfm="JOB.8.10"><span class="content">Will they not bring forth words from their understanding?</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v10" data-usfm="JOB.8.10"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v11" data-usfm="JOB.8.11"><span class="label">11</span><span class="content">Can papyrus grow tall where there is no marsh?</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v11" data-usfm="JOB.8.11"><span class="content">Can reeds thrive without water?</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v11" data-usfm="JOB.8.11"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v12" data-usfm="JOB.8.12"><span class="label">12</span><span class="content">While still growing and uncut,</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v12" data-usfm="JOB.8.12"><span class="content">they wither more quickly than grass.</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v12" data-usfm="JOB.8.12"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v13" data-usfm="JOB.8.13"><span class="label">13</span><span class="content">Such is the destiny of all who forget God;</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v13" data-usfm="JOB.8.13"><span class="content">so perishes the hope of the godless.</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v13" data-usfm="JOB.8.13"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v14" data-usfm="JOB.8.14"><span class="label">14</span><span class="content">What they trust in is fragile</span><span class="note f"><span class="label">#</span><span class=" body"><span class="fr">8:14 </span><span class="ft">The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.</span></span></span><span class="content">;</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v14" data-usfm="JOB.8.14"><span class="content">what they rely on is a spider&#8217;s web.</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v14" data-usfm="JOB.8.14"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v15" data-usfm="JOB.8.15"><span class="label">15</span><span class="content">They lean on the web, but it gives way;</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v15" data-usfm="JOB.8.15"><span class="content">they cling to it, but it does not hold.</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v15" data-usfm="JOB.8.15"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v16" data-usfm="JOB.8.16"><span class="label">16</span><span class="content">They are like a well-watered plant in the sunshine,</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v16" data-usfm="JOB.8.16"><span class="content">spreading its shoots over the garden;</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v16" data-usfm="JOB.8.16"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v17" data-usfm="JOB.8.17"><span class="label">17</span><span class="content">it entwines its roots around a pile of rocks</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v17" data-usfm="JOB.8.17"><span class="content">and looks for a place among the stones.</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v17" data-usfm="JOB.8.17"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v18" data-usfm="JOB.8.18"><span class="label">18</span><span class="content">But when it is torn from its spot,</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v18" data-usfm="JOB.8.18"><span class="content">that place disowns it and says, &#8216;I never saw you.&#8217;</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v18" data-usfm="JOB.8.18"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v19" data-usfm="JOB.8.19"><span class="label">19</span><span class="content">Surely its life withers away,</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v19" data-usfm="JOB.8.19"><span class="content">and</span><span class="note f"><span class="label">#</span><span class=" body"><span class="fr">8:19 </span><span class="ft">Or </span><span class="fqa">Surely all the joy it has / is that</span></span></span><span class="content"> from the soil other plants grow.</span></span></div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v19" data-usfm="JOB.8.19"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v20" data-usfm="JOB.8.20"><span class="label">20</span><span class="content">&#8220;Surely God does not reject one who is blameless</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v20" data-usfm="JOB.8.20"><span class="content">or strengthen the hands of evildoers.</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v20" data-usfm="JOB.8.20"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v21" data-usfm="JOB.8.21"><span class="label">21</span><span class="content">He will yet fill your mouth with laughter</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v21" data-usfm="JOB.8.21"><span class="content">and your lips with shouts of joy.</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v21" data-usfm="JOB.8.21"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v22" data-usfm="JOB.8.22"><span class="label">22</span><span class="content">Your enemies will be clothed in shame,</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v22" data-usfm="JOB.8.22"><span class="content">and the tents of the wicked will be no more.&#8221;</span></span></div>
        </div>
    </div>
</div>

Then Bildad the Shuhite replied:
“How long will you say such things?
Your words are a blustering wind.
Does God pervert justice?
Does the Almighty pervert what is right?
When your children sinned against him,
he gave them over to the penalty of their sin.
But if you will seek God earnestly
and plead with the Almighty,
if you are pure and upright,
even now he will rouse himself on your behalf
and restore you to your prosperous state.
Your beginnings will seem humble,
so prosperous will your future be.

“Ask the former generation
and find out what their ancestors learned,
for we were born only yesterday and know nothing,
and our days on earth are but a shadow.
Will they not instruct you and tell you?
Will they not bring forth words from their understanding?
Can papyrus grow tall where there is no marsh?
Can reeds thrive without water?
While still growing and uncut,
they wither more quickly than grass.
Such is the destiny of all who forget God;
so perishes the hope of the godless.
What they trust in is fragile;
what they rely on is a spider’s web.
They lean on the web, but it gives way;
they cling to it, but it does not hold.
They are like a well-watered plant in the sunshine,
spreading its shoots over the garden;
it entwines its roots around a pile of rocks
and looks for a place among the stones.
But when it is torn from its spot,
that place disowns it and says, ‘I never saw you.’
Surely its life withers away,
and from the soil other plants grow.

“Surely God does not reject one who is blameless
or strengthen the hands of evildoers.
He will yet fill your mouth with laughter
and your lips with shouts of joy.
Your enemies will be clothed in shame,
and the tents of the wicked will be no more.”

Listen to Job 8