Job 8

² 
“How long will you say these things?
And will the words of your mouth be a mighty wind?
³ 
“Does God pervert justice?
Or does ^[a]the Almighty pervert righteousness?
⁴ 
“If your children have sinned against Him,
Then He has handed them over to the power of their transgression and punished them.
⁵ 
“If you would [diligently] seek God
And implore the compassion and favor of the Almighty,
⁶ 
Then, if you are pure and upright,
Surely now He will awaken for you
And restore your righteous place.
⁷ 
“Though your beginning was insignificant,
Yet your end will greatly increase.

⁸ 
“Inquire, please, of past generations,
And consider and apply yourself to the things searched out by their fathers.
⁹ 
“For we are only of yesterday and know nothing,
Because our days on earth are [like] a shadow [just a breath or a vapor].
¹⁰ 
“Will they (the fathers) not teach you and tell you,
And utter words from their hearts [the deepest part of their nature]?

¹¹ 
“Can the papyrus grow up without a marsh?
Can the rushes or reed grass grow without water?
¹² 
“While it is still green (in flower) and not cut down,
Yet it withers before any other plant [when without water].
¹³ 
“So are the paths of all who forget God;
And the hope of the godless will perish,
¹⁴ 
For his confidence is fragile and breaks,
And his trust is [like] a spider’s web.
¹⁵ 
“He trusts in his house, but it does not stand;
He holds tightly to it, but it does not endure.
¹⁶ 
“He thrives and prospers [like a green plant] before the sun,
And his branches spread out over his garden.
¹⁷ 
“His [godless] roots are wrapped around a pile of rocks,
And he gazes at a house of stones.
¹⁸ 
“If he is snatched from his place [in the garden],
Then his place will forget him, saying, ‘I have never seen you.’
¹⁹ 
“Behold, this is the joy of His way;
And from out of the dust others will spring up and grow [to take his place].
²⁰ 
“Behold, God will not reject a man of integrity,
Nor will He strengthen or support evildoers.
²¹ 
“He will yet fill your mouth with laughter
And your lips with joyful shouting [if you are found blameless].
²² 
“Those who hate you will be clothed with shame,
And the tents of the wicked will be no longer.”