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 strong wind? |
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3:
Doth God pervert judgment? or doth the Almighty pervert
justice? |
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4: If thy children have sinned against him, and he have cast them
away for their transgression; |
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5: If thou wouldest seek unto God betimes, 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: Though thy beginning was small, yet thy latter end should
greatly increase. |
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8: For inquire, I pray thee, of the former age, and prepare
thyself to the search of their fathers: |
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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 his 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 hypocrite's
hope shall perish: |
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14: Whose hope shall be cut off, and whose trust shall be a
spider's web. |
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15: He shall lean upon his house, but it shall not stand: he
shall hold it fast, but it shall not endure. |
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16: He is green before the sun, and his branch shooteth forth in
his garden. |
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17: His roots are wrapped about the heap, and seeth the place of
stones. |
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18: If he destroy him 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 grow. |
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20: Behold, God will not cast away a perfect man, neither will he
help the evil doers: |
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21: Till he fill thy mouth with laughing, and thy lips with
rejoicing. |
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22: They that hate thee shall be clothed with shame; and the
dwelling place of the wicked shall come to nought. |