Bildad Speaks of the Wicked

18 Then Bildad the Shuhite responded,

“How long will you hunt for words?
Show understanding, and then we can talk.
Why are we (A)regarded as animals,
As stupid in your eyes?
[a]You who tear yourself in your anger—
Should the earth be abandoned for your sake,
Or the rock moved from its place?

“Indeed, the (B)light of the wicked goes out,
And the spark from his fire does not shine.
The light in his tent is (C)darkened,
And his lamp goes out above him.
His [b]vigorous stride is shortened,
And his (D)own plan brings him down.
For he is (E)thrown into the net by his own feet,
And he steps on the webbing.
A snare seizes him by the heel,
And a trap snaps shut on him.
10 A noose for him is hidden in the ground,
And a trap for him on the pathway.
11 All around (F)sudden terrors frighten him,
And (G)harass him at every step.
12 His strength is (H)famished,
And disaster is ready at his side.
13 [c]It devours parts of his skin,
The firstborn of death (I)devours his [d]limbs.
14 He is (J)torn from [e]the security of his tent,
And [f]they march him before the king of (K)terrors.
15 [g]Nothing of his dwells in his tent;
(L)Brimstone is scattered on his home.
16 His (M)roots are dried below,
And his (N)branch withers above.
17 (O)The memory of him perishes from the earth,
And he has no name abroad.
18 [h]He is driven from light (P)into darkness,
And (Q)chased from the inhabited world.
19 He has no (R)offspring or descendants among his people,
Nor any survivor where he resided.
20 Those in the west are appalled at (S)his [i]fate,
And those in the east are seized with horror.
21 Certainly these are the (T)dwellings of the wicked,
And this is the place of him who does not know God.”

Footnotes

  1. Job 18:4 Lit The one who tears himself in his
  2. Job 18:7 Lit steps of his strength
  3. Job 18:13 Another reading is His skin is devoured by illness
  4. Job 18:13 Or parts
  5. Job 18:14 Lit his tent his trust
  6. Job 18:14 Lit you march or she marches
  7. Job 18:15 Another reading is Fire dwells in his tent
  8. Job 18:18 Lit They drive him...And chase him
  9. Job 18:20 Lit day

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