Bildad
1Then Bildad the Shuhite replied:
2‘How long will you say such things?
Your words 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 the penalty of their sin.
5But if you will seek God earnestly
and plead with the Almighty,
6if you are pure and upright,
even now he will rouse himself on your behalf
and restore you to your prosperous state.
7Your beginnings will seem humble,
so prosperous will your future be.
8‘Ask the former generations
and find out what their ancestors learned,
9for we were born only yesterday and know nothing,
and our days on earth are but a shadow.
10Will they not instruct you and tell you?
Will they not bring forth words from their understanding?
11Can papyrus grow tall where there is no marsh?
Can reeds thrive without water?
12While still growing and uncut,
they wither more quickly than grass.
13Such is the destiny of all who forget God;
so perishes the hope of the godless.
14What they trust in is fragile8:14 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.;
what they rely on is a spider’s web.
15They lean on the web, but it gives way;
they cling to it, but it does not hold.
16They are like a well-watered plant in the sunshine,
spreading its shoots over the garden;
17it entwines its roots round a pile of rocks
and looks for a place among the stones.
18But when it is torn from its spot,
that place disowns it and says, “I never saw you.”
19Surely its life withers away,
and8:19 Or Surely all the joy it has / is that from the soil other plants grow.
20‘Surely God does not reject one who is blameless
or strengthen the hands of evildoers.
21He will yet fill your mouth with laughter
and your lips with shouts of joy.
22Your enemies will be clothed in shame,
and the tents of the wicked will be no more.’
Nagsalita si Bildad
1Sumagot si Bildad na taga-Shua, 2“Hanggang kailan ka magsasalita ng ganyan? Nag-iingay ka lang at walang kabuluhan ang mga sinasabi mo. 3Hindi maaaring pilipitin ng Makapangyarihang Dios ang katarungan o baluktutin ang katuwiran. 4Nagkasala ang iyong mga anak laban sa Dios kaya nararapat lamang ang natanggap nilang kaparusahan. 5Pero kung lalapit ka sa Makapangyarihang Dios, at magmamakaawa sa kanya, 6at mamumuhay nang malinis at matuwid, kahit ngayon ay agad ka niyang tutulungan at ibabalik sa mabuting kalagayan. 7At ang kayamanang ibibigay sa iyo ay higit pa kaysa sa kayamanan mo noon.
8“Tanungin mo ang mga matatanda. Alamin mo kung ano ang natutunan8:8 natutunan: o, natuklasan; o, naranasan. ng kanilang mga ninuno. 9Sapagkat parang kailan lang tayo ipinanganak at kaunti lang ang ating nalalaman, at ang mga araw natin dito sa mundo ay tulad ng anino na hindi nagtatagal. 10Pakinggan mo sila, at sasabihin nila sa iyo ang kanilang nalalaman.
11“Hindi mabubuhay ang halamang tubig kung walang tubig. 12Mamamatay iyon kahit na pasibol pa lang at hindi pa panahong putulin. 13Ganyan din ang kahihinatnan ng lahat ng taong tumatalikod sa Dios. Ang kanyang pag-asa ay mawawala. 14Ang lahat ng inaasahan at pinagtitiwalaan niya ay kasinrupok ng sapot ng gagamba. 15Kapag sinandalan ito, agad nalalagot; dumidikit ngunit mahina ang kapit. 16Kung titingnan parang mabuti ang kalagayan niya, parang tanim na sagana sa dilig at sikat ng araw. Yumayabong ito sa buong hardin 17at kumakapit ang mga ugat nito sa mga bato. 18Pero kapag nabunot na ito, hindi na pinapansin. 19Ganyan ang wakas ng buhay niya, at may tanim na tutubong muli sa lugar na kanyang tinubuan.
20“Ang totoo, hindi itinatakwil ng Dios ang taong matuwid at hindi niya tinutulungan ang taong masama. 21Patatawanin ka niyang muli, at pasisigawin sa kagalakan. 22Ipapahiya niya ang mga napopoot sa iyo at wawasakin ang kanilang sambahayan.”
