Bildad: God Punishes the Wicked

¹Then Bildad the Shuhite replied:

²“How long until you end these speeches?Show some sense, and then we can talk.

³Why are we regarded as cattle,as stupid in your sight?

⁴You who tear yourself in anger—should the earth be forsaken on your account,or the rocks be moved from their place?

⁵Indeed, the lamp of the wicked is extinguished;the flame of his fire does not glow.

⁶The light in his tent grows dark,and the lamp beside him goes out.

⁷His vigorous stride is shortened,and his own schemes trip him up.

⁸For his own feet lead him into a net,and he wanders into its mesh.

⁹A trap seizes his heel;a snare grips him.

¹⁰A noose is hidden in the ground,and a trap lies in his path.

¹¹Terrors frighten him on every sideand harass his every step.

¹²His strength is depleted,and calamity is ready at his side.

¹³It devours patches of his skin;the firstborn of death devours his limbs.

¹⁴He is torn from the shelter of his tentand is marched off to the king of terrors.

¹⁵Fire resides in his tent;burning sulfur rains down on his dwelling.

¹⁶The roots beneath him dry up,and the branches above him wither away.

¹⁷The memory of him perishes from the earth,and he has no name in the land.

¹⁸He is driven from light into darknessand is chased from the inhabited world.

¹⁹He has no offspring or posterity among his people,no survivor where he once lived.

²⁰Those in the west are appalled at his fate,while those in the east tremble in horror.

²¹Surely such is the dwelling of the wickedand the place of one who does not know God.”

Zophar: Destruction Awaits the Wicked

¹Then Zophar the Naamathite replied:

²“So my anxious thoughts compel me to answer,because of the turmoil within me.

³I have heard a rebuke that insults me,and my understanding prompts a reply.

⁴Do you not know that from antiquity,since man was placed on the earth,

⁵the triumph of the wicked has been briefand the joy of the godless momentary?

⁶Though his arrogance reaches the heavens,and his head touches the clouds,

⁷he will perish forever, like his own dung;those who had seen him will ask, ‘Where is he?’

⁸He will fly away like a dream, never to be found;he will be chased away like a vision in the night.

⁹The eye that saw him will see him no more,and his place will no longer behold him.

¹⁰His sons will seek the favor of the poor,for his own hands must return his wealth.

¹¹The youthful vigor that fills his boneswill lie down with him in the dust.

¹²Though evil is sweet in his mouthand he conceals it under his tongue,

¹³though he cannot bear to let it goand keeps it in his mouth,

¹⁴yet in his stomach his food soursinto the venom of cobras within him.

¹⁵He swallows wealth but vomits it out;God will force it from his stomach.

¹⁶He will suck the poison of cobras;the fangs of a viper will kill him.

¹⁷He will not enjoy the streams,the rivers flowing with honey and cream.

¹⁸He must return the fruit of his labor without consuming it;he cannot enjoy the profits of his trading.

¹⁹For he has oppressed and forsaken the poor;he has seized houses he did not build.

²⁰Because his appetite is never satisfied,he cannot escape with his treasure.

²¹Nothing is left for him to consume;thus his prosperity will not endure.

²²In the midst of his plenty, he will be distressed;the full force of misery will come upon him.

²³When he has filled his stomach,God will vent His fury upon him,raining it down on him as he eats.

²⁴Though he flees from an iron weapon,a bronze-tipped arrow will pierce him.

²⁵It is drawn out of his back,the gleaming point from his liver.Terrors come over him.

²⁶Total darkness is reserved for his treasures.A fire unfanned will consume himand devour what is left in his tent.

²⁷The heavens will expose his iniquity,and the earth will rise up against him.

²⁸The possessions of his house will be removed,flowing away on the day of God’s wrath.

²⁹This is the wicked man’s portion from God,the inheritance God has appointed him.”

Bildad: Job Should Repent

¹Then Bildad the Shuhite replied:

²“How long will you go on saying such things?The words of your mouth 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 their rebellion.

⁵But if you would earnestly seek Godand ask the Almighty for mercy,

⁶if you are pure and upright,even now He will rouse Himself on your behalfand restore your righteous estate.

⁷Though your beginnings were modest,your latter days will flourish.

⁸Please inquire of past generationsand consider the discoveries of their fathers.

⁹For we were born 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 the shoots are still uncut,they dry up more quickly than grass.

¹³Such is the destiny of all who forget God;so the hope of the godless will perish.

¹⁴His confidence is fragile;his security is in a spider’s web.

¹⁵He leans on his web, but it gives way;he holds fast, but it does not endure.

¹⁶He is a well-watered plant in the sunshine,spreading its shoots over the garden.

¹⁷His roots wrap around the rock heap;he looks for a home among the stones.

¹⁸If he is uprooted from his place,it will disown him, saying, ‘I never saw you.’

¹⁹Surely this is the joy of his way;yet others will spring from the dust.

²⁰Behold, God does not reject the blameless,nor will He strengthen the hand of evildoers.

²¹He will yet fill your mouth with laughter,and your lips with a shout of joy.

²²Your enemies will be clothed in shame,and the tent of the wicked will be no more.”

A Father’s Discipline

¹A wise son heeds his father’s discipline,but a mocker does not listen to rebuke.

²From the fruit of his lips a man enjoys good things,but the desire of the faithless is violence.

³He who guards his mouth protects his life,but the one who opens his lips invites his own ruin.

⁴The slacker craves yet has nothing,but the soul of the diligent is fully satisfied.

⁵The righteous hate falsehood,but the wicked bring shame and disgrace.

⁶Righteousness guards the man of integrity,but wickedness undermines the sinner.

⁷One pretends to be rich, but has nothing;another pretends to be poor, yet has great wealth.

⁸Riches may ransom a man’s life,but a poor man hears no threat.

⁹The light of the righteous shines brightly,but the lamp of the wicked is extinguished.

¹⁰Arrogance leads only to strife,but wisdom is with the well-advised.

¹¹Dishonest wealth will dwindle,but what is earned through hard work will be multiplied.

¹²Hope deferred makes the heart sick,but desire fulfilled is a tree of life.

¹³He who despises instruction will pay the penalty,but the one who respects a command will be rewarded.

¹⁴The teachingof the wise is a fountain of life,turning one from the snares of death.

¹⁵Good understanding wins favor,but the way of the faithless is difficult.

¹⁶Every prudent man acts with knowledge,but a fool displays his folly.

¹⁷A wicked messenger falls into trouble,but a faithful envoy brings healing.

¹⁸Poverty and shame come to him who ignores discipline,but whoever heeds correction is honored.

¹⁹Desire fulfilled is sweet to the soul,but turning from evil is detestable to fools.

²⁰He who walks with the wise will become wise,but the companion of fools will be destroyed.

²¹Disaster pursues sinners,but prosperity is the reward of the righteous.

²²A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children,but the sinner’s wealth is passed to the righteous.

²³Abundant food is in the fallow ground of the poor,but without justice it is swept away.

²⁴He who spares the rod hates his son,but he who loves him disciplines him diligently.

²⁵A righteous man eats to his heart’s content,but the stomach of the wicked is empty.